BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Mark Almond has linked with long-term colleague Kevin Brown to introduce a new distribution business, dubbed VIP Bikes.
Following on from the announcement of a distribution model change for Velocite Bikes earlier this year, Almond has decided to separate the Red Cloud Marketing business from the distribution of bikes and components.
He told BikeBiz: "Red Cloud Marketing is a marketing company. VIP Bikes is a bike importer.
“By forming VIP Bikes, Kevin and I are able to focus our efforts on developing the already impressive success of Velocite and ensure it becomes a leading player in the UK high performance bike and component market.
“We have a number of major marketing initiatives for Velocite lined up and our sponsored team, Matrix Fitness RA, hits the streets of the UK again next month in the various Tour Series rounds. We will also be attending the Cycle Show and various other events across the summer with some major new launches in the pipeline.”
VIP Bikes will operate from a new Powys based office and showroom set to open in May. Almond also revealed that his firm will be looking to add further brands, complimentary to Velocite, at a later date.
Red Cloud Marketing, who previously represented Velocite in the UK, will concentrate on further strengthening its position as a dedicated bike marketing, PR and events company both here and abroad with Almond continuing to run the business day-to-day alongside his Director and marketing role with VIP Bikes.
Kevin Brown, a keen road cyclist, brings over ten years of sales success and account management skills to the VIP Bikes set up.
Brown said: "VIP Bikes is dedicated to growing sales for our retail partners and for Velocite. We have a lot of plans already in place and we will be in touch with all the many retailers and service centres that have already expressed an interest in joining our direct sell via retail model in the coming days and weeks.”
Brown can be contacted on kevin@vip-bikes.co.uk.
The company website will be launched in May to coincide with the showroom and office opening.
