Jo Beckendorff

WUXI, China - Chinese electric-two-wheeler giant Yadea Technology Group Co., is hoping to make a global splash with its newly unveiled product mix. Under the slogan 'Electrify your life' e-scooters and e-bikes are now being included in the company's global portfolio in addition to e-motor scooters. This move is aimed primarily at the Western e-mobility market.

SERZEDO, Portugal - Europe's largest bicycle producer in units, RTE, is strategically expanding its business. On the one hand, an e-bike factory for its own young e-bike brand Beeq as well as for (OEM-) production has been started by the Portuguese near the existing bicycle factory in Serzedo. Furthermore, in Poland another RTE factory is currently under construction.

DRESDEN, Germany - Bicycle chain store retailer Little John Bikes GmbH celebrated the opening of its 40th store on its home market Germany. The company aims to celebrate its 50th store opening in the fall of 2022. Besides the new store openings, the company is achieving rapid expansion through a unique IBD succession concept which offers a solution to the 'ageing' market.

MUNICH, Germany - Financial news services report that Austrian investor René Benko is again investigating a possible IPO of his online sports platform Signa Sports United. As part of the Signa Retail Group, Signa Sports United is an e-commerce giant in cycling and other sports commodities with multiple webshops in Europe.

WALS, Austria - Austrian sporting goods chain store giant Hervis Sport has announced a spring offensive, following the opening of a new flagship store in Innsbruck, Austria. This offensive relies not only on a chain store expansion in Austria, but in six further European countries in which they are already on the ground. The focus of this heralded spring offensive is on nothing but "bicycles, outdoor and even more stores."

DUISBURG, Germany - In a farewell letter officially released on March 23, the Steelworks by Thyssenkrupp team tells its community that due to strategic considerations and with a heavy heart, it has made the decision to "end Steelworks production and cease distribution by the end of March 2021."

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - For fiscal 2020, the country's largest bicycle manufacturer Giant Group reports a 10.3% year-on-year sales increase to TW$ 70.01 billion (€2.08 billion). At TW$ 4.95 billion (€147.29 million), profit after tax was even 46.7% higher than the previous year.

SANGERHAUSEN, Germany - While the agreement to acquire the insolvent bicycle manufacturer Sachsenring Bike Manufaktur GmbH had already been concluded in mid-February, the new owner Zweirad Union E-Mobility announced their vision of the factory's future for the first time yesterday.

HARD, Austria - Austria's second-largest bicycle producer Simplon Fahrrad GmbH has set the course for further growth: the company's parent Simplon Holding has acquired a neighbouring property to facilitate an "almost doubling of the existing production capacity". Due for completion by the end of the year, the new site will also house a large experience centre.

FÜRTH, Germany - The Daum-Group took back control over its well-known 'Moover' technology after the German e-step scooter maker Metz Mecatech GmbH applied for insolvency last August and was ultimately dissolved. The company Metz Mobility GmbH, which is part of the Daum-Group has reintroduced the 'Moover' e-step scooter and will also expand its product portfolio with a compact e-bike.