In Brussels, IMP Bike is one of the well-known establishments for cycling enthusiasts. The family business, created in 1983, has grown with changes in the cycle market. In recent years, popular electric bikes have expanded the range offered to customers. The trade grew and offered the 1500 m2 of a former garage.
Today, IMP Bike joins Colruyt and its Bike Republic network. The bosses were won over by Colruyt’s arguments. “We were approached by several players in the market, but the trigger was missing each time. With Bike Republic, we got it”, point out Isabelle and Michel Parmentier, the owners of IMP Bike. : “We speak the same language, the language of cycling”, they point out. “Our store is now truly part of a family, of a larger whole”, they add. By joining the Colruyt subsidiary, they believe they are “looking towards the future”. “Being part of a large group will give us the means to develop our business”, explains Isabelle Parmentier, the boss of IMP Bike.
Joining Bike Republic means having access to sufficient stock, while the Covid pandemic has shown that delivery times can be very problematic. “You have to order the bikes in advance. When I say that, it means between one and two years in advance”, explains Wim Teerlinck, the boss of Bike Republic. Therefore, Bike Republic relies on its stock, “Today, we have 10,000 bikes in stock, it’s a huge capital”reconnaît Wim Teerlinck.
The “bicycle” subsidiary of the distribution group targets individuals, but also companies and SMEs with the sale or rental of company bicycles. The group is also eyeing the development of the cargo bike. Wim Teerlynck explains: “Last mile delivery by cargo bike is on the rise”, says Wim Teerlynck, director of Bike Republic. It is aimed at home plumbers, physiotherapists or hairdressers in Brussels who would like to get closer to their customers or patients more easily.