PARK CITY, Utah (BRAIN) — The German e-commerce company Signa Sports United is opening its wholesale business, Hotlines, in the U.S. market for the first time. The wholesale business will distribute SSU's Nukeproof bikes and P&A initially and add third-party products later.
SSU owns the Nukeproof and Vitus brands, as well as the UK-based e-commerce companies Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles. It opened a facility in the Utah last year, from which it sells Vitus through a consumer-direct program and Nukeproof as a primarily a dealer brand. Hap Seliga, the co-founder of Competitive Cyclist, is CEO of the U.S. operation; while industry veteran Rob Aguero runs the Hotlines wholesale business. Aguero was most recently OEM sales manager of the Hayes Group.
Hotlines was founded in the U.K. about 20 years ago and was acquired by Chain Reaction Cycles in 2007. It became part of SSU in 2021 when SSU acquired WiggleCRC as it went public on the New York Stock Exchange. Hotlines distributes more than 50 brands in the U.K. and Europe and is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Aguero said Hotlines will eventually offer a "curated" line of products to U.S. dealers in addition to the Nukeproof products.
"We are using Nukeproof as a cornerstone to what Hotlines will become in the U.S.," he told BRAIN on Tuesday. Nukeproof launched in the U.S. in October last year and began shipping in November. The brand now has about 50 U.S. retailers. Nukeproof also sells direct to consumers in areas where it doesn't currently have a dealer.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to bring Hotlines’ heritage to the U.S.,” Aguero said in a statement released by SSU this week. “Our focus is on delivering the best service and products to retailers to ensure that every rider has the absolute best experience on all of their rides.”
Aguero said vendors or brands interested in working with Hotlines can contact the company info@hotlines.us. There is more information at hotlines.us.
