BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Danish ceramic bearing and bicycle component manufacturer CeramicSpeed has announced the acquisition of the US-based bicycle component company Friction Facts.
The buyout will contribute to the brand’s strengthened commitment to research and development, including increased attention to drivetrain efficiency.
Friction Facts claims to be the only drivetrain efficiency laboratory in the world and to have pioneered the field of friction testing. The facility has developed unique, high-precision testing equipment with the ability to analyse friction in bearings, chains, pulley wheels and chain lubes to within a hundredth watt of accuracy.
“By bringing Friction Facts into the team, CeramicSpeed expands its very own in-house development and test lab, which comes as a natural fit with our goals and mission. This acquisition not only strengthens our commitment to providing the world’s fastest bearings, chains, and drivetrain components but also supports our efforts to continuously refine high-quality products driven by data, innovation and expertise.
“The lab will dramatically streamline our development cycle by allowing us to test the efficiency of prototypes immediately after they are pulled from the 3D printers,” stated Martin Banke, managing director of CeramicSpeed.
Another key element of the merger is the appointment of Jason Smith to the CeramicSpeed team as the new chief technology officer. Smith, the founder of Friction Facts, said: “I am truly excited about the future with CeramicSpeed. I look forward to bringing my knowledge of drivetrain efficiency and design to a very progressive team dedicated to creating the highest-quality and fastest-performing products on the market.”
