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Brompton Bicycle is relocating its manufacturing and storage facilities to a larger factory site in Greenford, London, to increase production and meet growing demand for their bikes internationally.
Due for completion by January 2016, the move is underway and the new site (86,182sqft) is nearly twice the size of Brompton’s current four operational locations. It will be large enough to house all processes of the business in one facility.
The unified site will enable the company to improve efficiency, increase production and bring together its 240 staff under one roof, Brompton said. Substantial growth over recent years has led to the move, with Brompton now streamlining and unifying its processes in order to further grow. The firm aims to double production to 100,000 bikes a year, cementing its status as the UK’s largest bike exporter, with around 80% of all bikes produced being shipped worldwide. The additional space will also be used to realise future projects and furthering development of the Brompton bike.
The Brompton bike was first designed and built by inventor Andrew Ritchie, in his flat in Kensington, West London. Full time production began in 1988 at the Brentford Arches and then moved to its current factory at Kew Bridge in 1998.
Keeping Brompton in London is ‘essential’ the brand said: "Brompton has invested in its staff, with months of training going into the skills of brazing and bike assembly. Keeping the factory within the capital is essential to Brompton in order to retain this craftsmanship that is inherit to the brand. To move away from London would be to leave the staff, their knowledge and expertise behind.
"As a bike made for cities, to remain within London provides the Brompton team with the daily inspiration to continue evolving and fine tuning the bikes design to ensure it is perfect for city riding."
Brompton Bicycle CEO, Will Butler-Adams OBE, said: “In the early days we couldn’t believe how big our factory was and how we would ever fill it. We have, and for some time we have been squashed in it and need more space.
"We are committed to London; Brompton was born from a need of city living, our staff are Londoners and the city continues to inform how the Brompton develops.
"The move represents the ambition, passion and the long term commitment we have to change how people live in cities around the globe. It comes with risks but these are worth taking if we wish to continue to innovate, both in our product and how we make it, such that we offer something of real value to our customers!”
Brompton won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2015. Will Butler-Adams, was appointed Managing Director in 2008 and was made an OBE for services to manufacturing in the New Year Honours.
