Jan-Willem van Schaik

SAN VENDEMIANO, Italy - After PM&Partners SGR entered as majority shareholder, CEO Massimo Fregonese took charge of Elastic Interface and the CyPad Group. Headquartered near Treviso in northeast Italy, the CyPad Group is a multinational company with offices and plants in Italy, Croatia and Mexico.

OSAKA, Japan - The unexpected closure of Shimano's Malaysian factory in the past year has had a big impact on the lead times of many of its products, delaying numerous bicycle supplies as a result. However, Shimano has announced the reopening of the factory, which will at least limit these delays.

MILAN, Italy - The market for e-bikes in Europe continues strong growth after the boom in 2020. Triggered by the pandemic many people decided last year to buy an e-bike. Whether this trend would continue remained a big question mark.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - As with all other Asian bicycle parts manufacturers, saddle maker DDK Group has also reported overwhelming demand for their products. DDK's existing Vietnam factory in Thủ Dầu Một has a production capacity of 10 million saddles annually,

VOUZELA, Portugal - The high-tech carbon frame production facility of Carbon Team has been inaugurated by Portugal's Minister of State for Business and Digital Transition, Pedro Siza Vieira. The first frames made by Carbon Team have already been certified after passing rigorous lab tests in Germany.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The latest data revealed by the Confederation of the European Bicycle, E-Bike, Parts & Accessories Industries (CONEBI) confirms what has been announced in several countries in recent months. E-bike and bicycles sales in the EU and the UK shot up a whopping 40% to a 20-year high.

POVOLARO DI DEUVILLE, Italy - The Askoll Drive C90A is the latest bottom bracket motor developed for high-end e-mountain bikes. The Italian company has a long history of developing synchronous technology applied to electric motors.

義大利，特雷維格里奧（TREVIGLIO）－Bianchi日前宣佈要在2022年8月前將產能提升四倍的重大投資計劃。這項全新策略除了包含提升自行車和電動自行車的產能之外，也包含開始在義大利製造碳纖車架。

法國，巴黎（PARIS）－愛麗舍宮（Élysée Palace）於本週舉辦法國製造產品展覽會。Cycleurope、Valeo和Stor-H共同開發的電動載貨三輪車品牌Kholos 是會場上最吸睛的品牌之一。他們展示出一系列創新產品，為明日綠色環保城市提供獨特的交通解決方案。

荷蘭，鹿特丹（ROTTERDAM）－在三月卡住蘇伊士運河共六天的長榮巨型貨櫃輪長賜輪（Ever Given）將於下週三正式離開運河。這幾個月以來，蘇伊士運河管理局（SCA）和日本船東已針對賠償問題達成協議。這艘船上也載有很多（電動）自行車和零件的貨櫃。