BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
UK manufacturer Brompton has increased its presence in the United States with a new subsidiary based in Portland, Oregon, according to US site Bicycle Retailer.
Brompton has previously sold product direct to US consumers, but the new arrangement will provide greater training and service for the territory. The move will also give Brompton chance to boost its profile over the Atlantic, and the firm said that is expects to double sales in the next 18-months.
“People are thirsting for this type of unique product,” said Ed Rae – the man behind the US operation.
Brompton marketing manager Emerson Roberts added: “I’d like to double sales in the next 18 months, which will require more or less doubling our dealer network.”
“Brompton’s primary responsibility will be training and service support, offering same time zone advice and assistance to Brompton dealers, which we cannot offer from London. But we also know that it has a confidence boosting effect, and expect the subsidiary to extend our network of dealers to currently-neglected districts.
“We have had so many conversations over the years with American dealers who loved our brand and our products yet ultimately could not bring themselves to stock them because they felt cast adrift without in-country support, even though we actually place very few demands on dealers in the sense that we only ask they stock two bikes, plus a demo model.”
