Hero to open e-cycle assembly line at its Trafford Park manufacturing site
Cycle manufacturer, Hero International, is to add a new e-cycle assembly line at its Trafford Park site.
The new facility will create jobs, but numbers are still to be finalised.
Hero International, part of India’s Hero Motors Company, will make high end IoT-enabled electric cycles and push bikes for customers in the UK and EU.
It said the development is part of its £150m group-wide investment, and is expected to be up and running by August this year.
The new line will produce around 50,000 bikes over three years, before scaling up to 30,000 capacity per annum.
And, once the new assembly line becomes operational, several international brands currently manufactured in Hero Cycles’ advanced facilities in India, will be manufactured locally in Manchester.
The new assembly line is part of Hero Cycles’ Global Design Centre in Manchester. It will produce smart bikes that understand the user with the help of advanced technologies such as IoT and Google services integration along with anti-theft systems and advanced telematics.
Pankaj Munjal, Hero Motors Company chairman, and managing director, said: “We are excited to expand our capabilities in Manchester to locally produce technologically-advanced cycles and e-cycles that are extremely efficient, low carbon personal mobility solutions.
“Our new facility will enhance the cost competitiveness of our products in the UK and the European region, making them more affordable – it will boost local innovation and exports from the UK.”
He added: “With our integrated ecosystem of Global Design Centres, state of the art manufacturing facilities across geographies and strategic partnerships for R&D, Hero International will become a leading cycle and e-cycles maker by 2025.”
Tim Newns, CEO of Midas, Manchester’s inward investment agency, said: “It’s fantastic news that Hero Cycles is further contributing to Greater Manchester’s commitment to a carbon-neutral future, thanks to its expansion in Manchester.
“Forward thinking innovators such as Hero Cycles are leading the way in showcasing the world-class capabilities within the city region for advanced manufacturing.”
Hero is also throwing its doors open to any UK and European brand owners seeking a just-in-time Lean supply chain solution for their products to support the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ initiative which could create significant employment opportunities for the Manchester region.
Hero Cycles currently operates two Global Design Centres in Manchester and in Berlin, while its E-cycle Valley in the Indian state of Punjab is one of the largest integrated cycle manufacturing facilities in the world with a capacity of four million annually.
Hero Motors also has a joint venture with Yamaha Motors, HYM Drive Systems and a memorandum of understanding with Mitsui and Yamaha Motors to launch Centre Motor E-Cycles.
