Classified inaugurates new HQ in Antwerp

Antwerp, May 25 2022 - The Belgian cycling start-up, developer of the award-winning Powershift technology, made the move from its previous facilities in Turnhout to Damplein 23, a landmark building in Antwerp that for decades housed an historical chocolate factory of Meurisse. 

Together with the city of Antwerp, Classified brings innovative manufacturing industry once again to the building on the Dam square, near the trendy Park Spoor Noord, the IJzerlaan and the Slachthuissite, an area in full transformation.

The new facilities will host R&D, manufacturing and assembly as well as the sales and marketing hubs in a brand-new space, especially tailored to meet the expanding needs of the company that proudly continues to assemble its core technology in-house.

In addition to support in the search for the suitable location, Classified also receives financial support from the City of Antwerp within the framework of its innovative SME development projects. This allows the company to further invest in the (local) production, distribution and sale of their revolutionary bicycle shifting system.

Bart De Wever, mayor of the city of Antwerp: "Antwerp is the economic engine and sports city of Flanders. We welcome any company that wants to become part of our urban fabric and wants to contribute to its DNA with open arms. With its innovative and sustainable profile, Classified fits perfectly into that picture.”

Erica Caluwaerts, alderman for economy and innovation of the city of Antwerp: "As an innovative business city, Antwerp is the perfect location for Classified Cycling to establish, further develop and internationalize. After all, the city helps startups and scale-ups grow by looking for locations, creating an attractive business climate, matchmaking between partners and promoting international development."

2022 is an important year for Classified as it prepares to expand its portfolio of applications across different cycling genres alongside the first steps into competitive pro-cycling. To that end, the support of the City of Antwerp has been crucial in sustaining the growth of the deep-tech company that currently staffs 40 employees.

Mathias Plouvier, CEO of Classified: “Our goal is to further revolutionize drive technology in cycling, and take sportive bikes as well as urban mobility to the next level. We are applying our technology in a wide range of segments within the industry, including e-bikes. With our move to Antwerp, we have established a solid base for our future growth, with a new home to attract talent, accelerate the development, and create a global presence. We are proud to continue our local production in Flanders, the heart of cycling.”

Since its inception Classified, winner of Eurobike’s 2021 Gold Award, has received wide international recognition and, alongside Tom Boonen, enjoys the backing of key investors such as former pros André Greipel, Marcel Kittel and Anna van der Breggen in its mission to ignite a revolution in cycling through innovative drivetrain technology.

With already more than 250 dealers primarily Europe and the USA, Classified's dealer network is growing fast. Furthermore, the number of partnerships with bicycle brands is also growing rapidly and now extends to a family of more than 25 OEMs. Classified sees increasing interest from some of the largest bicycle manufacturers in the world, including for e-bike applications. 

About Classified Cycling

Classified's mission is to enable next level cycling experiences through groundbreaking technology. The Belgian-Dutch technology company Classified has developed a revolutionary shifting technology, called Powershift, which in its first application replaces the functionality of the front derailleur on race and gravelbikes. The Powershift shifting system is integrated into the hub of the rear wheel and allows to shift in a fraction of a second, under full load and with a large gear range and small step sizes. Classified has also developed high-end carbon wheels specifically designed for the Powershift hub. The Powershift hub and Classified wheelsets are available through bicycle manufacturers and certified dealers.

Learn more at: https://classified-cycling.cc/