MONTREAL — Sher-Wood Hockey Inc. is moving the last of its high-end hockey and goalie stick production to China due to a lack of demand, putting 40 workers out of a job.
More than 85 per cent of the Quebec company’s hockey stick production is already in China, where its suppliers are located, said Eric Rodrigue, vice-president of marketing and product development.
There aren’t enough orders for Sher-Wood’s foam-core goalie sticks or its composite material hockey sticks, Rodrigue said Thursday from Sherbrooke, Que.
“We took, maybe, too much time to change from wood to composite raw material,” he said of Sher-Wood hockey sticks. “We have a really good stick, but the demand is not there.”
NHL players such as New Jersey Devil’s goalie Martin Brodeur, forward Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanec use Sher-Wood sticks.
Former Montreal Canadiens’ great Guy Lafleur used a wooden Sher-Wood stick.
The composite hockey sticks, which can be custom-made, are mainly for semi-professional and professional players with a price tag of about $250 and aren’t generally sold in stores, Rodrigue said. The goalie sticks retail for $70 to $90.
Sher-Wood’s competitors like Bauer and Reebok have been in China for years, he added.
“We aren’t the first ones to do this. We are the last, last ones to do this.”
Rodrigue said 110 employees will remain at Sher-Wood Hockey’s head office in Sherbrooke as well as its research and development, distribution and novelty production facilities.
The manufacturing plant will close in December and most of the 40 employees who make the sticks are more than 50 years old, Rodrigue said.