Austrian bicycle manufacturer Simplon will open a new production facility in Timișoara, western Romania, in early 2026, as part of a restructuring plan that will see a partial relocation of operations from its headquarters in Hard, Vorarlberg, Der Standard reported, as cited by Ziarul Financiar.
The new plant will operate in partnership with assembly specialist IKO Sportartikel and is intended to expand Simplon’s production capacity while addressing labor shortages in Austria. The company said it had considered expanding production in Vorarlberg but faced difficulties finding enough skilled workers in the region.
“The technologically and creatively driven core of Simplon will remain in Vorarlberg, where a significant part of the total number of bicycles – particularly custom-built models – will continue to be produced,” Chief Executive Officer Christoph Mannel said.
However, the company acknowledged that establishing the Romanian plant would require a restructuring of its main facility in Hard.
“The economically necessary basic use of the additional production line in Romania, however, requires a restructuring of the main plant in Hard. As a result, up to a fifth of the 110 jobs in Vorarlberg will be lost,” Simplon said in the statement.
iulian@romania-insider.com
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