Jo Beckendorff

PLOCHINGEN, Germany - Sporting goods manufacturer and retailer Decathlon has appointed the CEO of Decathlon-Germany André Weinert to CEO-CESEE (Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe). Effective immediately, he assumes responsibility for 17 countries in which Decathlon is represented. The sporting goods chain store giant will announce his successor in Germany within the coming weeks.

GEDERSDORF, Austria - Two-wheeled wholesaler and importer, KSR Group, has applied for a court-supervised restructuring procedure. Due to increased energy prices, high inflation and the lack of consumer purchasing power, the economic situation changed drastically within the last year in the markets the family-run company operates in.

WELS, Austria - In the first six months of 2023, Pierer Mobility AG achieved a new record revenue of €1.39 million, up 20.2%, compared to 2022. However, "the bicycle market as a whole is characterised by major changes. The consolidation that has already begun and is expected, will have profound effects on the entire bicycle industry," the motorcycle and e-bike specialist warns.

REGAU, Austria - In order to continue growing as quickly as possible and to meet current demand, Austrian OEM bicycle and e-bike assembler WSF Bicycle Technology GmbH has launched a crowdinvesting campaign. With a funding goal of €400,000, the company aims to increase the output of its factory from 25,000 bicycles and e-bikes per year to 100,000 units per year by 2026.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - As the third in line after Giant and Merida, Ideal has also reported red figures for this year. While the bicycle manufacturer was still able to keep up its Q1 revenue at a comparably good level with a slight 1.8 % decrease, Q2 2023 saw a double-digit downshift.

FRANKFURT, Germany - German automotive supplier Hirschvogel Holding GmbH (as known as Hirschvogel Automotive Group) already marked its entry into the micromobility field at both IAA Mobility 2021 and Eurobike 2022. At this year's Eurobike the first e-bike drive system as part of a component platform for cargo bikes and urban mobility, created under its own brand name Aximo, caused a stir.

RAUBLING, Germany - Iko Sportartikel Handels GmbH - first better known as Iko-Corratec and with the success of its bicycle brand now known as Corratec - has strengthened its management team with an experienced chief operating officer (COO). An industry outsider, Jochen Vogt aims to "change from a manufacturer with individual assembly to a series producer with line production."

FREIRACHDORF, Germany - Müsing manufacturer Radsportvertrieb Ditmar Bayer GmbH is another bicycle company which has fallen into financial difficulties. On Wednesday August 23rd, the responsible district court Montabaur officially announced that the German company has filed for insolvency in self-administration.

CHANGHUA, Taiwan - The sparse numbers reported by Merida Industry Co, Ltd. clearly indicate that its 2023 export position is in decline compared to 2022. The bicycle manufacturer posted a single-digit sales decrease and a double-digit drop in profit for the first half of 2023.

FÜRTH, Germany - For the coming year, Uvex Sports Group GmbH & Co. KG (USPG) - the sporting goods group under the umbrella of the Uvex Group - will introduce a selective distribution system for its Uvex and Alpina brands throughout Europe.