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International cycling manufacturer Salcano has confirmed plans to build a new factory in response to ‘record-breaking’ demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The firm’s warehouse was cleared of stock in 2020 as demand in Europe and the US soared. The new factory, in Luleburgaz in north-west Turkey, will allow Salcano to produce its own bicycle frames in steel, alloy and carbon fibre, in addition to assembling bikes it designs.
Salcano will also produce a wheel and other parts, and the investment will expand the range to include electric bikes. The manufacturer’s existing 16,000m² factory in Istanbul already has the tools to make other parts such as wheels and tyres, and paint frames. It produces 225,000 parts every year.
Salcano chief executive Bayram Akgul said: “The surge in demand for safe, active travel and transport has exceeded all of our expectations. More and more people around the world now want to travel in a COVID-secure way. For many, that means cycling to work and school.
“Like other manufacturers, we have worked hard to keep up with unprecedented demand this year. In my 25 years in the industry, I have never seen anything like it – we sold every single piece of our stock. I’m proud to say our new factory means we will make frames in-house for the first time and means we can produce many more bikes in future.
“We are already a major supplier to Europe and I’m determined to do more to help our existing and future US customers. This is a growing, changing market and Salcano is gearing up to meet the rising demand.”
Construction of the new Luleburgaz factory will begin soon and it will be fully operational by 2022. With the latest manufacturing facility, Salcano will have an annual production capacity of 500,000 bicycles in a 40,000 m² area in total.
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