Jo Beckendorff

REGAU, Austria - The restructuring plan of the young bicycle and e-bike contract manufacturer WSF Bicycle Technology GmbH, which slipped into insolvency on April 24, has failed. Despite big ambitions, all assets are now being liquidated, the insolvency administrator Dr. Klaus Schiller confirmed to Bike Europe.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - French sporting goods chain store retail giant Decathlon has announced that it will cease its business operations in Sweden at the end of this month. "The current global economic situation and its impact on our activities in Sweden have forced us to sadly make this difficult decision," a Decathlon spokesperson told Bike Europe.

MAGSTADT, Germany - At the beginning of May, Merida & Centurion Germany GmbH (MCG) announced that Jürgen Falke, the long-standing CEO and co-founder of Merida R&D Center GmbH had left the company on 30 April for health reasons. After a short, serious illness and far too early 61year old Jürgen Falke passed away on 13 June.

WELS, Austria - As the momentum in Pierer Mobility AG's core motorbike markets in the US and Europe has slowed significantly in 2024, the Austrian two-wheeler giant announced the implementation of a comprehensive package of measures. It also includes a realignment of the bicycle division. Compared to 2023, the Austrians are now assuming a double-digit motorbike and e-bike sales drop.

TOKYO-SHINJUKU, Japan - Nine years ago, a local event in the vibrant Tokyo district of Shinjuku started out as a bicycle festival for end-consumers. Over the years it blossomed into a pure B2B event for urban e-mobility. This year's Bicycle-E Mobility City Expo, which ran from 5 to 6 June, also featured two heavyweights from the domestic automotive industry as exhibitors for the first time.

TAOYUAN CITY, Taiwan - Taiwan's folding bike and adaptive vehicle specialist Pacific Cycles Inc. celebrated the ground-breaking ceremony for its third factory on May 18. This is being built on site of the first factory in Xinwu/Taoyuan City. With the construction, the entire company will be turned upside down and orientated towards the future.

TOKYO, Japan - While the corona pandemic caused a veritable bicycle and e-bike boom in the west, this sales boom completely bypassed Japan. The current sales slump therefore isn't based on a sharp drop from new sales records as in the west. For years the bicycle market in the Land of the Rising Sun has been shifting in low gear. The local market slump continued in 2023 and a reversal is not expected in the current year either.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - Following Taiwan's leading bike manufacturer duo Giant Manufacturing Company Ltd. and Merida Industry Co. Ltd., the country's number 3 bike manufacturer Ideal Bike Corporation has now also presented its Q1-2024 financial report. These figures also underline that producers are still suffering from global overstock and the resulting weak orders from suppliers.

TOKYO, Japan - For many years the Japanese bicycle market has been struggling with declining domestic production and imports. During a visit to the headquarters of the Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute (JBPI) in Tokyo, Bike Europe learned why for foreign suppliers in particular - and despite the sluggish market - it would be worthwhile to have a stand at this year's premiere of the new B2B trade fair Japan Bike Show.

CHANGHUA, Taiwan - Compared to the first sales quarter of the previous year, Taiwan's second-largest bicycle manufacturer Merida Industry Co., Ltd. has had to digest a hefty 29.8% sales drop to TWD 5.86 billion (€167.78 million) in the first three months of the current 2024 financial year.