E-bikes are boosting growth in the bicycle industry
Press conference to kick off the 18th EUROBIKE international bicycle trade show in Friedrichshafen
"My house, my boat… my bicycle." The new status symbol for environmentally-friendly, healthy and intelligent mobility is making headlines across Germany: "What an incredible tailwind… thanks to e-bikes." "The new bikes make riding a breeze: Mountains are suddenly less daunting and the daily ride to the office becomes a fast and sweat-free zoom." Clearly the German Two-Wheeler Industry Association (ZIV) has done an outstanding job of promoting solutions for intelligent mobility in the run-up to the EUROBIKE international bicycle trade show, from 2 to 5 September 2009.
Today's heightened awareness of environmental issues is boosting the bicycle business, especially at retail shops. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of Germans are opting for bicycles as a way to commute to work – and as an enjoyable recreational activity. As Germany weathers the global economic downturn, the ZIV expects that an anticipated 8-percent decline in sales for the current year will take place primarily outside the specialized retail sector: "Bicycle shops have been able to further expand their share of the total market," said ZIV Secretary Rolf Lemberg at the press conference in Friedrichshafen. "This illustrates the orientation of today's consumers toward high-quality products and reveals the desire of end consumers to receive top-notch advice and professional service."
Over €3 billion in sales
One day before the opening of the EUROBIKE international bicycle trade show (2-5 September 2009), representatives of the association and bicycle companies presented the latest figures from the industry. According to the association, the sector achieved sales of €1.7 billion with bicycles and an additional €1.45 billion from repairs, accessories, replacement parts and components, making for a market with a total volume of over €3 billion.
General figures
The German bicycle industry enjoys a strong position within Europe. Together with the retail trade, the industry provides jobs for approximately 30,000 employees in Germany. The ZIV reports domestic deliveries of 2.55 million bicycles to the German market for the first six months of 2009. Germany produced 1.45 million bicycles during this period and imported 1.68 million. Nearly 600,000 German bicycles were exported abroad. German manufacturers enjoy a 41-percent share of domestic deliveries, with imports making up the remaining 59 percent.
Popular types of bicycles
Trekking bikes are leading the pack with 33 percent of sales, followed by city bikes and mountain bikes. E-bikes are rapidly gaining ground, with strong growth rates in many European countries. Approximately 100,000 e-bikes were sold in 2008. The current trend is also fortunately toward more business for bicycle shops. An increasing number of bicycles are purchased from the specialists, who sell 63 percent of all new bikes. Based on the absolute value, the market share of retail shops is even greater than this percentage. By contrast, so-called "green-field retailers" (hypermarkets, DIY stores, discounters) had to make do with a declining market share. The overall average price for all sales channels was €390 per bicycle. Retail shops, however, achieved an average of €500 per bike.
68 million bicycles
Over the past 10 years, the number of bicycles in Germany has risen from 62 million to 68 million. Eighty-one percent of all private households own a bicycle. That's 10 percent more than in 2000.
EUROBIKE 2009 sets a new record
The 18th EUROBIKE international bicycle trade show in Friedrichshafen is where the global industry meets from 2 to 5 September 2009. With 1,028 exhibitors, 71 percent of whom come from abroad, the event has set a new record. Open House Day is on Saturday, 5 September 2009. The trade show is only open to trade visitors from 2 to 4 September.
