Cannondale bike warehouse expands to include assembly jobs

On a recent brisk Saturday morning, Scott Taylor walked into Hill on Wheels bike shop in Richmond Hill to purchase a new bike. Taylor lives just north of Waycross and was in Richmond Hill visiting his brother,

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“My wife says I need a bike,” Scott Taylor said. He added he intends to start riding again for exercise.

Dave Taylor added he rides “about three or four times a week for exercise.”

As a novice rider or an occasional recreational rider, the Taylor brothers are two examples of what the cycling industry has experienced in the past few years – growing interest in bicycle ownership. In 2020, pandemic-forced lockdowns and social isolation fueled the demand for bikes.

According to several cycling industry and cycling-advocacy websites, consumers are purchasing bicycles of all kinds at a record pace. Due to lockdowns, gym closures, and social distancing mandates, people turned to biking outside or indoor bikes for a safe alternative to going to the gym.

Last February Wilton, Connecticut-based Dorel Sports opened a warehouse and distribution facility for its Cannondale bicycle brand on Trade Center Drive in Rincon, creating 60 local jobs. The Rincon location also distributes GT, Schwinn, and Mongoose brand bicycles and Kid Trax. Shortly after opening that facility, the company said it intended to expand to include bicycle assembly at the location. The addition will double the company’s employee base from 60 to 120 when fully operational in mid-2022.

According to the company website at dorelsports.com, the Dorel Sports location in Georgia, along with existing distribution centers in Illinois and California, will facilitate distribution of its bicycle brands throughout the U.S.

“Dorel Sports is the parent company, and underneath that are the Pacific Cycle and Cycling Sports Group divisions,” explained Sofia Burr, senior public relations manager for Cycling Sports Group. The Cannondale, GT Bicycles, and Charge Electric Bikes are under Cycling Sports Group. Schwinn, Mongoose, and the company’s only electric ride-on brand, Kid Trax are part of Pacific Cycle.

Data from the 2020 U.S. Census shows:

■ Bike sales from sporting goods stores totaled $3.6 billion in 2017, in addition to $454 million in bike sales from online retailers.

■ Sales dipped and rose in 2018 and 2019, but each year-to-year rebound continued an upward trend. For example, sales from sporting goods stores (including bikes) were approximately $2.8 billion in July 2018. By October 2019, sales had increased to $5.6 billion. A dip in sales to under $2.8 billion is attributed to the pandemic in March 2020; but sales rebounded to nearly $7 billion by January 2021.

“Our mission is to create more high-quality jobs and capital investment, which raises our tax digest,” said Jessica Hood, the director of economic development and existing industry for Effingham County’s Industrial Development Authority. “As the marketing arm for the Development Authority, we work with commercial realtors who are seeking relocation or expansion for their clients.”

Hood added the “high-quality” jobs being added to the facility are “higher skilled” and “higher pay” positions as opposed to the warehouse positions.

Burr explained the manufacturing and assembly in Rincon depends on several factors. For example, a bike’s frame may come from one manufacturer, while the handlebars, gears, and other parts may come from a different manufacturer. Once the expansion of the Rincon facility is complete, bikes will be assembled in Rincon and then sent to local bike shops. Local bike shops will still customize and assemble bikes for consumers. “The time it takes for them to put the bikes together out of the box will be shorter.”

Burr added Dorel Sports’ various divisions “make bikes for everyone” and its Schwinn and Mongoose brands are available at retailers such as Walmart or Target in addition to bike shops. Cannondale and GT brand bikes are available at local bike shops or specialized stores such as REI and Dick’s Sporting Goods. As for the Rincon location, Burr said, “We are distributing Cannondale, GT, Schwinn, Mongoose, and Kid Trax [in Rincon]. When we begin assembly in 2022, we will focus on the assembly of Cannondale bikes.”

The Dorel expansion was the first industrial expansion announced for 2021, according to Hood. Other recent new business entries or expansions for the county include: Aerodynamic Aviation in Springfield in 2020 and A&R Logistics in 2019, among others.

“The assembly plant roles will be supervisory, operations based, and planning based,” said Nick Hage, general manager for Dorel’s Cycling Sports Group for North America. “The team in Rincon will work closely with Georgia Quick Start, which will help assess workers, train new employees and develop customized job-specific training.

COURTESY Last February Wilton, Connecticut-based Dorel Sports opened a warehouse and distribution facility for its Cannondale bicycle brand on Trade Center Drive in Rincon, creating 60 local jobs.