Schwalbe increases sponsoring

Transcription

1 World Edition May th Year years of Schwalbe The 40 story 40 of a 40 friendship Revolutionary double 40 chamber system Extremely low pressure, high puncture protection: A completely new double chamber system makes it possible... Page 7 Schwalbe increases sponsoring Twelve teams are riding on Schwalbe tires this season... Page 8

2 Technology With its five millimeter thick, patented puncture protection insert, the new Marathon Plus rolls distinctly lighter than other Plus tires with, in some cases, even thinner protective layers. The new flat-less It is the top-selling tire in Europe and the top-selling tire in the history of Schwalbe: The Marathon Plus. There is now a new generation, with lower rolling resistance, an anti-aging side wall and certification for e-bikes up to 50 km/h. The new Marathon Plus with dynamic tread design. 2 Schwalbe profil In 2002, the Marathon Plus revolutionised puncture protection on the bike. It provided an unprecedented level of protection, not even glass shards and thumbtacks could stop this tire. Since then, it has been sold millions of times all over the world, been copied numerous times and has decisively influenced the development of Schwalbe over the last ten years. The enormous growth of Ralf Bohle GmbH in the last years would have been unimaginable without the flat-less. The turnovers rose from around 50 million Euros in 2002 to 143 million Euros in This tire co-wrote our success story significantly, says Managing Director Frank Bohle. Ten years passed with the original flatless and also brought the retail trade good and reliable margins. Schwalbe technicians continually researched and analysed new production technologies and raw materials in order to make these tires even better. The result: The new Marathon Plus rolls distinctly faster. Its protection belt runs more lightly than any other tire with thick puncture protection. Laboratory tests have confirmed this. The side walls have also been optimised. Since the tire is so strong, it has often been ridden with too low air pressure. These years of mis- The plus factors Patented puncture protection SmartGuard: Five millimeters thick, highly flexible, made of special rubber Now rolls more lightly Compared to imitators products, the SmartGuard insert provides a distinct advantage in terms of rolling resistance. Anti-aging side wall A special anti-aging technology makes the side walls extremely resistant to cracks. In addition, Schwalbe has increased the durability of the endurance compound on the tread. E-bike ready up to 50 km/h Certified in accordance with ECE-R75 for fast e-bikes in the sizes , , , and The original The Marathon Plus was the first plus tire. There are numerous imitators of the puncture protection system, many of which have also added Plus to their name. But none of these achieve performance values like those of the original. handling led to cracks in the side walls in some cases. A special anti-aging technology now makes the side walls resistant to crack formation. For everyday cycling, bicycle tours, e-bikes, and rental systems Then as it is now, the tire fits perfectly into the time, says Frank Bohle. Since the turn of the century, city planners have been discussing more and more topics such as the gridlock of traffic in cities, air pollution, and a better quality of life by shifting traffic to the bike. In 2004, the rent-a-bike system Vélib started in Paris incidentally on Schwalbe Marathon and brought the French capital a cycling boom that no-one would have imagined possible. More and more metropoles that, in the past, had not been interested in welcoming cyclists are installing rental systems and improving the infrastructure for cyclists: from London and Madrid to New York and Rio de Janiero. Bicycle tourists and e-bikers also have good reasons to ride on flat-less tires. Consequently, the triumph of the e-bikes also gave the Marathon Plus momentum. The special requirements demand an extremely stable, durable and puncture-proof tire.

