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PEDAL POWER CREATES 160 JOBS AT BANGOR
More than 160 jobs are to be created in Gwynedd by a bicycle
manufacturer which plans to produce 350,000 bikes a year in a Welsh
Development Agency factory at Bangor. It will be one of the biggest
cycle manufacturing operations in Europe.
Cycle Citi Corporation Ltd is locating its European bicycle assembly and
manufacturing plant to a 40,000sq-ft unit on the Llandegai Industrial
Estate on the outskirts of the North Wales city. It will produce
bicycles ranging from mountain bikes to children’s bicycles.
The Taiwanese-owned company plans to manufacture 250,000 machines in its
first 12 months of operation and to build up to 350,000 bicycles a year
within three years. The project is being supported by grant aid from the
National Assembly for Wales.
WDA Area Development Director, Iwan Prys Jones said: "One of the key
reasons why Cycle Citi chose Gwynedd was the fact that the WDA had a
suitable factory ready for use. It underlines the vital importance of
having suitable premises available in Objective One areas."
James Chen, Director of Cycle Citi Corporation Ltd. said: "We have been
impressed by the level of support for our project in North Wales. The UK
bicycle market has been growing rapidly over recent years and we are
planning to produce a range of bicycles suitable for children through to
adults, including a folding bicycle and mountain bikes."
Cllr. Alun Ffred Jones, Leader of Gwynedd Council said: "This is great
news. We have been working with the WDA for many months to ensure that
one of Europe’s largest bike factories is to be built here in Bangor.
Cycle Citi’s announcement shows that it is possible to attract inward
investment to Gwynedd and, hopefully, this is the first of several
projects which we can welcome to the county."
The company plans to begin work next month. A wheel-building facility
will be added to the plant later together, together with an additional
assembly line and a painting operation.
Chris Farrow, the WDA’s Managing Director for North Wales, said:
"Currently, Taiwanese imports of bicycles account for an estimated 65
per cent of the total bike sales of 17 million in Europe. Cycle Citi
Corporation Ltd realised they needed to manufacture their products in
Europe and chose North Wales. We look forward to working with the
company in the future."
Mr. Chen added that the WDA’s support and assistance in Taiwan and Wales
had played major part in their decision. "The WDA’s representative in
Taiwan, Ashley Hines, came to visit us two years ago. He linked us up
with Brian Rees-Jones, the Agency’s Inward Investment Manager in North
Wales, and Jane Jones at the Agency’s International Division, and this
team provided us with tremendous assistance"
For more information, please contact: Andy Phillips Tel: 029 20 82 8691
