Sun Race Takes Over Sturmey-Archer

NOTTINGHAM, UK (11 December) – The rumor that went around the European bike business for weeks, proved to be right. Sun Race Cycling Components which operates a factory out of Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan takes over Sturmey-Archer. Sun Race Roots Enterprise Co. Ltd. takes over the Sturmey-Archer brand name. Next to that the Taiwanese component maker acquired all the registered patents from the former nr. 1 hub gear manufacturer in the world which was established in 1902. Sun Race also bought the special tools and part of the machinery which are required to continue the production of the Sturmey-Archer hub gears, drum brakes and hubs. The remaining machinery of the Nottingham factory was auctioned on the 12th, 13th and 14th December at the Triumph Road site. Sun Race invests US$ 3.5 million in the purchase of Sturmey-Archer. The money is also used for the shipping of all the machinery to Taiwan and the installation in the factory in Taoyuan Hsien. It is expected that from March/April 2001 on the Sturmey-Acher components will be available again. Sun Race is also using its total investment for the development of new products which will be introduced in 2002. Before its demise Sturmey-Archer controlled about 15% of the European market for hub gears. Yearly production stood at about 500,000 units. It goes without saying that Sun Race is especially interested in the hub gear business of Sturmey-Archer because this sector is expected to experience strong growth in the coming years due to the trend towards comfort bicycles. Sun Race present line-up does not include hub gears and (drum) brakes. The Taiwanese component maker specializes in external drive trains including derailleurs, shifters, freewheels and cassettes. Sun Race has the capacity to produce over one million drivetrain sets a month. Next to these parts Sun Race recently added cranks, hubs and chains to its line-up. These components, next to the Sturmey-Archer hub gears and drum brakes, will be distributed through the Amsterdam based European sales office which is re-named as Sun Race Sturmey-Archer Europe BV. (JO)