3 schwalbe.com in a new look The right tire in five seconds: Schwalbe s newly designed website now supplies all of the product details you need much quicker than before. The easy orientation allows a fast change from general information to more in-depth contents including a filter matrix for applications and product characteristics, a tubefinder, an international dealer locator, and much more. The new website not only provides comprehensive specialist knowledge of bicycle tires with exciting photos and numerous videos, it also whets the appetite for cycling. Here, tires are celebrated! says Albert Kirschgens, Managing Director of the creating agency Markt und Werbung. Schwalbe North America With the takeover of the long-term sales partner, Schwalbe has strengthened its position in North America considerably. For around 15 years, Moser Enterprises of Victoria (Canada) has been Schwalbe s exclusive sales partner for the USA and Canada. The Managing Directors, Celeste Steindl-Moser and Klaus Moser (photo), will continue to manage the brand. At the end of the nineties, virtually nobody in North America had heard of the brand Schwalbe. Today, Schwalbe is already well-distributed at retailers in the USA and Canada, emphasizes Frank Bohle. With the takeover and the establishment of Schwalbe Tires North America INC., the company has provided a secure basis for growth. The headquarters will continue to be in Victoria on Vancouver Island in Canada. In addition, there is a logistics centre in neighbouring Ferndale, in the US Federal State of Washington. Mud specialist Dirty Dan in a 29-inch version The Dirty Dan Downhill and Enduro tire is now available in a 29-inch version (29 x 2.00). Its coarse tread provides great grip on soft, loose soil. Wide intermediate spaces ensure the self-cleaning and brake traction properties needed. Apart from the narrow X-country version, the tire is optionally available in 26 and 27.5-inch Downhill and Super- Gravity versions. With additional curve claws for extremely inclined positions and the soft, downright sticky VertStar compound, it is in its element on slushy ground. Plus puncture protection for the price conscious With the new trekking tire Tour Plus, together with the city tire Road Plus, Schwalbe offers highly effective puncture protection at a reasonable price. The plus in safety raises both to the second highest level, i.e., Level 5, of the six-level puncture protection scale. The PunctureGuard protection belt between the inner tube and the road is more than three millimeters thick. The new Tour Plus is the perfect alternative to the Land Cruiser. Apart from its allround characteristics, it provides first-class puncture protection, explains Schwalbe s Marketing Manager Carsten Zahn. With its strong trekking tread, the Tour Plus also provides good off-road grip, while the Road Plus with its classic center-rib tread rolls smoothly on asphalt. It is now available in the new size Dear Schwalbe Partner Hardly anyone would have imagined that 40 years ago the trip my father Ralf Bohle made to Korea would be the beginning of an unparalleled success story. 40 years of Schwalbe are, above all, the story of a friendship between a Korean and a German company. In 1973, my father met Hyo Tek Jung, the Managing Director of the bicycle tire manufacturer Hung-A. Our close partnership and friendship began with the importation of the then so-called Swallow tires. This basis of mutual trust that has developed over decades is still today the core of our success story and the guarantee for the future! This also includes the division of work on equal terms. We control development, design, marketing, and distribution in Reichshof near Cologne; Hung A is responsible for production in Indonesia. And this is also how we are implementing our latest innovation. Together with the component manufacturer Syntace, we are developing a double chamber system that makes it possible to ride with extremely low air pressure and, thus, to improve tire performance enormously. You can read more about this and other topics in this issue. We wish you a successful sales season! Best regards. Frank Bohle Masthead Editor: Ralf Bohle GmbH Otto-Hahn-Str. 1, Reichshof-Wehnrath, Germany Phone: , Fax: info@schwalbe.com, Publisher: Vincentz Kundenmedien Postfach 6247, Hannover, Germany Phone: , Fax: Staff Editor: Claudia Müller (V.i.S.d.P.) Layout: Angelika Jungvogel Printing: BWH GmbH Vincentz Network GmbH & Co. KG Schwalbe profil

4 Company 40 years of Sc The story of a friendsh In 1973, the Bohle company founded in 1922, reinvented itself like the proverbial Phoenix rising from the ashes. Ralf Bohle met Hyo Tek Jung, Managing Director of Hung-A, the manufacturer of the tire brand Swallow (now Schwalbe ) in Korea. It was the beginning of a unique success story. Right up to the present, the cooperation in a spirit of mutual trust has been the basis for all activities and right up to the present, every tire with the brand name Schwalbe is manufactured by Hung-A. They manage the business today (from left): Sung Won Jung, Managing Director of Hung-A in Korea, Frank Bohle, Yong Wan Jung, Managing Director of Hung-A in Indonesia, Holger Jahn and Andreas Grothe. The 40th birthday of the brand name Schwalbe last year also marked the 40th anniversary of the friendship between the family-owned companies Hung-A in Korea and Ralf Bohle in Reichshof near Cologne (Germany). It is a cooperation between equals with clearly defined roles. We in Reichshof are responsible for development, design, marketing and distribution, and Hung-A takes care of production, is how Frank Bohle describes the division of responsibilities. The cooperation between the two companies spans three generations. The partnership has long since become a friendship. Today, Frank Bohle, Holger Jahn and Andreas Grothe manage Ralf Bohle GmbH, while the sons of Hyo Tek Jung are the Managing Directors in Korea and Indonesia. Our basis of mutual trust that has developed over decades is the core of our success story and the guarantee for the future! emphasizes Frank Bohle. A mutual dream All this began in 1973, when Ralf Bohle made the most important business decision of his life: The needle-point concentration of the former bicycle components export company on the importation of bicycle tires of the brand name Schwalbe. Ralf Bohle who, at that time, had half a dozen employees, travelled to Asia on behalf of several German bicycle manu- 4 Schwalbe profil

