Brompton leapfrogged as UK’s largest bike maker?

Having geared up for a significant growth in exports, in particular with its move into the USA, Frog Bikes may now lay claim to being the UK’s biggest bike assembler.

Having only set out in 2012, Jerry and Shelley Lawson’s children’s bike brand now have the capacity to manufacture “at least 200 bikes per day currently and have the facility to increase production as necessary.”

Speaking to CI.N earlier this year, Val Benyon of Frog’s marketing team said that while the Torfaen-based production line‘s exact numbers are not published, the capability, even before the facility’s capacity is maxed out, would surpass the numbers coming from London’s Brompton Bikes.

If Frog’s production lines were running at a rate of 200 bikes assembled per day year round then we could reasonably expect over 70,000 bikes to be produced. The business, aside from focusing its efforts on quality bikes for younger kids, now produces bicycles for kids aged 8 to 14.

Will Butler-Adams, Brompton’s CEO told CI.N that, “in 2017 the business manufactured about 46,000 units, clocking up a 77% year-on-year leap in exports and 12% growth in turnover.” A similar growth is expected for 2018 with the first year of electric bike sales adding on to the tally.

By the end of the year Frog will employ around 40 staff. A drive in exports, we’re told, should see the business go from 40% shipped overseas to around 60% by the start of 2019. Frog currently ships to 40 countries globally.

Last month the business celebrated being honoured in the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

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