Moore Large sees management buyout by board of directors

Derby based distributor Moore Large & Co Ltd has announced the successful completion of a management buyout.

The long-standing cycling distribution business was acquired on 19th of April 2022 by its current board of directors: Dale Vanderplank, Adam Garner, Adam Biggs and Andrew Walker.

Following tremendous growth over the past two years, the management quartet take full shareholding of the company from the Moore family who founded and have owned the business since 1974.

Retiring Chairman, Nigel Moore, brings to an end three generations and 75 years of Moore family involvement in the bicycle business.

Nigel explained, “After more than 25 years leading the company, I’m excited to be retiring and entering a new phase in my life. The last few years at Moore Large have been particularly successful and it is now the right time for me to hand over the company to the existing management team.”

He added “The company is in excellent shape and has limitless opportunities with development of proprietary brands Forme and ETC and as being UK representative for many premium global brands. The new owners will enjoy fantastic support from a world class workforce, and I am confident together, they will enjoy great success”.

The board of directors have over 50 years of cycling industry experience and have already embarked on a company-wide review of its activities, becoming the driving force behind business expansion over recent years. Dale, Adam, Adam and Andy will continue to head up the management structure to ensure future goals and aspirations are met, but also to offer continuity for Moore Large’s stakeholders.

The board commented, “We are all delighted, excited, and ready to lead the business in what is set to be the best time for the bicycle and active travel sectors. The market has grown, the investment in infrastructure is increasing, and sustainability for all our futures is a major part of the country’s greener plans. The company is in great shape, the anticipated growth and future investment in our own brands Forme and ETC will remain the cornerstone of our plans, complimented by globally recognised brands and products from the likes of Tern, Oneal, Jagwire, WeThePeople and Lake to name a few, all backed by our passionate team of employees. For our loyal customers, suppliers, and staff the acquisition has been clearly articulated to ensure a continuation to the ‘business as usual’ approach.”

The transaction has been backed by Moore Large’s incumbent bank, HSBC, who know the business inside out having worked with the company for multiple decades. The bank has structured the funding proposition to drive future success as the business evolves.

Graham Brown, Relationship Director at HSBC UK, added: “The demand for sustainable travel has increased heavily in the last few years, with cycling also offering many health benefits. We’re proud to be supporting the UK’s largest family-owned bicycle distributor with this buyout and its growth plans to drive demand for bikes around the country and help people make the switch to cycling.”

Moore Large offers a wide portfolio of cycling products, has its own successful in-house brands and represents some of the biggest global brands in the market.