Jo Beckendorff

PONTEDERA, Italy - Italian two-wheeler and commercial vehicle supplier, the Piaggio Group has reported consolidated net sales of around €1.31 billion in fiscal 2020, down 13.6% year-on-year. The "disappointing" sales are attributed to corona-related closures and not profiting from the following peak.

HANNOVER, Germany - Tyre giant Continental AG, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, saw an internal swap within the management of the specialty tyre and two-wheel tyre business units on January 1st. The head of Continental AG's specialty tyres business unit is Wolfgang Thomale.

CHANGHUA, Taiwan - To further advance the electrification of bicycles, Taiwan's high-end OEM and ODM frame producer, Astro Engineering Co. Ltd., has entered a collaboration with electronic component producer, Darfon Electronics Corporation and called it Astro Tech Co ltd.

GIVISIEZ, Switzerland - With a total of 72 different e-bike models, the 2021 eRIDE collection from multisport supplier Scott Sports takes a comprehensive approach to this year's season. Better known for sportive premium bicycles, the Swiss company now has a fair amount of urban e-bikes in its latest portfolio.

BERLIN, Germany - The concept of four-wheeled cabin-pedelec, like the Canyon's future mobility car presented last September, gets more and more initiators in the e-bike industry. Recently e-mobility start-up Urban Drivestyle Berlin has presented its first prototype, the Duo Moke.

KOPRIVNICE, Czech Republic - The recently sold and the country's largest manufacturer Bike Fun International (BFI) has presented its fiscal year report 2020. Despite some discrepancies in the time period of reporting company figures, the overall result is clear.

STUTTGART, Germany - To increase the efficiency of its returns processing, German bicycle and outdoor multichannel retailer Internetstores GmbH, has opened a state-of-the-art returns centre. The company, which has been growing for years, will use the new centre in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim to focus primarily on efficiency, whilst offering a sustainable workplace for employees.

HÜLLHORST, Germany - German compact bike pioneer and niche brand i:SY GmbH & Co. will discontinue its license agreement with production and distribution partner Hermann Hartje KG at the end of 2021.

BERLIN, Germany - After nine years as Federal MD of Germany's powerful and largest bicycle lobby group, the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC), Burkhard Stork will leave the club in March 2021 and join the German Bicycle Industry Association, ZIV, as MD.

MÜHLTAL, Germany - These days a functioning and well-coordinated supply chain is extremely important for every bicycle manufacturer. With a keen eye on the continuous supply of parts, German premium e-bike supplier Riese & Müller GmbH (R&M) is now strengthening this area with a new work structure.