5 Company hwalbe ip Friends for life: Ralf Bohle and Hyo Tek Jung. Ralf Bohle in Korea in the Seventies. On his left, Hyo Tek Jung. facturers to find partners for the importation of bicycle components. Apart from chains from Taiwan and axles from India, he found tires from Hung-A, a family-owned company founded in 1951 in South Korea s second largest city, Busan. The Swallow tires were of high quality and competitively priced. On a trial basis, Ralf Bohle had two containers of Korean tires supplied to the then bicycle manufacturer Kynast. They were installed in no time and the German manufacturer quickly wanted more of these high-quality tires. Ralf Bohle was to supply them. Hyo Tek Jung, Managing Director of Hung-A at the time, remembers his decision well. Although another economically, distinctly stronger entrepreneur also wanted to cooperate with him, he decided in favour of Bohle: Ralf Bohle couldn t economically compete with the other company, but he was honest and sincere. And he could be persistent, questioned everything very precisely and had a great deal of perseverance. These characteristics could be a valuable strength in realising our big dream to supply the market with the best tires. He thanked me from the bottom of his heart. He took my hands and said that he would never forget this day. Even if he discovered the field of business purely by chance, he diligently worked on it from then on. Ralf Bohle drew new treads, put forward proposals for improvements, and flew several times a year to Busan for weeks on end. He committed to selling three million tires by the fifth year of the cooperation and achieved this goal after only three years. In the course of the Seventies, through the cooperation with Bohle, Hung-A became the world s largest bicycle tire manufacturer at that time. At the beginning of the Eighties, his son Frank also began taking an active part in the company. In 1984, while attending university, he did practical training at the production associate s company in Korea. I was extremely impressed by the meticulous manner in which the workers produced the tires, he remembers. As a 22-year-old economics student, I was able to develop my technical knowledge there. I learnt what market leadership and global production mean in practice and decided to join my father s company after completing my studies. But the stay meant much more to him than only learning about production. A detailed support plan had been prepared for me. I became friends with the two sons of the founder of the company and we still meet several times a year. He also remembers, in particular, that not one of the 2,000 members of staff had personal transport and all were brought to and from work each day in a large number of buses. The breakthrough came with the Marathon My father listened very carefully to the cyclists, says Frank Bohle. Ralf Bohle was the first supplier to incorporate in tires what cyclists really wanted. At the time, a certain Wolfgang Reiche of Bremen in Germany set off by bike to ride around the world. He had asked eighty sponsors and the only tire Schwalbe profil

