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Swiss bicycle manufacturing company and historic WorldTour bike sponsor BMC is set to undergo further restructuring, with around 40 jobs expected to be cut from its worldwide operation.
The news was reported by Solothurner Zeitung, a local news outlet based in the same Swiss canton as the BMC headquarters. The number of jobs to be cut directly from its Swiss operations is yet to be determined, and is currently subject to a consultation process.
As with any round of job cuts, the likes of which we have seen time and again in the wake of the COVID-19 bike boom, the company expresses regret, but maintains that it is necessary for long-term survival:
“In order to ensure sustainable competitiveness and put the company back on a sound economic footing, additional cost-saving measures are necessary.”
BMC isn’t a brand on the scale of the likes of Specialized, Trek, or Giant, and according to its Linkedin page it claims to employ 160 people globally, meaning this would represent a substantial fraction of the existing business. It is the latest in a series of difficulties for the long-established Swiss brand.
In 2023, there were reports of an initial round of layoffs, though these were never officially confirmed by BMC, and this was followed in 2024 by an application for government assistance, whereby employees could be put on reduced hours, and up to 80% of their pay could be covered by the local government. This would have been similar to the furlough scheme employed by the British government during the pandemic. This was reportedly a proactive step, however, preparing the paperwork should the need arise in future.
To add further woes, BMC then had to issue a stop ride notice on its Kaius 01 gravel bike following the brand becoming aware of “a few instances where certain fork steerer tubes have separated under heavy-duty riding conditions.”
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The restructuring process is reportedly due for completion at the end of June, and comes in the midst of significant market turmoil thanks to the imposition of tariffs by the Trump administration, as well as those retaliatory measures put in place by other governments.
When asked, BMC acknowledged that the American tariff regime “influenced the decision to restructure.”