A repurposed automotive tyre factory on the outskirts of Milan was Pirelli's vision when it strategically decided to re-enter the bicycle tyre market in 2017. Operational since 2022, the factory prides itself on 'Made In Italy' premium quality bicycle tyres. Supported by "the broad shoulders" of the multi-billion-euro turnover of the Pirelli Group, the factory has a maximum capacity of 1.5 million FSC-certified natural rubber tyres annually — with plenty of opportunity for growth. What more reason to visit the factory floor at… Pirelli.

VEENENDAAL, the Netherlands - The introduction of the next-generation bicycle ring lock by AXA required an all-new production line. Initially, for both Axa Bike and its owner Allegion, the Netherlands was not the most obvious choice to establish the new facility. Still, the fully automatic production line, capable of manufacturing a lock every 5 seconds, was opened in early December.

SHENZHEN, China - Zhaowei may not be a household name, but there is a good chance its gears power nearby moving products, from car components to office or household appliances. Every day, millions of gears in any possible size are pumped out of its Dongguan, Suzhou and Shenzhen-based factories. Marking a first for the Chinese ODM, it has now entered the e-bike drive market with its own brand identity, Preeto.

INNING, Germany - With a focus on European manufacturing from its base in Southern Germany, TQ is quietly building its profile in the e-bike industry. Counting on Trek as a leading partner through its initial engineering phase, the e-bike component manufacturer's products are now specified on 18 brands across several categories.

Today, Poland is a European manufacturing hub for bicycles and e-bikes — not a niche player but one of the continent's top producers. Polish factories produced around one million bicycles annually in the early 2020s, putting the country among the EU's five largest producers and giving it a meaningful share of regional supply chains.

GLIWICE, Poland - Lithium-ion battery manufacturer BMZ Group has been establishing a foothold within the e-bike market since 2011. To solidify this position, the German company has expanded its e-bike operations in Poland, which has become a very important centre for the BMZ Group's global e-bike business. Considered its e-bike 'excellence centre,' Bike Europe visited the vast 77,000-square-metre location to find out more.