Belve Slovak Leader in Bicycle Production Partly Thanks to Development

Stara Tura, 1 March (TASR) – Belve, a company based in the town of Stara Tura in Trencin region, manufactures up to 50,000 bicycles of various categories annually, TASR has learnt from company director Kamil Vrabel, who added that the firm doesn't only manufacture bikes; it also designs them at its development department in Stara Tura. Belve is the second-largest manufacturer and biggest seller of CTM bicycles in Slovakia. "Industrial and graphic development of bicycles takes place in Stara Tura before actual production. The process also includes the production of wheels directly at our facility on two semi-automatic lines. We produce 800-900 wheels per day. About 80 employees are involved in the production of 50,000 bicycles per year, so efficiency is very good," added Vrabel. All types of bicycles are manufactured in Stara Tura, including children's bikes, downhill and enduro specials. Mountain MTB bikes account for the majority of development and production. Electric bikes make up about 20 percent of production. The cycles are designed for mountain biking, for more demanding cyclists, but also for everyday urban cycling. In 2023, the company won the National Design Award in the category of making a long-term economic contribution to the country. Bicycles from Stara Tura are exported to 14 European countries, with around 400 customers. Apart from Slovakia, cycles from Stara Tura are most popular in Poland and the Czech Republic. According to the director, investments in innovation made it possible to weather the turbulent pandemic period. The firm uses state-of-the-art technologies such as 3D design software, 3D printing and virtual reality. am/df