Trade
POC Moves to Direct Sales Support in NZ
Christchurch, NZ Swedish helmet and apparel brand POC is establishing direct sales support for its retailers in NZ, beginning with snow sports businesses from the start of this month and incorporating cycling retailers from April 2023. “Christchurch-based POC New Zealand, a subsidiary of POC Sweden which launched in 2019 as an APAC regional support office,…
Lug+Carrie Shares Successful School of Thought at Micromobility Expo
Melbourne, Victoria An e-bike subscription service’s pioneering efforts to eliminate barriers to cycling is clearing its own upward trajectory to success, with Lug+Carrie elevating its operations to much higher levels. The three-year-old Melbourne company’s success in introducing families to e-cargo bikes has already led to expansion into Sydney earlier this year and Brisbane in recent…
Lucien Loyens Stepping Aside as POC Australia General Manager
Sydney, NSW POC Australia has announced its general manager, Lucien Loyens, is leaving the company early next month, after getting the Australian subsidiary up and running. A statement from the company says Lucien, a veteran of the Australian bicycle industry, will depart POC Australia from the 7th October after overseeing “significant growth in what is…
Zero Fuel but Plenty of Passion for New Moped Manufacturer
Brisbane, Queensland A new Australia producer of electric mopeds was officially launched this month and it’s already making waves in one of the world’s most discerning moped markets. Brisbane-based Benzina Zero held it national launch in its home town on 15th September, amid strong initial growth in the Australian market. However, Benzina Zero – particularly…
Australian Bicycle Imports Top 1.5 Million for the Second Time Ever
Canberra, ACT A total of 1,534,544 bicycles were imported to Australia for the full 2021/22 financial year – only the second time imports have topped 1.5 million. It first happened in 2020/21, when imports rose by 520,000 units on the previous year and hit an all-time record of 1,690,637 million units. Of course, everyone knows…
Sustainable BMC Apparel Brand Adicta Lab Arrives in Australia
Brisbane, Queensland Brisbane-based distributor Advance Traders has confirmed it is introducing performance cycling apparel brand Adicta Lab, part of the BMC Group, to the Australian market. Like the parent company, Adicta Lab is based in the Swiss region of Grenchen and was established in 2019 with a focus on sustainable production, as well as high…
Pelago Racks Offer Sea of Stylish Touring and Commuting Options
Helsinki, Finland High-end Finnish bicycle and accessories manufacturer Pelago now has a distributor in Australia, with the Bike Collective kicking off the partnership with a delivery of luggage racks next month. The Adelaide distributor is already getting good interest from stores, despite starting only recently to spread the word about the initial shipment of 500…
Aussie Bike Industry Flies the Flag at UCI Worlds in Wollongong
Wollongong, NSW It’s not every year Australia gets to host the UCI Road Cycling World Championships. In fact, this month was only the second occasion in history, after Geelong was the first the earn the right in 2010. We don’t do race reporting in The Latz Report, as there are plenty of consumer sites you…
MCH Embrace a Multi-Channel Strategy
Melbourne, Victoria MCH Sports is one of Australia’s newer bicycle and P&A importers and distributors. It focuses upon high-end Italian brands including ALE apparel, De Rosa bikes, SIXS undergarments, Vision components, BLIZ eyewear and DMT shoes. Having met founder James Kristie previously at the Handmade Bike Show Australia, I recently had the opportunity to visit…
JetBlack’s Zwift Rise to Global Coming of Age
Sydney, NSW Indoor trainer manufacturer JetBlack has “come of age” as it signed a deal to supply its latest smart trainer model to the world’s largest online cycle training system, Zwift. The two companies announced last week that Zwift would be rebadging the new JetBlack Volt V2, to sell as a Zwift trainer in the…