Rosie Burgin

Battery manufacturer BMZ Battery Solutions has announced it will close its production plant in North Macedonia and consolidate its European manufacturing operations in Poland. The transfer will take place in stages between August and December 2026.

Belgium's speed pedelec market continued its transformation in the first half of 2026, with strong growth in new registrations driven by leasing contracts and large fleet deliveries, while the rapidly expanding second-hand market is creating a broader customer base for speed pedelec sales in Europe's leading market.

The central analysis tool of ZIV's market data service has been officially launched, with participating German bicycle dealers now having access to the dealer dashboard. "This is an important step towards greater transparency in the German bicycle market and an important milestone for business planning for the entire industry," says Katharina Hinse, ZIV Head of Industrial and Economic Policy.

Just over 150,000 e-bike units are noted to have left Taiwan's shores in the first half of 2026. This is a 14% drop compared to the same period last year and marks the lowest volume of e-bikes leaving the country in the first six months of the year since 2017. The US market notes the biggest year-on-year losses. In total, Taiwan's first half-year e-bike export value has also dipped below NT$10 billion (€294 million) for the first time since 2017, marking a significant problem for an already challenged industry.

Bicycle assembly and maintenance training in Spain has received a major boost following government approval of a new vocational specialisation course. The programme provides funding for 690 hours of training to qualify professionals in the assembly, repair and maintenance of bicycles and e-bikes. This is the result of more than four years of joint work between the Spanish bicycle industry and the Administration.

The UK's bicycle industry has launched a new safety trust mark designed to help consumers identify compliant e-bikes while protecting reputable manufacturers and retailers from growing competition with illegal and unsafe products.

As 2027 gets set to be one of the most interesting on the international trade show scene, one of the rising stars, Cyclingworld Europe has stated its intentions for next year. Friday will become a full exhibition day as the event in Düsseldorf responds to strong demand from both the industry and the trade while maintaining its identity as a consumer-focused event. The event will take place from 12 to 14 March at Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how businesses handle data. AI tools can now map fields, convert formats, and identify inconsistencies. For many industries, including the bicycle industry, this raises an important question: if AI can manage, translate and interpret data automatically, do companies still need to invest in digitalisation and industry standards?

A new owner for the Accell Group is one step closer today. The German anti-trust authorities have cleared plans by the Singapore-based investment company, DuTech Group, to take over the Dutch bicycle manufacturer. Accell reports that it is "very happy and positive" about the developments.

Italy's Fantic Group has outlined a new international strategy for its Cycling Business Unit, centred on strengthening the distinct positioning of its Fantic and Bottecchia brands while integrating operations to improve efficiency and improve product development. The strategy also aims to accelerate growth across key international markets.