Iconic Welsh darts company celebrates 50 years with global campaign
Red Dragon Darts, a global leader in darts engineering and one of Wales’ most successful sporting exports, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a landmark campaign combining heritage, innovation and elite-level performance.
The campaign begins on 7 August with the release of the “50 Year Classics” – a limited-edition revival of the brand’s most celebrated darts from the past five decades.
Founded in 1975 by two former Ford engineers in a South Wales garage, Red Dragon revolutionised the sport by becoming the first company to mass produce precision tungsten darts in 1978 – making professional-quality darts accessible to all. Today, Red Dragon ships to over 100 countries, produces more than 30,000 sets of darts weekly, and operates across facilities in Bridgend, Kenya and Dallas, Texas.
“We’ve come a long way from that garage in Bridgend,” said Vince Bluck, Managing Director and son of founder John Bluck. “This campaign is a tribute to the passion and precision that built Red Dragon – honouring the past while forging ahead for the next 50 years. We’re still a family-run company at heart, and we’re proud to celebrate this milestone with the players, engineers and fans who helped get us here.”
With only 1% of UK businesses reaching a 50-year milestone, Red Dragon credits its longevity to design-led innovation and vertical integration. Every dart is developed, tested and manufactured in-house, combining precision craftsmanship with elite-level insight.
50 Year Product Campaign
The campaign’s opening act features the 50 Year Classics – four iconic darts pulled from Red Dragon’s historic archive and relaunched in their original designs to celebrate the darts that defined an era:
Chunky Stumpy – the grip that redefined compact control
Penetrator – a 1990s parallel-barrel pioneer
Shockwave – iconic Rainbow Spectron-coated powerhouse
Torpedo 2 – smooth, front-loaded velocity and control
Each model will be released in limited quantities, supported by short-form video content, packaging inserts, influencer seeding, and heritage-led storytelling.
In September, a second wave of launches will feature Limited Edition Player Darts and new shirts from some of the sport’s biggest names:
Luke Humphries
Gian van Veen
Jonny Clayton
Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price
Each range has been developed in partnership with the players at Red Dragon’s Bridgend development lab.
“Every player is different, and that’s what drives us,” said Lee Huxtable, Red Dragon’s Head of Development. “Whether it’s Peter Wright’s diamond-coated dart or Humphries’ short-barrel setup, we’re always working to deliver that one setup that can unlock a player’s best game.”
Huxtable, one of the sport’s most accomplished dart designers, has developed world-title-winning darts for Gerwyn Price, Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, and more, helping shape the careers of both legends and rising stars.
About Red Dragon Darts
Founded in 1975 by two Welsh automotive engineers, the company transformed the sport by introducing the world’s first mass-produced precision tungsten darts, making them affordable and accessible to all.
Now part of the Nodor Group, Red Dragon blends heritage with innovation. Its Bridgend-based R&D centre is led by Head of Development Lee Huxtable, whose designs have powered world champions and inspired millions. Operating with vertically integrated control and production hubs in the UK, Kenya, and the US, the company produces over 30,000 sets of darts and 20,000 dartboards per week.
From Sunday night league players to the world’s biggest stages, Red Dragon’s mission remains simple: to craft darts that empower everyone to play their best.
Built for champions. Crafted for legacy.
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