HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - Taiwan's renowned bicycle frame builder Astro Tech Co., Ltd. celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for its new production facility in Phu Chanh Industrial Park (north of Ho Chi Minh City) last Tuesday. Having produced for 24 years in Vietnam already, mass production in the new factory is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2026.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - E-bike manufacturer Cowboy has announced a voluntary recall of its C4 ST (Edition MR) model due to a potential safety issue involving the bike's frame. The Brussels-based company discovered during quality testing that the bike is at risk of developing fatigue cracks at the weld joint between the headtube and the downtube after approximately 2,500 kilometres of use.

Alessandro (Alex) Colnago, nephew of Ernesto Colnago, known for starting the famous Italian race bike company in the 1950s, has recently partnered with WiaWis to launch Acol, a premium bicycle brand. Acol specializes in lightweight frames, aerodynamic bicycles and other components including gravel and track frames. The company targets cyclists seeking high-performance gear, utilizing the same advanced materials and engineering principles that WiaWis applies to its renowned archery products.

XI'AN, China - In close collaboration with metal additive manufacturing solution provider Bright Laser Technologies (BLT), frame and bicycle manufacturer Titan Super Bond has successfully printed a titanium alloy fork. The project opens up new possibilities for Chinese OEMs, expects Titan Super Bond.

Leading folding bike manufacturer Dahon chairman Dr. David Hon has announced he has uncovered design flaws in various types of bicycles, including mountain bikes, road bikes, and some e-bikes. By examining frame flex and its impact on performance, Dr. Hon has developed theoretical and experimental methods for practical frame flex measurement.

SYDNEY, Australia - The photos of landfills with carbon bicycle frames which did not pass the production tests or were at the end of their life cycle went viral some years ago. The contradiction between the environmentally friendly image of the bicycle and the single-use carbon frame is striking. Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed new methods to solve this major source of waste.

EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands - The word has been spread around in the industry for some time that a new aluminium bicycle frame factory would open soon in Europe. Now, the family-owned industry company VDL Groep has officially announced the start of its fully automated production line in the Netherlands.

SAALFELD, Germany - After V Frames successfully began mass production of injection-molded carbon composite frames, the major focus is now increasing the performance of the raw materials, including stiffness. A recent development agreement with chemical specialist Lehvoss Group should take the products to the next level.

ZEIST, the Netherlands - The cooperation between Kellys and Koenigsegg's automotive composite body part manufacturer has been much speculated since Eurobike. Known for their multimillion Koenigsegg Jesko, the Swedish super-car manufacturer's partner for composite aerodynamics bodyparts and Kellys have partnered in the development of the super lightweight Theos F series e-bike.

The metal processing industry in Europe has a positive outlook for the next 10 years. This is due to the high demand for e-bike frames in the European Union.

VARSSEVELD, the Netherlands - Van Raam, a manufacturer of special needs bicycles, is a pioneer in the field of 3D printing in the two-wheeler industry. In the past year, the company printed no fewer than 40,000 parts. With 3D printing, they produce parts on demand, keep stock in the form of digital files and produce tools that make their production process more efficient.

Faction Bike Studio, offering industrial design and engineering services to the bike industry, is growing rapidly. An important contribution to this growth is a unique prototype service. This service enables Faction Bike Studio to create a prototype for every step of the development process.

CAMPIA, Portugal - Set up as a joint-venture by three Portuguese bicycle component producers and some partners, Carbon Team's new carbon frame factory in Portugal has started large-scale production. Bike Europe visited this new European carbon serial production facility,

BORRALHA, Portugal - The next report in our series on Portugal's industry is frame manufacturer Triangle's Cycling Equipments S.A. Founded by three Portuguese component makers, Ciclo Fapril, Miranda Bike Parts and Rodi Rims & Wheels, the company developed quickly while relying on innovative high-tech welding robots.

LUDHIANA, India - The Indian bicycle industry is seeing a heavy shift to local sourcing of parts and components as a result of the pandemic-induced supply chain problems. Investment in alloy frame production is also top of Sadem Industries' agenda as it plans to boost its production capacity to meet the surging demand

TORONTO, Canada - After a Kickstarter campaign in 2015, Peter Boutakis founded folding bike company Helix. The company expanded quickly and has recently opened its first production line for robotically TIG welded frames.

LEUVEN, Belgium - The Brightlands Chemelot Campus will display the first test models of the 100% Limburg Bikes this weekend in the Innovation Hub as part of the 2021 UCI Road World Championships in Leuven, Belgium.

MILPITA, USA - Technology company, Arevo Inc has announced not only "the completion of the world's largest 3D printing facility for carbon fiber composite additive manufacturing", but also the first shipment of bicycles and e-bikes with frames out of the 3D printer.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - Many bicycle retailers have already experienced suppliers reporting yet another regrettable delay in the delivery of goods, referring specifically to supply chain interruptions and the Covid-19 pandemic. These supplies were meant to fill empty warehouses and storefronts.

NANTONG, China - Dingyu Manufacturing has developed a new concept for the manufacturing of custom-made frames whereby customers can choose from various dropouts, head tubes, motor brackets for Shimano, Bosch and Bafang systems. All components and tubes are designed to limit the number of welds to five.

VOUZELA, Portugal - The high-tech carbon frame production facility of Carbon Team has been inaugurated by Portugal's Minister of State for Business and Digital Transition, Pedro Siza Vieira. The first frames made by Carbon Team have already been certified after passing rigorous lab tests in Germany.