ZURICH (BRAIN) — Accell Group has sold Protanium, a pedelec development brand, and Diavelo, an associated pedelec bike brand, to a new Swiss company headed by pedelec entrepreneur Karin Vogelsanger.
Brian Hoehl founded Protanium in Denmark in 2006. Accell acquired the brand in 2008 and Hoehl left the company before the sale, which went through last month. A purchase price was not disclosed.
The purchasing group founded a new company, Protanium GmbH, based in Zurich. The company acquired a license to the Protanium inframe battery technology, although Accell retains ownership of the technology.
Vogelsanger is the new company's managing partner. She has previously collaborated with Protanium and her company Diavelo Schweiz AG already represents the pedelec brand in Switzerland.
"We see enormous potential in continuing Protanium's trailblazing work and in converting the various technical solutions and design ideas for the pedelec market into ready-to-sell products," she said. "By making pedelecs more attractive and more practical we aim to help position the vehicle category even more strongly in the leisure travel and everyday mobility sector."
Protanium GmbH sees itself as a service provider that works with customers to convert product ideas into ready-to-sell pedelecs, providing all of the processes required, including development, design, product management, sourcing and assembly in the Far East and Europe. The company also provides assistance with logistics and after-sales services. Protanium GmbH is also owner of the pedelec brand Zeitgeist and licensee of Pininfarina for e-bikes.
More information at protanium.ch.
