Brussels — The Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI) and Cycling Industries Europe (CIE) announce the successful conclusion of their merger, bringing together the two organisations to form European Cycling Industries, the unified voice of the cycling sector in Europe.
The merger marks a significant milestone for the European cycling ecosystem. By integrating the strengths of both organisations, European Cycling Industries will bolster the industry's collective ability to represent, promote, and grow cycling across Europe, consolidating expertise in industrial policy, market development, and mobility under one structure.
European Cycling Industries will deliver more coherent advocacy, improved coordination across policy areas, and greater support to its members.
As part of the establishment of the new organisation, Tony Grimaldi from Cycleurope has been elected President of ECI, with Volker Thiemann representing Velo de Ville and ZIV elected as Vice-President. The two will switch roles for the second year of their mandate.
Tony Grimaldi, President of European Cycling Industries, said: "This merger is a historic moment for our industry. I'm honoured to have been elected to be the first President by our new board and thank the trust of my colleagues at this pivotal time for the cycling industry. By uniting our resources, expertise, and ambitions, we are creating a stronger platform to advocate for our sector."
Volker Thiemann, Vice-President, said: "I am delighted to take on this role at such an important moment for our industry. I look forward to fostering close collaboration between national associations and member companies, ensuring their combined expertise drives the growth and impact of the new organisation across Europe."
The Board has also confirmed Paul Walsh as the Chief Executive Officer of the joint organisation.
Paul Walsh, CEO of ECI, said: "Cycling is one of Europe's industrial strengths, but too often its impact remains overlooked. By uniting under a single voice in Brussels, we can ensure that the true scale and potential of our industry and ecosystem is recognised — from manufacturing and technology to new mobility services. This merger enables us to advocate more effectively, promote European leadership, and support the growth of a sector that contributes so much to Europe's economy, society, and sustainability."
The inaugural board of European Cycling Industries, with representatives from 7 National Association members and 7 company members, is as follows:
Massimo Panzeri, ANCMA - Italy
Pedro Araújo, ABIMOTA - Portugal
Volker Thiemann, ZIV - Germany
Bayram Akgül, BISED - Turkey
Mateusz Pytko, PSR - Poland
Jeffrey Chin, MKKSZ - Hungary
Remco Tekstra, RAI - Netherlands
Tony Grimaldi, Cycleurope
Friederike Pischnick, Bosch eBike Systems
Herman van Beveren, Decathlon
Raymond Gense, Pon.Bike
Nick Brown, Vélogik UK
Kristian Brink, Urban Sharing
Malcolm Davies, TREK
About European Cycling Industries (ECI)
European Cycling Industries is the united voice of the European cycling sector, representing manufacturers, technology providers, and national industry associations across Europe. The organisation brings together the expertise of CIE and CONEBI to promote and support the industry, from technical regulatory work, manufacturing and innovative business models such as bike sharing, bike leasing, last-mile deliveries, and digital services.