6 Company Holger Jahn (left) and Andreas Grothe during one of their approximately three visits to Indonesia per year. supplier who reacted and provided him with tires was Bohle. Wolfgang Reiche showed his thanks with carefully sketched diagrams reflecting the lifespan of each individual tire and sent worn casings from every corner of the world. In return, he was always sent even more refined versions of a touring tire. In 1983, on Bali, the time had finally come: Reiche received post restante a prototype with a characteristic white inscription. It was the first Marathon! Before that, tires were nameless, ordinary components. The Marathon was the initial impetus for a new era of bicycle culture, says Frank Bohle. It was the very first highquality tire for everyday use and it was fitted on the first high-quality everyday bikes. Organisations like the German The Bohle family: One hundred years in the bicycle industry In 1922, Eugen Bohle (the father of Ralf Bohle, photo left) and his brother, Willy Bohle, founded an export company for bicycle components in Bergneustadt. The brothers exported waggon-loads of spokes, pedals and other components. Purchasing countries were India, China or Japan, that had not yet developed their own industry at the time. The export business was not chosen by chance. The Bohle s had relatives in the English bicycle industry in which their cousin Ernst-Wilhelm Bohle had already been involved since Together with a Mr. Phillips, he founded a bicycle components factory and later advanced to become Britain s second largest manufacturer after Raleigh. The German Bohle brothers supplied the customers of Raleigh and Phillips in Asia and South Africa. In 1956, after the death of his father Eugen, Ralf Bohle, took over the small trading company with a dozen employees at the age of 21. He described the years until 1970 as really tough transition years. At one point, the company only had two employees left. The Asian countries were developing their own industries, European bicycle countries were becoming motorised, and hardly anyone wanted to ride a bike. Bike Industry Association VSF and the German Cycling Federation ADFC were initially somewhat derided at that time by the then very traditional bicycle branch. My father was the first to pay great attention to these groups. The Marathon was the breakthrough for the brand name Schwalbe. Since 1985, sales of the touring tire have increased year after year and still do today. Due to the rapid growth in demand, Hung-A relocated its production to Jakarta in Indonesia at the end of the Eighties and expanded production considerably. In return, in 1995, Ralf Bohle opened the worldwide logistics center in Reichshof-Wehnrath with four large storage facilities for up to three million tires and five million tubes. Like two sides of a coin The success has welded both companies together, right up to the present. In fact, 14 years ago, Bohle decided to invest in the tire plant of the Koreans. We are inseparably joined, like two sides of a coin, says Frank Bohle. For other manufacturers, bicycle tires are a marginal business that frequently makes up less than one percent of the group s turnover. But for us, they are the main field of business.we produce just under 2,000 different types of tire, ranging from BMX to wheelchair tires. Almost all European bicycle tire manufacturers no longer produce themselves, but have the tires made by different manufacturers in Asia, sometimes even in competitors plants. Bohle and Hung-A were the only companies to take the opposite direction. For Hung-A, the amicable cooperation has the same value as it has for Bohle. When we look back at our sixty years company history, the proudest historic achievement is certainly the success of the Schwalbe brand, says Sung Won Jung, the current Managing Director of Hung-A in Korea, while his brother, Yong Wan Jung, manages the business in Indonesia. Their father Hyo Tek Jung also contributes a memory: Over the years, our friendship has also withstood intense arguments. One evening, after a business dinner in Indonesia, on the way to our hotel rooms, Ralf Bohle suddenly gave me a strong hug and said: Hyo Tek, I really thank you. Myself and my people live because of you coming as far as Indonesia to build a factory like this, and doing your best efforts. I really appreciate that very much! I was very touched and replied: Ralf, we are friends and partners forever. Thank you for everything. We just stood together like that, hugging each other for a while. 6 Schwalbe profil

7 Technology Michael Kull (left), Marketing, and Markus Hachmeyer, Senior Product Manager, test the prototypes. Photo: Andy Waterman Revolutionary double chamber system makes extremely low air pressure possible Bikers dreams come true: A revolutionary double chamber system makes it possible to ride with very low air pressures improving both tire performance and puncture protection enormously. Initially, Schwalbe and wheel manufacturer Syntace were working independently on such systems. Now, the two companies have joined forces to further develop the double chamber system. Puncture-free rides with air pressures of around one bar? Until now, that has sounded too good to be true. Safe systems for low air pressures have long been the goal in the development of tires. For tire performance is always better with low air pressure. The tires can adapt more flexibly to the terrain and react much more sensitively. They roll more lightly over uneven ground and provide more grip and control. But one can hardly risk riding on standard MTB tires with less than 1.5 bar, because the risk of snake bites is simply too great, explains Markus Hachmeyer, Senior Product Manager. With the current trend towards wide wheel rims, the performance of the tires with low air pressure is considerably better and less spongy. The risk of snake bites, however, remains the same. Total performance with one bar The solution is an innovative double chamber system. There is a further air chamber inside the visible tire. This inner chamber is filled with high air pressure and effectively prevents the tire hitting the edge of the rim. At the same time, the inner system secures the tire on the rim and prevents the dreaded burping, a loss of air of the tubeless system in the case of low pressure. Depending on the situation, the air pressure in the outer chamber can now be reduced to one bar without running any risk. All test cyclists to date have been thrilled with the new possibilities, reports Markus Hachmeyer and recaps the feedback: With one bar, the tire grip is colossal. The contact surface has been considerably enlarg- Two valves allow the two chambers of the system to be filled with different air pressures. ed and the tires seldom, if ever, slide on loose ground. Even on the roughest terrain, the tires literally stick to the ground. The tire is the most sensitive cushioning element on the bike. The extra cushioning and traction because of the low air pressure lead to much better control over the bike and allow distinctly higher speeds. No snake-bite punctures. Significantly lighter tires can be used in even the toughest conditions. What is more, the additional air chamber has excellent emergency running characteristics and protects the rim against dents. Initially, Schwalbe and Syntace were working on the same idea independently of each other and had also applied for patents. Now, the two companies are pooling their know-how to develop the system to market maturity. At the latest at Eurobike, we will be able to present precise information regarding design and prices, says Markus Hachmeyer. Schwalbe will be responsible for the production and marketing of the system that is expected to be compatible with conventional tires and rims and weigh less than 200g. Schwalbe profil

