SAINT-GEORGES, Québec (BRAIN) — As of last month, Procycle, the parent company of Rocky Mountain, Miele and eVox, has been renamed as Rocky Mountain. Besides the name change, the company has announced that it is phasing out the Miele and eVox names and will exit the hybrid market to focus mountain bikes, including e-MTBs.
Procycle was formed in 1977. Over the past 41 years, the company has manufactured and assembled over 8 million bicycles at its Québec factory. Procycle purchased North Vancouver-based Rocky Mountain in 1997. Rocky Mountain's development center, R&D facilities and customer service remains in North Vancouver. Rocky Mountain's electric R&D team will remain in Québec.
"This decision allows us to focus all of our energy on the brand with the most opportunity to grow," said Raymond Dutil, CEO of Rocky Mountain. Dutil remains the sole owner of the company. "You can imagine how difficult a decision it was to say goodbye to the name Procycle, which has been in the family for nearly half a century. But the choice was clear: this exciting growth for Rocky Mountain demands we put all of our combined strength behind its name and aspirations. One brand, one vision, one team."
"We understand this decision will have a significant impact for our dealers in Canada, especially those who have stood loyally by our side carrying Miele and eVox since day one," said Raymond Dutil. "Those brands grew year after year thanks to their continued efforts. Because of their support, and our shared success, this decision was not an easy one, but it was the right one. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
He said the Miele and eVox brands will be transitioned out of the Canadian market, where they are sold exclusively, by this fall. Remaining eVox and Miele stock will be offered to dealers on a first-come, first-serve basis. All warranties for Miele and eVox will be valid until the end of their term.
"It has been an exciting period for us, with our strategic planning process now completely revamped," said Raymond Dutil. "We are now positioned to deliver both bikes and a customer experience that live up to our own high expectations. While it's difficult to put years of work and relationships to the side, we have full confidence that the end result will be a more streamlined company, a focused and engaged staff, with brand and sales growth for years to come. I am very proud of the direction the company is taking, and how our entire organization has embraced these changes."
All staff is being retained; Miele and eVox staff will be refocused on Rocky Mountain.
"We will now work and play as a unified team — the Rocky Mountain team. We are not downsizing, we are not restructuring; rather, we are regrouping and refocusing our strengths and talents as an organization into a single goal: to grow a premium, heritage Canadian brand and better nurture it towards its potential," said Juli Dutil, the company's director of strategic development & creativity.
The company's legal entity will remain Industries RAD Inc. For several years Procycle owned the Canadian license to produce Peugeot bikes, which were manufactured at its factory in Saint-Georges. It also formerly marketed the Oryx, Mikado, Balfa, Energy, CCM and Velo Sport brands.
