Industry News
Fuji to supply new pro team • Garmin buys South American distributor • USAC allows electronic signatures
ETOBICOKE, Ontario (BRAIN)—Norco announced plans on Thursday to build a new eastern Canadian warehouse to support growing sales in the region.
Hawley expands West Coast rep team • Light and Motion upgrades defective lights • Nuun to work with Smack Media • Echelon announces 2012 event dates
LEXINGTON, SC (BRAIN)—Hawley is opening a West Coast distribution center next month and hiring five veteran reps to cover the region.
CHATSWORTH, CA (BRAIN)—Those who have been patiently plugging away at e-bike sales in the U.S. hope Dutch juggernaut Accell Group’s entry into the market will be the shot in the arm the industry needs to jumpstart the sluggish category.
SACRAMENTO, CA (BRAIN)—Performance road retailer Ikon Cycles has moved to a bigger location in Sacramento, tripling in size to 1,500 square feet, but don’t expect to find more bikes on display. Instead, owner Adrian Moore has expanded his fit area, installed a bank of Tacx trainers and put in a customer lounge.
De Soto enters cycling clothing market • Specialized hires Teixeira
De Soto Sport, long known for its triathlon clothing and wetsuits, is entering the high-end cycling side of things with a new line called De Soto Grupo Ciclismo.
CLOPPENBURG, Germany (BRAIN)—Derby Cycle AG grew its revenue by around 25 percent to 36.6 million euros ($48 million) in the fourth quarter of its 2010/2011 fiscal year, based on preliminary figures released by the company late Tuesday.
CHATSWORTH, CA (BRAIN)—European market leader Accell Group has acquired all shares in U.S. e-bike maker Currie Technologies.
ARROYO GRANDE, CA (BRAIN)—Ira Hughes, who started work at his bike shop when he was 12, died Thursday night of a brain tumor after a seven-month-long illness. Hughes was 58.
BERKELEY, CA (BRAIN)—Cyclingnews.com is the new media partner of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association in a deal that the association says will increase its exposure while encouraging young cyclists to visit the site.
ZELLIK, Belgium (BRAIN)—Eddy Merckx Holding has raised 7.4 million euros ($9.6 million) in capital through a new partnership with Diepensteyn, the parent company of Belgium’s Palm Breweries.
Amazon.com appears to moving more aggressively into sales of bike gear with the hiring of Paul Calandrella as Senior Vendor Manager for Cycling. Calandrella most recently was involved with Specialized's consumer direct sales efforts.

Gates sponsors design contest • SRAM’s new Red blitz
DENVER, CO (BRAIN)—Gates Corp. is sponsoring a design contest at the 2012 North American Handmade Bicycle Show and is bringing in a panel of well-known bike innovators as judges.
The show is March 2-4 in Sacramento, California.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Giant Global has formally launched its bike touring division, called Giant Adventure.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (BRAIN)—USA Cycling will be offering race directors training and a certification program next year.
HELSINKI, Finland (BRAIN)—Amer Sports, the Finnish owner of Mavic, will acquire women’s snowboard apparel brand Nikita as part of its priority to grow faster in soft goods.
Amer also owns Salomon, Wilson, Atomic, Arc’teryx, Precor and Suunto.
• Foundry contest seeks essays • Cyfac launches custom colors program • Light Electric Vehicle Association offers webinars • Blue adds Korean distributor ...