Online bike retailer, WiggleCRC, is planning to cut about 300 jobs in Northern Ireland. The company was formed when Wiggle took over Doagh-based Chain Reaction Cycles earlier this year.
The company says it intends to concentrate the majority of its warehouse facilities in Wolverhampton in England. Some 152 staff and 161 agency roles are under threat in Northern Ireland as a result.
"Necessary"In a statement the company said: "For WiggleCRC to retain its position and remain competitive in the UK as well as increasingly global markets, we have concluded that this can be best achieved by concentrating the majority of our distribution through our warehouse facility in Wolverhampton.
"This necessary step, will require the relocation of significant warehouse activities currently in Doagh, Carrickfergus and Ballyclare.
"WiggleCRC will retain a significant staff and management presence in Northern Ireland, with at least 275 unaffected employees forming a vital part of our ambitious growth plans."
John Campbell, BBC News NI Economics and Business Editor
Chain Reaction has been our biggest retail success story of the internet era. The company is one of the world's main online sellers of bikes and cycling accessories. WiggleCRC is planning to cut about 300 jobs in Northern Ireland.
WiggleCRC is planning to cut about 300 jobs in Northern Ireland.
It started in 1985 as a single bike shop in Ballynure, owned by the Watson family.
But having built a world-class operation, employing more than 500 people, they sold it last year to rival firm, Wiggle.
Now Wiggle are planning a shake-up which will mean concentrating warehouse operations at its massive facility in Wolverhampton.
The company says it will keep at least 275 jobs in Northern Ireland in roles like management, IT and sales and has promised employees will be treated fairly and in line with their values. Its wheel building operation will remain in Ballyclare. Major job losses at such a successful and respected company will shock many people.
But in a very competitive market the new owners were never going to be sentimental about Northern Ireland jobs.
'Reaction'The trade union Unite were scathing of the decision.
Davy Thompson, Regional Officer said: "This decision threatens redundancy for more than 150 full-time and 160 agency workers and is completely indefensible. "This loss of employment is yet another blow to Northern Ireland's economy. These losses affect our retail sector which have suffered the collapse of Exhibit as well as BHS," he said.
Politicians have also been reacting to the news. Economy Minister Simon Hamilton has expressed his concerns: "This is a deeply worrying time for staff at Wiggle CRC in Northern Ireland. They are foremost in my thoughts. "Chain Reaction was a highly successful homegrown firm. It's success led to the Wiggle investment. "Whilst my officials are already in contact with the company, I will engage with Wiggle management at the earliest opportunity to explore ways of retaining as many jobs as possible," he said. South Antrim MLA and Ulster Unionist economy spokesperson Steve Aiken told BBC News it is a blow to the local economy.
"I am shocked at the numbers of workers who will be affected, not least because the story of Chain Reaction Cycles has, up to now, been one of continual expansion and success. "Even at this late stage I would hope that the company would reconsider and realise that Northern Ireland is and can be a better hub than Wolverhampton. "I have called on Invest NI and the economy minister to engage proactively with the company to overcome this short-sighted decision."
Original story courtesy of the BBC. /
@ChainReactionCycles
Wish I'd been more active about this merger when I first heard about it.
general.enquiries@cma.gsi.gov.uk
These guys bought Wiggle in 2011.
www.bridgepoint.eu/en/investment-portfolio/wiggle
The only way to see growth on their investment was to buy their competitor and streamline both companies through "savings" and "efficiency". Many of these investors have struggled to see a good return, Wiggle has reported in the past to only have made a few percent profit despite large revenues
These guys own Evans Cycles ECI Partners
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32554887
Snow and Rock (Cycle Surgery) recently purchased by Cotswold Outdoor Group
Its a period of consolidation, contraction and streamlining in the bike industry, we are one of the last retail industries to be undergoing the transformation that is impacting pretty much all other industries.
Ahhhh another shitely run bike retailer selling old damaged stock for near rrp prices.
