Industry News
CHATSWORTH, CA (BRAIN)—European market leader Accell Group has acquired all shares in U.S. e-bike maker Currie Technologies.
ARROYO GRANDE, CA (BRAIN)—Ira Hughes, who started work at his bike shop when he was 12, died Thursday night of a brain tumor after a seven-month-long illness. Hughes was 58.
BERKELEY, CA (BRAIN)—Cyclingnews.com is the new media partner of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association in a deal that the association says will increase its exposure while encouraging young cyclists to visit the site.
ZELLIK, Belgium (BRAIN)—Eddy Merckx Holding has raised 7.4 million euros ($9.6 million) in capital through a new partnership with Diepensteyn, the parent company of Belgium’s Palm Breweries.
Amazon.com appears to moving more aggressively into sales of bike gear with the hiring of Paul Calandrella as Senior Vendor Manager for Cycling. Calandrella most recently was involved with Specialized's consumer direct sales efforts.

Gates sponsors design contest • SRAM’s new Red blitz
DENVER, CO (BRAIN)—Gates Corp. is sponsoring a design contest at the 2012 North American Handmade Bicycle Show and is bringing in a panel of well-known bike innovators as judges.
The show is March 2-4 in Sacramento, California.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Giant Global has formally launched its bike touring division, called Giant Adventure.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (BRAIN)—USA Cycling will be offering race directors training and a certification program next year.
HELSINKI, Finland (BRAIN)—Amer Sports, the Finnish owner of Mavic, will acquire women’s snowboard apparel brand Nikita as part of its priority to grow faster in soft goods.
Amer also owns Salomon, Wilson, Atomic, Arc’teryx, Precor and Suunto.
• Foundry contest seeks essays • Cyfac launches custom colors program • Light Electric Vehicle Association offers webinars • Blue adds Korean distributor ...
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA (BRAIN)—Interbike will launch a dealer conference in downtown Monterey, California, piggybacking on the Bicycle Leadership Conference dates of April 17-19, just before the Sea Otter Classic.
BRUSSELS, Belgium (BRAIN)—European manufacturing trade group Coliped is planning its biggest presence ever at Taipei Cycle in March.
BERN, Switzerland (BRAIN)—The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry has hired a bicycle manager to work with the association’s 40 or so bike members.
German native Florian Dammer, 28, formerly of KTM and Lowa, stepped into the position last month.
ALMERE, Netherlands (BRAIN)—Pon Holdings now controls 92 percent of Derby Cycle Werke with the recent close of a second acceptance period of the Dutch company’s voluntary takeover offer.

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)—Future Publishing, a media group whose titles include Procycling magazine, Cyclingnews.com and BikeRadar.com, has hired a former VeloNews sales executive as its North American sales director for its sports titles.

• Dutch dealers visit Dahon factory in Shenzhen • DT Swiss sponsors Tri-California series
DUARTE, CA (BRAIN)— Some 30 Dutch bicycle dealers visited Dahon’s factory in Shenzhen, China, recently as part of a tour organized by the Dutch trade magazine Fietsmarkt.
BOISE, ID (BRAIN)—A new five-day women's stage race planned for Idaho next May is expected to become one of the most important races on the international calendar and is reminiscent of Idaho's previous top-level women's race, the Ore-Ida Women's Challenge (1984-2002).