Page 21 - TBWShowDailyD2
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October 4, 2023 21
Getting Caught Up with
Erhard Büchel, CEO of Büchel
New products confirmed orders from Büchel's
OEM partners are being
Erhard Büchel, CEO postponed to many later dates,
of Büchel, was approached so they are stepping up their
about new products. He said, efforts in the aftermarket.
“We recently introduced nine Mr. Büchel points out that
lighting products, including a they are in the second year of a
pedelec headlight with 300 five-year investment plan worth
lux luminosity and high beam approximately 20 million euros.
function, a slim rear light with He said, “We are sticking to our
an emergency brake indicator plan, despite the tense situation
and integrated Z-reflector, and in the bicycle industry, and we
a rechargeable battery light are continuing to expand our
set that connects headlight machine park at our German
and rear light via Bluetooth, sites.”
all according to German Sustainability is also
homologation. key to their plans. “ We ▲Erhard Büchel, CEO of Büchel & Chairman of CONEBI.
“Furthermore, we have invest in our production in
developed two high-end saddle Europe, shortening supply
models that are manufactured chains and reducing our CO2
using 3D printing and a series emissions,” said Mr.Büchel. 110 people and manufactures Czech Republic that produces
of ergonomic grips. Together “We are gradually equipping bicycle grips, motors, and bike rims.
with pedals, we now have our production facilities with battery covers for pedelecs,
covered all contact points solar energy to become more as well as retroreflectors for The market
between cyclist and cycle under independent. We use recycled the automotive and agricultural
our WITTKOP brand, from an materials or materials from industries. "Our main export market
ergonomic point of view. renewable resources wherever Twenty people work in is the EU," Mr. Büchel said
“Remarkable in this possible. the lighting industry in Zella- when we asked about their
context is that a new grip Mr.Büchel spoke of the Mehlis, Thuringia, where export markets and where they
model is made from a mixture desire to return manufacturing the company was founded. have seen the most growth.
of renewable cork material. to the EU. He said, “The more Moving on to Oederan, their “And, within the EU, France has
In our factory in Barchfeld, we can produce in Europe, rims and mudguard facility seen the most recent growth.”
Thuringia, we now manufacture the less susceptible we are to employs 60 people. Then Following the recent high
a mudguard made of recycled supply chain disruptions, and there is Rothenburg, where inventories, many expect the
plastic, which in turn is 100% we can lower the CO2 output." 15 people make carriers. market to return to normalcy
recyclable. All in all, there are Last but not least, there is next year. “We have adjusted
19 innovations.” Expansion their Eislingen facility, which production in line with the
employs 25 people and focuses declining market. We expect
Business and Bü c he l h a s b e en on agricultural lighting and a revival next year from May
challenges rapidly expanding, with six reflectors. They make bicycle onwards,” Mr.Büchel said.
manufacturing facilities in saddles and grip tape in Italy. “Only in the pedelec sector
“We also have seen the Germany and one in Italy. In In terms of joint ventures, are sales relatively stable.
temporary decline of the bicycle addition, they have three joint there is the China facility in Elsewhere, inventories are too
industry in 2023 worldwide, ventures in China, India, and Jiashan that produces lighting high, and sales of normal bikes
but we can compensate for the Czech Republic. systems, the India facility in are too low. No improvement
this by increasing our output In Thuringia, "Büchel Ludhiana that produces active is expected by the end of this
in our automotive component Industrie" employs 35 people and passive lighting for bicycles year, especially as some OEMs
production,” said Mr.Büchel. who make spokes, nipples, and primarily for the domestic and are struggling with financial
He also stated that the mudguards. In Barchfeld, "HMM South Asian markets, and their challenges due to extremely
biggest challenge is that many Kunststofftechnik" employs most recent addition in the high inventories.”
