A new owner for the Accell Group is one step closer today. The German anti-trust authorities have cleared plans by the Singapore-based investment company, DuTech Group, to take over the Dutch bicycle manufacturer. Accell reports that it is "very happy and positive" about the developments.
Where last year's Women in Cycling event at Eurobike centred on the industry's gender pay gap and the launch of new national networks, this year's programme opened with a freshly released market study and pushed the conversation onto a harder question: what should manufacturers and retailers actually do about the €950 million the bicycle industry is potentially missing out on.
Eurobike 2026 was in size a shadow of its former self, a far cry from the industry's leading trade fair it once was. The industry brought this debacle upon itself by no longer participating in what was once the largest bicycle show in the world. Obviously, the visitor and exhibitor numbers for this transformation edition didn't come close to what they were in the past, but that also reflects the current economics in the bicycle industry.
In 2024, a team of investors acquired the insolvent bicycle helmet factory of D-H-G Knauer GmbH Kunststoffverarbeitung. Since relaunching as KED Ahead GmbH, the new owners have made significant strides. It turns out it wasn't enough. The asset that was repeatedly touted as a key selling point - namely, the "Made in Germany" production facility in Freiberg am Neckar is now being phased out.
Bicycle tyre manufacturer Schwalbe has announced the completion of a long-planned generational leadership transition, with the new management structure taking effect on 1 January 2027. After around three decades in executive leadership, Frank Bohle, Andreas Grothe and Holger Jahn will step down from their managing director roles, while Nico Simons will remain Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for global sales.
The disruptive developments in the industry trade show landscape are the culmination of the difficulties the sector has been facing for some time. The opening day of Eurobike 2026 only confirmed the industry's current fragmentation of former, long-existing structures. Who is really going to support this industry in going forward, defend its interests, and facilitate its international gatherings?
