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@wildwest
How have the Italians managed to maintain a thriving cycling industry when we in uk can't.
I suspect it is financial most of the Italian companies miche and campagnolo are still family owned for many years and probably only take on debt to finance expansion and R&D. Here in uk we have an obsession with floating companies and refinancing them to extract every last penny of value, so all it takes is a little don't turn in the markets that the companies either folds, bought out or moves production abroad.
Brooks is owned by selle Italia but still made proudly in Birmingham and fully exploiting it's British credentials.
Many British companies don't move with the times. I'm sure royce will dissappear once the founding fathers retire, but it's expensive products are the best in the market.
Hope technology have thankfully modern and kept up with changes and new manufacturing methods and maintained profitability. And vitally market themselves well, not just a trade secrets for those in the know, that nerdy engineer in lab coat churning out products from trusty vintage lathe out of a shed is really no business model.