BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Here’s the full press release from WTB:
From January 2006, Raleigh will become the second WTB distributor in the UK along with Hotwheels.
Hotwheels has done a tremendous job in building the WTB brand name in the UK over the past four years. Hotwheels knowledge of the UK market and their superior ability to build their brands are highly respected in the marketplace. We would like to thank the Merry brothers for their devotion to WTB and look forward to working with them for many years to come.
By adding Raleigh as a second distributor a more extensive range of WTB products will be available to service even more UK dealers and consumers. Hotwheels will continue with their current offering of WTB tyres, saddles, grips and headsets. Raleigh will carry a full range of WTB products by adding handlebars, stems, seat posts and rims as well as the established lines.
The new “Cyclelife” shop network Raleigh is establishing will be a perfect setting for a brand like WTB. Raleigh’s future marketing plans seem to synchronize quite well with WTB’s worldwide plan to offer a wide range of cycling products to middle to high-end shops and consumers.
Further, Raleigh is planning to integrate WTB products into their Raleigh and Diamondback bike brands and add the proven WTB rim line to their strong wheel building program. Raleigh is in a unique position in the UK to promote WTB products on their bikes, wheels and offer the product to the aftermarket.
We look forward to working with these two fine distributors to see further growth in the UK market.
