State of the industry: live from IWA 2026

Assessing the current state of the market is a vital part of running a successful business in this industry. No matter whether you sell shotguns, rifles, airsoft, clothing, or accessories, it pays to know what the current trends are, what issues are impacting the market, and where the opportunity lies. Of course, you can gather much of this information yourself from your sales figures, market research, or your partners in the sales chain, but another fruitful way to do it is to attend a trade show. Meeting with peers, partners, and professionals across the global hunting and shooting industry is an ideal way to get a true feeling for what’s going on in the market and pick up insightful information that may have otherwise passed you by. For the 30th episode of the Gun Trade World podcast, host David Guest did exactly that and spoke to a wide range of industry leaders on the show floor of IWA Outdoor Classics 2026.Featured in this episode:Melissa Schilling, Vice President, Exhibitions and Events at NSSF Louis Field (UK Sales Executive) & Brandon West (Head of Export) at Air ArmsAbdussamed Güzel, Commercial Director at HugluMark van Giesel, Brand Manager at TacstackGerd Walther, Managing Director of Lothar WaltherTsvetan Zahariev, Business Development Manager at ATN Europe.