HEERENVEEN, Netherlands – Despite the pressure on two major bike markets in Europe, Germany and France, Accell Group maintains its profit forecast for the full year 2006. The holding company also announced today the takeover of Webena Sport; a company that imports fitness equipment for the
Dutch market. The company was founded in 1953 and has a profitable annual turnover of around 3.5 million euro.
For the full year, Accell Group NV expects a higher turnover and an increase in profit of between 5% and 15%. In 2005, sales amounted to 369.3 million euro and net profit to 15.5 million euro.
Today’s announcement by Accell also refers to the pressure on the French market. It states: “The integration of Cycle Mercier’s activities with those of Accell Group’s other French firm Lapierre is in full progress. The relocation of the Tunturi assembly activities from Finland to Accell Group's production facilities in Hungary is also on schedule.”
On the Webena takeover René Takens, CEO of Accell Group said: “It makes our fitness range even more complete. With the brands Tunturi and Bremshey, we already have two complete ranges of high-grade fitness equipment. The acquisition of Webena means we can quickly expand our range in smaller fitness equipment. Secondly, with our internationally operating organisation, we can roll out the Webena activities to our branches and distributors abroad. The Webena activities will be integrated fully in the existing Accell Fitness organisation.”
Accell Group also said in today’s announcement that it will no longer continue to integrate the technology of the electrical bicycles developed by Antec. This Dutch maker of electric bicycles was end 2005 taken over by Accell. Accell says: “Extra investments in the in the power mechanism developed by Antec are at this time not opportune. Other than expected, the technology used by Antec does not have a direct match with Accell Group's own technology for electrical bicycles. Antec will independently continue its activities in Arnhem, The Netherlands.”
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