Jan-Willem van Schaik

CHANGHUA, Taiwan - For Merida Industry Co. Ltd., the excess inventory situation continues to have an impact on the financial performance. Yesterday the company reported a relatively steadily performance in 2024, with full-year revenue growing by 8.7% to NT$29.63 billion (€ 823 million). The company pointed out that the entire bicycle industry is still in the stage of destocking and inventory impairment. For Merida this means a net loss NT$732.66 million (€20.4 million) before tax which can be attributed to a one-time provision and did not affect cash flow, and it could still be used to offset taxes when profits are made in the future.

BERLIN, Germany - Massive discounting campaigns to reduce inventory levels in the market pushed down the average e-bike retail price and market value in Germany last year. While sales volume remained relatively stable, the revenue from bicycles and e-bikes totalled €6.33 billion, down 10.1% from €7.06 billion in 2023. This is still significantly higher than the sales value of €4 billion in 2019.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - Fundracer as announced that Annika Fischer has joined the investment fund dedicated to future mobility as a Venture Partner. She has built a career at the intersection of finance, HR, and sustainability, reports Fundracer.

SKI, Norway - Just south of Oslo, the first highly automated tyre factory of reTyre has been completed after a construction period of 10 months. "We are the world's first tyre company that can injection-mold tyres instead of manual vulcanization," said eTyre COO Alexander Gjendem Gjørven, who has raised more than 200 million Norwegian kroner (€17.2 million) for reTyre.

BERINGEN, Belgium - The acquisition of Nukeproof by Belgian Cycling Factory (BCF) as the company announced last week is a critical part of its long-term strategy plan called Horizon 2030. "Building a leading position on the MTB market is an essential part of our long-term vision," explains Belgian Cycling Factory CEO and owner Joachim Aerts. "With Nukeproof we have gained an important position in the market."

KETCHUM, USA - CrankTank, known in the bicycle industry as expert in digital marketing and e-commerce strategy, has invested in key staff to elevate its performance. Katie Middel has been hired as client success manager.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - E-bikes continue to be the driving force for the Dutch market. The total e-bike market volume ended at 409,467 units, representing a market share of 47.7%. The total number of bicycles and e-bikes combined ended at 858,126, down from 919,101 in 2023. This year, the national industry association RAI Vereniging included fatbike sales for the first time in their annual report which has resulted in a major shift in the statistics.

BERLIN, Germany - Germany as a manufacturing base might not be the most logical choice for the bicycle industry when looking at the rising cost of labour. The strategic location in central Europe and the long heritage of production and engineering has always given the country a strong position in the industry. A group of industry leaders spoke out whether Germany is losing its appeal as a business location for bicycle companies or 'Made in Germany' is a concept for the future.

DULUTH, USA - The industry's ongoing channel inventory recalibration and, to a lesser extent, lower end-consumer demand are reflected in the 2024 results published by Fox Factory Holding Corp. Bicycle product sales under the Specialty Sports Group (SSG) umbrella were down in 2024 but briefly hiked by 8.3% in Q4.

BUNNIK, the Netherlands - Klever Mobility has centralised its European organisation in its existing office in the Netherlands. The company reports that this strategic decision will enable them to operate more efficiently and provide better service to dealers and customers in Germany and Switzerland. As part of the reorganisation, the office in Cologne, Germany will be closed soon.