Rosie Burgin

KARLSTEIN AM MAIN, Germany - Lithium-ion battery specialist, BMZ Group, has acquired Nox Cycles Austria and all its sister companies in Germany and Switzerland. The deal also includes the Hawk Bikes brand, which is mainly represented in Germany, and the DACH-Benelux license of the British premium e-bike manufacturer Whyte Bikes.

OSAKA, Japan - Shimano has announced two new mechanical groupset introductions. The Shimano 105 12-speed Mechanical groupset completes the 12-speed road family. Meanwhile for the gravel segment, Shimano's new GRX Mechanical 12-Speed provides more gearing options for gravel cyclists.

LONDON, England - Lavoie, the e-scooter unit of British Formula One engineering and technology firm McLaren Applied, has agreed to buy bankrupt Dutch e-bike brand VanMoof, Reuters is reporting today. The new buyer states that it plans to invest in stabilising and expanding the business. This includes a switch to using third party retailers.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands - Pon.Bike is building on the number of brands in its portfolio with the acquisition of premium cycling shoe brand, Nimbl. Headquartered in Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy, Nimbl was founded in 2020 and has since expanded its business worldwide. The sale price has not been disclosed.

MUNICH, Germany - As IAA Mobility prepares to open its doors next week, the organisers are hoping that integrating all mobility offerings will the push the platform further. Cycling & Mobility is one of the six formats that the show will present during the 5-day event. "The dedicated topic expresses the strategic relevance we attribute to cycling," the organisers explain.

LONDON, UK — "Senior leaders in the bicycle industry are overwhelmingly white, heterosexual men" and "women and those from minority groups are more likely to leave the industry" - these are key finding from a new Diversity in the Cycling Industry Perception Survey Report. With other results shedding light on diversity and inclusivity issues, a roadmap for change has been proposed.

FRANKFURT, Germany - Poland is gaining relevance for e-bike assemblers and a new factory is on the horizon. Backed by NKI, a Chinese manufacturer of home appliances for the global market, Polana Bikes has ambitions to produce 80,000 e-bikes per year when fully up and running.

ITTIGEN, Switzerland - The World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) is to have a new CEO. After a successful 16-year tenure, Robbert De Kock, has decided it is time for him to leave the organisation and hand over the baton to a new leader. The WFSGI Board has appointed Emma (Mason) Zwiebler as Interim CEO from 1 November 2023.

LONDON, UK - Bike Club, a subscription-based provider of kid's bikes, has acquired Bicircular, a fellow bike subscription platform for children in Spain. This latest acquisition sees the UK scale-up entering two new European markets in the past twelve months. The certified B-Corp company says it is committed to bringing better circular economics into the European family leisure market.

FRANKFURT, Germany - An industrial nylon yarn for bicycle tyre casings made from recycled fishing net plastics from the sea, this is the concept of Taiwanese specialist Formosa Taffeta. As brands and manufacturers look for more responsibly sourced materials for their products, the company can already count Maxxis as a client, with more top tyre brands following suit.