Jan-Willem van Schaik

TIMISOARA, Romania - Aerial footage shows the sheer size of the building process currently taking place in Romania. When construction started last year, it was announced to become Europe's biggest bike factory. It will be operated by Decathlon partner, Sport Mechanical Workshop.

SUZHOU, China- After a six-year tenure at the helm of the Bafang European headquarters in Wijchen, the Netherlands, Jack Brandsen will depart the company as of March 31st.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - COVID-19 is once again turning the Taipei Cycle show schedule upside down. This morning show organiser TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council) announced that the physical show for next March has been postponed. The date for the next physical shows will be announced soon.

MATTIGHOFEN, Austria - Over the past two years KTM Bicycles already invested in a new production and logistics hall. Eyeing the market outlook of rapid sales increases for the next few years, KTM Bicycles has decided to build three additional halls this year.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - The pandemic inevitably had an impact on e-bike and bicycle production in Cambodia in 2020. It has become one of the leading bicycle exporting countries. Last year, the total value of bicycles shipped overseas on the export market increased by 27% from 2019 to approximately € 439 million.

DEN BOSCH, the Netherlands - At least 9% of the consumers in the Netherlands expect to buy an e-bike this year. According to recent market research by Multiscope this will result in a market volume of some 1.2 million e-bikes. That's a major hike on top of the already successful market last year.

MILAN, Italy - "In 2020 people have come to understand the value of e-bikes and bicycles as an alternative for mobility and an opportunity to improve personal well-being," states Selle Royal Group project leader Monica Savio explaining the main reason for the Italian company to support the first edition of MobilitARS, a digital symposium on urban mobility. This first of a series of four events will start tomorrow, February 3rd.

ŠIAULIAI, Lithuania - For the second consecutive year, e-bike and bicycle manufacturer Baltik Vairas will roll out an investment plan to increase its capacity. "In 2020 our sales reached €75 million and for this year we anticipate on a turn-over of €130 million," said Baltik Vairas CEO Žilvinas Dubossas.

PURMEREND, the Netherlands - The Italian bicycle assembly machinery maker Marchetti was taken over by Holland Mechanics in late 2019. The integration of both companies has reached its final stage. The take-over makes the Dutch wheel building specialist Holland Mechanics a turn-key supplier for all e-bike and bicycle assembly solutions. "Except for painting, we can now supply all necessary machinery for the complete assembly process," says Holland Mechanics general managers and owners Wouter and Maarten van Doornik.

SUZHOU, China - The future battery market will be disrupted by the growing popularity of e-bikes in combination with the electrification of all other means of mobility, like cars, light vehicles and even trucks. Battery manufacturers therefore need to strengthen their energy planning and construction capacity. To quickly meet the rising demand, more large-scale battery manufacturing sites with 50 GWh capacity have to be established.