Dutch bicycle tyre manufacturer A. Dugast, supplier of many World Champions in recent years, joins Vittoria Group, reinforcing its leadership in special, hand-made cotton and silk tyres for cyclocross, track and road racing. By uniting their know-how and capabilities, A. Dugast and Vittoria will develop advanced and innovative products.
A. Dugast becomes part of the Italian Vittoria Group, executing a jointly created plan to reinforce the development and production capabilities of both bicycle tyre brands, building on the innovative know-how and shared global manufacturing capacities.
Vittoria, in its mission to make the most advanced bicycle tyres in the world, aims to leverage on A. Dugast's profound market, product and process know-how in cotton and silk tubulars, which has contributed to build a unique reputation in the industry as a pure expert of high-end specialty tyres. Vittoria's activities in Italy and Thailand will thus benefit from the innovative power of A. Dugast, in bringing new experiences to riders.
The production facilities in the Netherlands will assure a more balanced production footprint for the whole Vittoria Group. And thanks to the A. Dugast factory, Vittoria customers can also be served with special products and limited series. As a first example, the group will create an exclusive hand-made limited-edition tubular for “L'Eroica” that will be presented shortly, to celebrate the start of this new phase.
Richard Plugge, managing director of the Jumbo-Visma's cycling teams, comments: "We have worked successfully with both A. Dugast and Vittoria for many years, and have been able to count on their excellent products and support for our riders. Just this year, riders like Wout Van Aert and Marianne Vos have won many races in cyclocross and road races using cotton tyres from both brands. We are pleased that this partnership will further develop Dutch cycling excellence in an international group."
As many professionals, also the Alpecin-Fenix rider Mathieu Van der Poel, who is using A. Dugast for cyclocross and Vittoria for road races, is a big fan of the hand-made tyres of both companies:"The supple cotton casings of A. Dugast and Vittoria assure excellent rolling performance and superior contact with the terrain, allowing me to use all the power in long races up to the final sprint. Bringing these two winning brands together will for sure support the progress in cycling performance."
Vittoria Group has acquired the full ownership of A. Dugast. Managing Director Richard Nieuwhuis, who through the deal has obtained a minority share in Vittoria Group, will continue to run A. Dugast together with his current employees, while taking up an active role in the Vittoria Group innovation processes. Nieuwhuis said: "In Vittoria Group we have found a partner with whom we can achieve great things for the future of A. Dugast and our products for athletes. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to the innovative drive of the team."
Vittoria and A. Dugast will combine commercial forces globally and offer a wider range of products to their partners and customers. Vittoria Group will continue to develop and produce in its facilities in Thailand, while the A. Dugast factory in the Netherlands will also become a regional asset for circular solutions and research in sustainable products.
Stijn Vriends, President & CEO of Vittoria Group, comments: "We are extremely proud to work with Richard to make the A. Dugast product range even richer and find the next levels of performance and sustainability in bicycle tyres together."
