Hayes three brands now made in Wisconsin

MEQUON, WI (BRAIN)—Hayes Bicycle Group is completing its acquisition of Answer Products, Sunringlé and Wheelsmith Fabrications by transitioning the three brands to a 110,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Inventory from all three companies has already been moved to the new location, along with numerous production lines.

Wheelsmith production is the first to be brought online with spoke making and wheel-building operations. The production line is comprised of Holland wheel-building machines transferred from Wheelsmith’s Montana facility. The company also installed Wheelsmith's spoke manufacturing machinery, along with machines purchased from Asahi, a Japan-based spoke supplier who was a long time supplier of butted and bladed spokes to Wheelsmith.

The final phase of the transition will take place in October when Manitou’s high-end fork assembly line will be transferred from Valencia, California. The new assembly line will be producing MRD, race program and prototype forks. With the completion of the integration processes, all high-end Manitou forks and Sunringlé wheels will be Milwaukee-made, as will the entire line of Wheelsmith spokes.