News
Eddy Merckx to sell his bike brand and retire
Carlton Reid Oct 25 2008, 9:25pm
Merckx is sell his majority shares to Sobradis, a Belgian holding company.
Belgian sportspaper Sportwereld.be has reported that Eddy Merckx will sell the shares of his bicycle company and retire, a story picked up by Cyclingnews.com.
Merckx started his brand in 1980.
The Cannibal said: "If you've built something yourself, it's always painful to say goodbye to it. But I had no other choice because I do not have a successor who can take over the plant.
"I've been working since I was 17 - first as a cyclist, then in 1980 in the bicycle factory. The daily management gradually began to weigh on me."
Merckx will a minority share and stay on as a consultant to Sobradis CEO, Pieter Vansynghel.
Comments
“63 year old Eddy”
Posted by: David Brower - Oct 26, 12:52am
Born June 1945.
“Icon”
Posted by: Nolan - Oct 26, 4:16am
Merckx is a cycling icon that was bigger then the sport itself. He is truely a gentleman and the industry will surely miss him. I only hope that the spirit that he created live on in the company and the Merckx brand. Thank you Eddie!
“Re: Icon”
Posted by: aftermarket - Oct 26, 10:40pm
Is that right that the co was started in 1980?
My brother had an Eddy Merckx bike, bought in 1976 from Pridgeons in Levenshulme, Manchester. So it was definitely operating as a brand pre 1980...
“Re: Re: Icon”
Posted by: steve efenton - Oct 27, 1:53am
Merckx bikes were made in UK under licence to Falcon, I recall Bill Holmes had something to do with it
“Re: Re: Re: Icon”
Posted by: Graeme - Oct 31, 2:02pm
For UK Merckx dealers and customers, certainly in the immediate term through 2009, there won't be any change.
Sobradis may commit some more funds to marketing, and that should have a positive effect for UK dealers, but apart from that, representation in the UK will be unaffected, the range and pricing will remain unchanged, and the placement of the Eddy Merckx brand with quality retailers with passion and experience will continue.
There are some gaps in the Eddy Merckx dealership coverage in the UK, predominantly in Scotland and the NW, and we'll be working to fill those gaps in over the course of this winter and early 2009.
In the interim, all questions, queries or comments can be sent to us at fk:marketing - gfk@fk-marketing.co.uk
Cheers!
Graeme
fk:marketing
BTW, Steve's right - more accurately, Eddy opened the factory at Meise in 1980 ... the Falcon Eddy Merckx bikes pre-dated that. I think all were built as replicas (in terms of colour, at least!) of the Moltini team bikes.