Bergamont Acquired By BMC Owner

HAMBURG, Germany – The Swiss ISH International Sport Holding AG, 100% shareholder of BMC has become a majority shareholder in German Bergamont Fahrrad Vertrieb GmbH. Stefan Berkes Bergamont MD: “We have been looking for a strategic partner due to the retirement of shareholder and my father Hanspeter Berkes. After an extensive search, we decided on ISH International Sport Holding AG with its headquarters in Grenchen, Switzerland.”

ISH, which is wholly owned by the Swiss entrepreneur Andy Rihs, is the parent company of the bicycle manufacturer BMC. The Swiss company will become the new majority shareholder in Bergamont, though Stefan Berkes will retain a sizable share of the company and continue to play an active role in the company as managing director.

Bergamont was founded in 1993 and currently sells mountain bikes, cross bikes, dual slalom mountain bikes, trekking and city bikes, as well as kiddy and youth bikes. Germany is Bergamont’s largest market where the company ships to over 400 dealers directly. In the Swiss, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Slovenian, Czech and Estonian markets, Bergamont supplies the specialized retailers through wholesale distributors.

SMT Swiss Manufacturing Technology Corp.

The ISH Group has two subsidiaries: BMC Trading and SMT Swiss Manufacturing Technology Corp. The group is owned by Andy Rihs. For the current financial year, the group including Bergamont, ISH is forecasting consolidated sales of over CHF 60 million (€ 37 million).

“Both brands compliment each other both in terms of the product portfolio and their geographic presence”, stated Andy Rihs. “With the cooperation of both brands, each will be strengthened and able to generate additional growth. Both brands will be marketed autonomously and retain their proven sales and marketing components of their sale and marketing force.”

Stefan Berkes announced: “I look forward to the partnership with the ISH group and I am convinced that we can use the extensive opportunities in the international bicycle market together much more effectively than we can working separately. In addition, this union will offer us the opportunity to strengthen our operational processes and organization in Hamburg.”