Got stung twice from cycle surgery, try wondering why they call it surgery, bevause they fix up badly damaged stock and sell as new meaning the customer will require surgery.
Had same with Evans. Bought fulcrum road wheels critical spacer missing from front hub, caused wobble and near crash. Should have guessed as not supplied in original box.
Merlin cycles is another I can think of.
not a mistake unfortunately - they admitted wheels had been on display, and then cannabalised for spares at some point by one of their mechanics, and wheels put back in a random box when a request came to move stock.
had the same thing some years back with Cycle Surgery in Camden - specifically when I bought, at full retail price, some DMR Chieftan Mk2 DJ cranks (found the bearings and all hardware missing) and a MRP chain device (again, parts missing). After getting no help on either item, DMR were fantastic and supplied all the missing parts free of charge to me. The MRP was refunded after argument with store.
CRC used to be awful for customer support, for a period of time I think they didn't even have a contact phone number listed on their website but several years ago they turned it around and the 2-3 times I have phoned them in the last 12 months I've got through to someone within moments and solved the issue within a minute or two even calling at 5pm a very busy time to call.
If Wiggle absorb CRC into the giant Wiggle machine without learning from CRCs process their business will suffer, I'm sure a lot of people will go elsewhere too. Hell I've even used Evans quite a bit lately as they often match CRC prices but have a higher % cashback on Quidco.
I have used Tredz for non-urgent things, but strictly only for that as it is extremely annoying to be sold something with thinking despatch in 1-2 days means it's in stock when it isn't and having to wait a week or two when they suddenly find the supplier is out of stock. Sure they contact you and are polite but still very annoying.
I don't live in NI but it does sound like CRC really do (well did at least) support the local scene and to have gone from a small shop doing mail order on the side to the worlds biggest online bike shop in what 10-15 years is pretty good going, it's certainly a shame CRC as we know it looks to be disappearing.
"the reality is that not all of these people are just gonna walk into another job"
Out of 313 employees fired, I'm sure there is at least one leader, and 312 employees with knowledge and experience that are willing to continue in the bike industry.
They know what's profitable right now and in the future of this growing bike industry, and I hope they will manage to come out victorious.
after all it is a free market not a free world that we live in.
Or I could be completely wrong?
I feel sorry for those losing their jobs, not great.
2: tell them that you're now taking your business elsewhere because of the decision to cut the NI jobs, and suggest that they screenshot the chat and pass it to the braindead beancounter who might now be wondering if the money they're saving by cutting jobs will offset the money they'll lose in sales from customers going elsewhere.
probably something along the lines of "oh well hard luck but i'll keep shopping there anyway sorry-not-sorry haha lol"
I used to live 3 miles down the road from wiggle, I bought something from their sub-par website once, wasn't allowed collect it, so had to wait 4 days until it turned up in the post.
c*nts.
Then you're partly responsible for putting them in the situation where they had to roll over and accept the takeover, you bell-end.
Also, if the circa £42 of goods was the difference between wading in a certain creek without a paddle, or continuing as per - then it'd only be a matter of time before it all fell apart.
It seems apparent that crc didn't stumble across financial issues either, unless I've missed something?
We can also call the "proudly alone" principle. What is not matching the "Global Village" concept nor the present globalisation.
I do understand the economy of scale principle but you never do such a dramatic change overnight if you are not economically (knowingly) in economic troubles to justify it.
The costs of image creation and development are higher than the savings that can come, mainly in the middle run. In the long run you could do the same without cutting more than 50 working places per year and creating 10 per year more specialised like with the German speaking market.
In the DACH or german speaking market day are adrift for 4 years loosing to competitors like bikecomponents.de
£18.4 million deal for Cycle Solutions / Wheelies / Treadz
www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/24/halfords-buys-tredz-and-wheelies-mountain-bikes
So not bothered about the people in Wolves loosing their jobs then...