Duell Bike-Center adds Tecno Globe, France
Having recently announced the acquisition of IGM in the Netherlands, Finnish distributor Duell Bike-Center Group, has taken another step in its expansion plan with the takeover of Tecno Globe SARL, a major French B2B vendor of high-tech products for two-wheelers.
The move into the French market signals Duell's intention to become a player in Southern European markets as well as Northern and Central Europe.
Founded in 1995, Tecno Globe has a strong reputation with customers and suppliers and delivers to a network of over 4,000 dealers in France. Its main business is in high-tech electronic products such as alarm systems, GPS-supported navigational and tracking systems for motorcycles and bicycles.
Tecno Globe offers more than 25 brands, including blue chip product lines such as Cardo, TomTom, Garmin and Bryton. The company has also developed own brands such as CTR, Racedream and Ubikha and says it is the French market leader for mobile phone accessories with brands like TIGRA, RAM Mounts and the promising new French brand Shapeheart. Tecno Globe also supplies an electronic airbag systems from the premium brand Allshot.
During the past five years, Tecno Globe increased its turnover by +108%, reaching € 21.4m for its financial year to December 1st, 2020. Tecno Globe will continue to operate independently, under its own name, but under the umbrella of the Duell Bike-Center Group.
Tecno Globe founder and former owner, Fabrice Chrétien, will be involved as an advisor for future business strategy and CEO Dennis Becker will continue to run the business on a daily basis. Duell says that one of Becker's next major goals will be the smooth transition of Tecno Globe into the European-wide Duell Bike-Center Group. All 39 Tecno Globe employees are to be retained.
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| From left to right: Fabrice Chrétien, founder and former owner of Tecno Globe, Jarkko Ämmällä, CEO of Duell, and Dennis Becker, CEO of Tecno Globe. |
Jarkko Ämmälä, CEO of the Duell Bike-Center Group, explained the plans behind the takeover of French Tecno Globe: "France is one of the key markets in Europe, and with Tecno Globe we have been able to gain a well known distributor who has built a strong name for itself over the past 25 years through forward looking strategic vision and hard work.
"This business philosophy fits perfectly with our company. Tecno Globe will continue to supply the French trade independently and without changes, and I am convinced that both companies will profit from the very strong synergies in the short term and the power of joined forces in the longer term.
"Many products, as well as the entire bicycle category, are also of interest for Duell outside of France. We will also research which products from the Duell range are suitable for distribution in France and will offer Tecno Globe dealers exclusive access to Duell's strong line-up of house brands."
Fabrice Chrétien, founder and former owner of Tecno Globe, says he is looking forward to the future under the umbrella of the Duell Bike-Center Group: "If you have successfully built up a business like we have over 25 years, then you put a lot of heart and soul into the company and you don't give that away easily. But the chemistry with Duell was right from the start - we run our business with the same vision. With Duell, Tecno Globe gains a strong new owner who will enable us to successfully continue our existing business model and offer support to expand into additional categories."
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| Duell Bike-Center CEO Jarkko Ämmälä: "We prioritise healthy, long-term growth over quick, short-term only success. We are looking to build up local logistics centres that guarantee dealers close-to-market support and fast delivery times. In addition to founding regional subsidiaries, the takeover of existing trading companies is also part of the Duell business model. Our main shareholder, the Finnish financial investor Sponsor Capital, provides the necessary financial power for the mammoth Central and Southern European expansion project we are committed to over the next years to come." |
Tecno Globe CEO Dennis Becker says he expects a smooth integration of the French B2B vendor into the Finnish group: "We will continue to focus on our successful business, and I am particularly looking forward to merging the French corporate culture with the Nordic way of doing business. I feel at home in both worlds, I know the special mentalities and know how to bundle the specific strengths." Becker most recently worked for the traditional Swedish company MORAKNIV as Global Sales and Marketing Director.
Duell offers its trading partners access to a comprehensive portfolio "with all the necessary product groups that are necessary for the maintenance and upgrading of motorcycles as well as garments, helmets and the full range of protective equipment. Highlights of the Duell product portfolio include the formerly Swedish owned Halvarssons and Lindstrands brands and products from Dutch distributor IGM Trading and the associated German Grand Canyon GmbH business.
www.duell.eu
