BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Manchester-based Indian-owned bike manufacturer Hero Cycles has presented its e -bike range to the Indian and British Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Theresa May during the Commonwealth Summit in London.
The Prime Ministers met with Hero’s chairman and managing director Pankaj Munjal during a visit to the Francis Crick Institute in London and were shown its bike range.
Hero Cycles is the biggest bike manufacturer in the world by volume and became one of the most high profile Indian companies in the UK when it bought Manchester-based bike company Avocet Sports in 2015. In January 2017, Hero unveiled a new £2million ‘global design centre’ in Manchester near the National Velodrome, the home of British cycling.
Avocet Sports’ CEO Sreeram Venkateswaran said Mr Munjal was able to explain to the Prime Ministers how Hero is fusing UK and Indian expertise:“We were immensely proud to able to tell the Prime Ministers how Hero is in the vanguard of future UK India trade relations,” he said.
“We have put the UK at the very centre of our growth ambitions by buying Avocet and investing in the new global design centre in Manchester. We believe the UK is the natural partner for Indian manufacturers where we can share knowledge and learning. Our Manchester design centre will lead innovation of our bike ranges, which will then be built at our factories in India and around the world.
“This follows closely Mr Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign. Hero is following other Indian companies in investing in British companies with heritage brands Jaguar Land Rover and Royal Enfield. Avocet operated the Viking and Ryedale bike brands which we are keen to recalibrate for future generations starting with our new brand launch in May.”
Hero Cycles will launch its new range of British-designed bikes at a ceremony at Old Trafford football ground on 3rd May.
