Frog Bikes

Type
Reshoring
Country
United Kingdom
Reshoring from
China
Reshored business function
Production
Region
North East (England); Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear; Northumberland
Location of affected unit(s)
Pontypool
Sector
Manufacturing
(29 - 30) Manufacture for transport equipment
30.9 - Manufacture of transport equipment n.e.c.
30.92 - Manufacture of bicycles and invalid carriages
50 jobs
Number of planned job creations
Job creation
Announcement Date
16 February 2016
Employment effect (start)
1 September 2015
Foreseen end date
1 August 2016

Description

Frog bike is a British company that produces bikes for kids. The company  started activities in 2013, outsourcing the assembling to China. However, after a couple of years, the company has started to recognize several issues with offshoring. In particular, Frog bikes turned out to be unable to forecast demand, and the production in China  implied queues and waiting lists every time demand was higher than forecast. The reshoring decision has  received support from MAS, the UK advisory service specialized in supporting SME in their strategies including reshoring. Owners recognize the MAS role as very positive in aiding their decision . The backshoring has allowed the creation of 50 jobs in Pontypool.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2016), Frog Bikes, Reshoring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 151, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/151.