24 full-time employees and 40 freelancers prepare expert reports, test new bicycles and write user manuals. Zedler comes straight to the point: "We work for the good bicycle." The turnover of the small, but growing company recently reached 1.6 million Euro. The average plus has stabilised between 20 and 30 percent. Around ten percent of the turnover is invested into research and development, for example for the development of new test machines. Just a stone’s throw away from the current building the new one grows up. It will solve the limited space conditions and provide space for further growth.
At present, the company’s heart is in the basement. There bicycle frames, seat posts and other bicycle parts are mounted on self-built machines hammering or stretching these parts to test their load bearing capacity by order of the manufacturers. In cases between bicycle or bicycle part manufacturers and customers the institute preserves evidence or prepares an expert report. Zedler writes manuals for the users to avoid application errors as best as possible. These manuals comprise the knowledge gained from many tests and 900 expert reports prepared every year.
This was an extremely innovative company to visit with a highly motivated and bicycle enthusiastic team.
Author: Matthias Gastel
Photo: Zedler
