LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Belguim's Louyet Group has taken over the motor vehicle distribution business of Arnold Kontz Group. The latter has decided to go back to its roots and fully focus on the bicycle trade and soft mobility. "I feel that the time is right for us to withdraw from car distribution and concentrate once again on bicycles," explains managing director Benji Kontz.
ZEIST, The Netherlands - With 81,353 e-bike units imported into the EU-27 in the month of May, this almost matches the 83,000 units imported in the same period as last year, the latest Eurostat data shows. No doubt encouraging another sigh of relief for the bicycle market in Europe, e-bike imports per month have only continued to rise in 2024.
REGAU, Austria - The restructuring plan of the young bicycle and e-bike contract manufacturer WSF Bicycle Technology GmbH, which slipped into insolvency on April 24, has failed. Despite big ambitions, all assets are now being liquidated, the insolvency administrator Dr. Klaus Schiller confirmed to Bike Europe.
LUDHIANA, India - To boost local manufacturing and reduce the country's dependency on imports, the Modi government launched an incentive scheme for 13 sectors in 2020. Other objectives were to attract foreign direct investments and to expand exports. Now the bicycle industry also wants to be included in this scheme.
ULFT, The Netherlands - Lennart van Houwelingen has joined Hesling Bike Parts as international sales manager. With extensive experience in the international bicycle industry, including nearly nine years with Enviolo/NuVinci and five years with Bafang, he will focus on expanding the Dutch company's presence on the European market.
盧森堡，盧森堡市（LUXEMBOURG）－歐洲檢察官辦公室（European Public Prosecutor's Office，簡稱EPPO）宣布，自中國進口電動自行車的某義大利公司因涉嫌重大海關詐欺行為，已對其執行凍結令。該公司被控避稅金額超過980萬歐元。對於歐盟電動自行車零件進口問題的複雜性，這一最新案件亦引起社會關注。
荷蘭，海牙（DEN HAAG）－荷蘭人類環境和運輸督察局（Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate，簡稱ILT）已扣押大約3,500輛胖胎自行車，原因是這些產品符合輕型摩托車（moped）法規，但非電動自行車法規。這需要不同的型式認可。胖胎車在荷蘭已成為廣大年輕族群的愛好車款，近期也出現增加控管的呼聲。
瑞典，斯德哥爾摩（STOCKHOLM）－法國體育用品零售連鎖巨頭Decathlon已宣布，將於本月底結束在瑞典的業務。該公司發言人向本社表示：「目前全球經濟情勢以及這對我們在瑞典營運造成的影響，很遺憾這迫使我們做出這個艱難的決定。」
英國，哈斯丁（HASTINGS）－英國自行車品牌Whyte Bikes今年正經歷轉型。新執行長上任，加上一系列屢次獲獎的電動登山車，該品牌正進一步拓往歐洲市場。他們在德國已與分銷商合作，也在Eurobike上與DSB簽訂合約，預計於2025年在義大利市場推出品牌系列。
LOS ANGELES, US - "The bicycle industry can expect a gradual recovery with significant upside in the medium to long term, with 2026 and 2027 marking pivotal years for increased mergers and acquisitions and investment opportunities." This is the conclusion of a new report led by global investment bank Houlihan Lokey. In contrast to the current market conditions, the study indicates that another boom period for the industry is also possible before the end of the decade.
THE HAGUE, The Netherlands - Approximately 3,500 fatbikes have been seized by the Dutch authorities due to not meeting the legal requirements of an e-bike, but that of a moped. This requires a different type approval. Fatbikes, in some cases tampered with, have become immensely popular amongst younger riders in the Netherlands prompting calls for more law enforcement in the market.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - French sporting goods chain store retail giant Decathlon has announced that it will cease its business operations in Sweden at the end of this month. "The current global economic situation and its impact on our activities in Sweden have forced us to sadly make this difficult decision," a Decathlon spokesperson told Bike Europe.
BERLIN, Germany - Full-service mobility provider Cycle has acquired the Dutch delivery e-bike manufacturer, Ebike4Delivery. "This strategic acquisition strengthens our position as a provider of e-bike fleets for the delivery industry in Europe," writes Cycle in a statement. The transaction includes the staff, all e-bikes, and existing leasing contracts.
At Eurobike 2024, the ZF Group unveiled its new 48-Volt drive system for e-bikes for the first time. The 'ZF Bike Eco System' includes all drive components such as the e-motor, batteries, control units, app, and cloud connectivity. The core component is the ZF CentriX drive unit with a compact, 90 Nm mid-motor.
英國，倫敦（LONDON）－電動自行車充電器品質問題在英國及歐洲都引發疑慮，其中規模最大之一的充電器及改裝套件網路販售平台Wish.com，在考量安全風險之下，已禁止販售該類產品，不過各界對於新政策仍保有嚴重擔憂。
捷克，喬夫喬維采（ČVRČOVICE）－為向顧客提供Brevs電動自行車組裝和電池的一站式服務，Darfon Electronics決定設廠捷克。
荷蘭，阿姆斯特丹- 旗下有眾多自行車品牌的Accell Group NV在上星期五公布年中財務報告的記者會中宣佈營業額成長了13%。電動自行車和運動自行車的銷售成長造就了營收兩位數的成長。特別是電動自行車和Haibike全新高性能電動自行車推升了Accell的營業額，電動自行車的營收也再創新高。
荷蘭，海倫芬（HEERENVEEN）－Accell Group昨日宣其計畫調整生產架構，以「簡化營運並提升效率」，因此該集團將合併位於海倫芬的Batavus和Koga品牌工廠，並將部分生產移至Accell其它歐洲廠進行，預計裁減150個職位。
西班牙，馬利亞維亞（MALLABIA）－參觀自行車製造商Orbea S. Coop.時，一抵達總部便可看出他們有多麼深根在地，他們的母語是巴斯克語（Basque），第二外語是英文。Bike Europe在造訪該公司位於Mallabia的總部及工廠時，也發現這間巴斯克自行車製造商與國內外競爭者截然不同之處。
義大利，瓦爾波利切拉（VALPOLICELLA）－Pon子公司Focus Italia Group新名稱為Pon.Bike Italia，該荷蘭自行車龍頭在買下這間義大利公司後，最後階段是品牌再造。
