In this article, discover the transformation of this former 3,000 m2 industrial site.
24 maja 2023
European Bike Factory: Fifteen and F2J Industry launch an electric bicycle assembly line in France
It's official: Fifteen has taken another step in its "Made in Europe" industrial policy by launching a bicycle assembly line with F2J Industry in Auxi-le-Château (Pas-de-Calais), in the north of France. Operational since May 2023, it is capable of producing up to 45,000 bicycles per year, with the potential to create 50 jobs.
Two players join forces to relocate the bicycle industry
Fifteen: committed to a "Made in Europe" approach
Bicycles from the new public bicycle system in Gijon (Spain)
More than 95% of the fleet of shared bikes deployed by Fifteen worldwide is French or European made, which means that today, 50,000 European-made bikes are currently in use in Vancouver, Lima and Paris. Thanks to this new assembly line at the Agla Form factory, the percentage will increase to 100%!
Since May 2023, the latest generation of Fifteen bikes has been assembled in France. This assembly line will be able to produce up to 45,000 bikes and create up to 50 jobs.
This relocation will complete the range of Fifteen "Made in France" products and components, as stations, information totems, guidance strips and certain electronic cards integrated into Fifteen technologies were already produced in France.
The relocation of the assembly of our bikes is an essential step in the Made in Europe industrial strategy that we have been pursuing for a long time. We will soon be taking further steps, as the assembly of our batteries will soon be carried out in the Puy de Dôme, and our electromagnets will be manufactured in Haute-Savoie. Committed to working alongside local communities, our goal is to generate 50% of the added value related to our products in France by 2025.
F2J: Transitioning to Bicycles
Vincent Lefebvre - Director of the Agla Form factory in Auxi-le-Château
F2J is a subcontractor in the automotive market, operating in various fields such as renovation, plastic injection, and stamping.
The company currently owns 12 factories in France, Poland, Spain, the United States, and Latin America, with the aim of revitalising them, particularly by diversifying their activities.
This has been achieved with the new entity F2J Bike, a historic milestone in the group's diversification.
Through this strategic collaboration with Fifteen, F2J Industry creates F2J Bike, a new industrial player in the bicycle industry for which we have great development ambitions. The creation of this assembly line is the first step of the project, and we are also working on relocating the production of further components.
The Bike Industry: An Opportunity for French Industry
Despite a strong industrial history in bicycles, France currently produces only a quarter of the bicycles sold within its territory. In a context of significant growth in cycling mobility and major technological advancements in the sector, the Gouffier-Cha Report of February 2022 identifies bicycles as a "real industrial opportunity" for France.
I want to applaud the great project led by Fifteen and F2J Industry, which brings an industrial site back to life by installing its electric bicycle production line. The economic and industrial potential of bicycles is evident; it is an industry of everyday life that we must bring back to our territories. The reindustrialisation of France is underway, and this project is making a full contribution to it.
The transition of light vehicles to electric power is pushing the automotive industry to reinvent itself. The Auxi-le-Château plant, which employs 90 people, is part of this logic. The creation of this assembly line allows the creation and perpetuation of local, sustainable and qualified jobs, while promoting the know-how of the automotive industry.
This project is also supported by BPIFrance to the tune of €450,000 as part of the call for projects "Support for diversification projects for automotive subcontractors".
Thanks to the localisation of the industrial processes, Fifteen will be able, in the medium term, to work with local or regional component suppliers and also support new economic actors in the bicycle ecosystem in developing their own product. This virtuous dynamic will benefit the entire bicycle industry sector in France.
Another fine example of the conversion of an industrial site! From cars to bicycles, this project shows that industry is capable of adapting, that it has a future in our region and that it will continue to create jobs here. We are proud that Fifteen and F2J have chosen Auxi-le-Château and the Hauts-de-France region for this new electric bicycle assembly line.
What does this mean for Fifteen?
Control of Production Times
Fifteen's technologies stand out for their ease of installation: a bike-sharing fleet can be deployed within 3 months.
But how can we go further? By reducing the transport time from the production site to the installation site.
Thanks to this new assembly plant, the delivery of bicycles can be done in just one day for deployments within France, compared to over 2 months for bicycles imported from Asia.
In an uncertain health context in Asia and at a time when the bicycle industry is booming, Fifteen needs to rely on new partners to satisfy its customers in the shortest possible time.
Mastering Production Costs
This assembly line is custom-designed to meet Fifteen's specific needs, incorporating a high level of optimisation. Additionally, it allows Fifteen to eliminate the cost of maritime transportation, which is subject to significant fluctuations. The combination of these two factors makes French production competitive.
Continuous Improvement and Innovation
With more than 10 patents and designs, Fifteen must ensure the consistent and impeccable quality of its products. Having an industrial assembly tool near its sites in the french cities: Vanves, near Paris, and Oullins, near Lyon, will allow Fifteen to deploy innovations and offer its customers a greater level of customisation, without compromising on the quality of production.
Reducing Fifteen's Carbon Footprint
Reducing the carbon impact of mobility is at the heart of Fifteen's DNA and involves reducing the emissions associated with the production and transportation of its products.
This new assembly site is powered by a low carbon energy mix.
Its geographical proximity will allow the implementation of concrete actions to limit the carbon footprint of Fifteen bikes:
- Efficient production monitoring to avoid waste and urgent situations that require energy-intensive means such as air transport.
- Deployment of process and product optimisations aimed at improving the durability, reusability, and recyclability of their products, as part of an eco-design approach.
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