Cycling UK Forum

Of niche interest this, but MBC have bought a new factory - well, not new really but rather, old... see here. I don't know what this means, either for MBC or indeed the trust that owns The Hall and the grounds, where the present workshops are.

Will there be any jobs created?

"The brand’s bicycles are currently manufactured at two production facilities, one in Bradford on Avon and the other in Stratford-upon-Avon. There is a strong order book, particularly from Asia, with over 85% of production exported."

Yippee Yippee Yippee. This is so good. For Moulton to export 85% to new rich emerging markets like Asia is just so great. Even if only a small resurgence in quality British manufacturing. My guess is the 2 locations have been around too long. For supply chains economics and rationalising factory space probably should have been done sooner. Also I am sure on the horizon like Brompton electric versions will be on the drawing board for the future. A lot of manufactured items from USA , UK and Germany are still regarded as the bees knees in Asia etc.

The last one I sold went to a young man in Malaysia. He was super-keen to buy mine as it represented a considerable discount on the price of a new one, from the local dealer, which he described as costing roughly half his annual salary... I was astonished until I reminded myself that a new NS double-pylon at, say, £16,000, represented a similar sum, being half the £32,000 that's often quoted as the average full-time adult annual salary (or the amount Mrs Sunak apparently spends every year, on maintining her non-dom status... )