Advanced Sports International
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bicycles |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Fate | Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018; wholesale assets purchased by BikeCo in 2019 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , U.S. |
| Brands | Fuji Bikes, Kestrel USA, SE Bikes |
| Revenue |
|
| Owner | BikeCo (since 2019) |
| Website | www |
Advanced Sports International (ASI) is an American bicycle company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its flagship brand is Fuji Bikes, with smaller brands including triathlon-focused Kestrel USA, component maker Oval Concepts, Breezer bikes, Tuesday Cycles and BMX maker SE Bikes.
History
[edit]The company was established in 1998.[1] ASI was led by Patrick Cunnane until filing for bankruptcy in 2018.[2][3][4] The company has generally followed a strategy of buying struggling brands and returning them to profitability.[5] ASI purchased Fuji Bikes in 1998 after Fuji's sales had declined due to missing the mountain biking boom.[6] It soon repositioned the brand from a mass-market brand sold mainly in sporting goods stores to a higher-end brand sold by more independent bicycle dealers.
In 2007, the company's total revenue was $50 million, with about 5% market share among bikes sold by independent dealers.[2] ASI bought Breezer Bikes in 2008,[7][8] the bicycle component manufacturer Oval Concepts in 2009,[9][10] and Phat Cycles in 2015.[11] Other brands it has purchased include Fuji Bikes, SE, Kestrel, and Tuesday Cycles.[12]
By 2015, ASI's revenue had grown to $105 million.[3] It is associated with the Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer Ideal Bike Corp.[13] In August 2016, ASI purchased the bicycle retailer Performance Bicycle (owner of the e-commerce site and retailer Nashbar) for an undisclosed amount.[14][15][16] As part of the deal, a new parent company called Advanced Sports Enterprises was created to "oversee brand development, wholesale and retail operations, while ASI’s wholesale and Performance Bicycle’s retail operations would be separately managed."[17][18]
The parent company ASE filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy two years later,[19] listing debts of more than $100 million.[20] Most of ASE's assets, including some Performance Bicycle stores, were tentatively purchased at a bankruptcy auction in January 2019 by the Amsterdam-based company Head Sport for $21.5 million.[21] Another asset, the Roubaix bike trademark, was purchased by Specialized Bikes for $700,000.[22] However, the deal fell through, and in February 2019, ASI was purchased for $16.1 million and split among three entities---Amain.com Inc, K&B Investment Corporation, and BikeCo, a partnership of Tiger Capital Group and Advanced Holdings.[23] Amain received the Performance and Nashbar businesses and trademarks, K&B Investment Corporation received ASE's property and buildings, and BikeCo received ASI and its wholesale businesses and bike trademarks.[24]
In August 2019, ASE, renamed AE Bike Liquidation, Inc., sent letters against 30 suppliers seeking to recover "so-called "preferential payments" that suppliers received from Performance and the other brands in the weeks before than bankruptcy filing."[25] The payments, if recovered, would go towards the company's bankruptcy obligations. Seven suppliers settled. In November 2020, lawsuits were filed against the other 27 for a total of $2.6 million.[26]
References
[edit]- ↑ George, John (September 10, 2016). "Northeast Philadelphia Bike Supplier Shifts into High Gear with $7M Stock Sale". NBC Philadelphia. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- 1 2 Van Allen, Peter (March 3, 2008). "Pedaling high-end Fuji bikes". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- 1 2 Takiff, Jonathan (June 1, 2015). "Wheeler Dealers". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Yuba Bicycles names Pat Cunnane as president and COO". Bicycle Retailer. December 16, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ↑ "Xtri Interview: Steve Harad of Kestrel Bikes". Xtri. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Fuji Transonic 1.3 review". Cycling Tips. June 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ Boulanger, Gary (November 17, 2009). "Quick spin: Mountain bike pioneer Joe Breeze". BikeRadar. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Interview: Pat Cunnane and Joe Breeze". BikeBiz. November 20, 2008. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ James Huang (January 9, 2010). "Advanced Sports, Inc. purchases Oval Concepts". Cycling News. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ Huang, James (January 9, 2010). "Advanced Sports, Inc. purchases Oval Concepts". Cycling News. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ "ASI buys Phat Cycles and Sterling bike brands". Bicycle Retailer. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Home".
- ↑ "Shakeout at North American Bicycle Retail Market". Bike Europe. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ Lindsey, Joe (August 17, 2016). "Fuji Bikes' Parent Company Now Owns Performance". Bicycling. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ "ASI launching Fuji online sales through brick-and-mortar dealers". Bicycle Retailer. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ Ranii, David (August 17, 2016). "Chapel Hill's Performance Bicycle has a new owner". The News & Observer. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Bike Maker's Acquisition of Performance Bicycle Hints at Future DTC Strategy | SGB Media Online". August 17, 2016.
- ↑ "Performance Bicycle, ASI Parent Company ASE Files for Chapter 11 | SGB Media Online". November 16, 2018.
- ↑ "Performance Bicycle owner ASE files for bankruptcy". VeloNews. November 16, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ↑ "Head Sport agrees to buy most ASE assets for $22M".
- ↑ "Head Sport agrees to buy most ASE assets for $22M".
- ↑ "Head Sport agrees to buy most ASE assets for $22M".
- ↑ "Tiger Group wins bid to buy ASE assets". Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ↑ "Tiger Group wins bid to buy ASE assets".
- ↑ "ASI trustee tries to claw back millions in preferential payments".
- ↑ "ASI trustee tries to claw back millions in preferential payments".