8 Tour de France Eurobike Danny van Poppel (Trek, left photo) won the first stage of the West Flanders three-day race; Romain Bardet (AG2R) won in the Valence Drôme Classic in southern France. Schwalbe increases sponsoring in the professional cycling sector Photos: Watson Twelve professional teams, more than ever before, are riding on Schwalbe tires this season. Among the most famous are the World Tour teams Trek Factory Cycling, AG2R and FDJ, as well as the professional continental teams, IAM Cycling, Yellow Fluo and the new MTN Qhubeka. With its increased commitment, Schwalbe wants to further expand its position in the cycling sector. We can expect a lot this season, not only from the three World Tour teams, but also from IAM Cycling, Felix Schäfermeier is delighted to say. The new Junior Product Manager works continuously with the teams and accompanies them to all the important races with the Schwalbe race support team. We have intensive discussions, particularly in the quiet winter months. When our prototypes have met the requirements in the laboratory, we test them with the professionals, reports the former professional cyclist, who retired from his active career in This winter, among other things, he conducted tests with FDJ on cobblestone sections of Paris-Roubaix and of the Tour of Flanders. With the 26 and 28-millimeter Schwalbe One HT, we have two new top products for the spring classics. In the peloton, the Schwalbe One HT tubular tire has been a complete success since its introduction last summer. Above all, Jens Voi- gt appeared to be delighted and was acquired as an endorser of Schwalbe. In 2014, the veteran from the Trek Factory Team known for his aggressive riding style will (probably) participate in his last season. Team colleague Fabian Cancellara wants to get off to a flying start in the time trials once again, while the Schleck brothers will concentrate on the tours. Five National Champions are proof of the strength of this team. In the French Equipe FDJ, the focus is on Sebastien Chavanel and the reigning French Champion, Arthur Vichot. Pierrick Fedrigo is completely focused on stage victories, criterium and Grand Prix wins. In the AG2R La Mondiale, Carlos Alberto Becantur Gomez (COL) is the strongest rider, particularly in the spring classics. Other strong classics riders and the winner of the Alpe d Huez, Christophe Riblon, supplement the team with a rich tradition. Among the challengers is the IAM Cycling team from Switzerland. The Professional Continental Team, established in 2013, has considerably strengthened its lineup. Sylvain Chavanel and Heinrich Haussler are the riders for the one-day races and spring classics. Other Professional Continental Teams on Schwalbe are Yellow Fluo and the new MTN Qhubeka. In addition, Schwalbe is supporting seven teams from the continental series, including the Underdogs Synergy Baku Cycling Project and Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling. Orangutan Project They are the last of their species and their habitat is extremely endangered: The orangutans on Borneo and Sumatra. That is where the BOS Foundation, the world s largest non-profit organization for the protection of primates, is active. Its goal is to preserve the habitat of the orangutans on Borneo with the help of the local population. As our tires are manufactured in Indonesia, we also commit ourselves socially in the region. That is why we chose the BOS. The people benefit from their work in that jobs are created and their living environment is preserved. The orangutans are given a chance to survive and when the rain forest is preserved or reforested, the climate also benefits, says Schwalbe s Managing Director Holger Jahn. Info: Photo: BOS Foundation