MILAN (BRAIN) — Dutch conglomerate Accell Group has sold the titanium frame brand Van Nicholas to Italian cargo brand Velo-ce. Terms of the deal were not released; Accell bought Van Nicholas in 2011.
Velo-ce, which makes cargo bikes under the Veloe brand, said the acquisition will allow it to expand into the premium adventure and travel bike segment.
Velo-ce manufactures steel frame in its facility near Milan. It will now take over Van Nicholas frame manufacturing and bike assembly.
"Bringing Van Nicholas into the Velo-ce family reflects shared values: building premium bicycles in a low-emission, cost-efficient European facility," Anton Nijhuis, business developer at Velo-ce S.R.L.
"For sales, product, order status or custom configurations, we are ready to support dealers and consumers around the globe. Velo-ce has vast experience in made-to-order and customized bicycle configurations," he added.
Accell's remaining bike brands include Haibike, Winora, Ghost, Batavus, Koga, Lapierre, Raleigh, Sparta, Babboe, and Carqon, as well as the XLC parts and accessories brand. In a release, Accell said, "This sale streamlines Accell’s portfolio, removes overlap and ensures focus on brands with category depth, brand strength and geographic reach."
