Interesting story.
Things "ain't what they used to be".
Reminds me of what a friend told me who owns a fly shop. He said he was not making much selling high-end rods. Few sold and his "cut" only about 35% - depending upon the quantity he orders - and might have to sit on his inventory with new models coming out each year.
He said the bigger sellers in his shop were the lower tiered rods. In addition, he said he could have his "own brand" manufactured in Korea and make a lot more on each rod sold as well as being able to say they were his design.................
You wonder about patent rights. For example, is the special methodology used to make Hardy Rod's Zenith series patented? Or is it too expensive to copy?
I suspect that rod manufacturers in Korea can make an IM6 or IM7 rod just fine and would not violate a patent?