Dutch bicycle brands Batavus, KOGA, and Babboe to continue under new Singaporean owner

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - NOVEMBER 10: Babboe bicycle added to transport loads on November 10, 2014 in Amsterdam. - Credit: - License: All Rights Reserved Business Friday, 9 October 2026 - 19:30

Dutch bicycle brands Batavus, KOGA, and Babboe are set to resume operations under new ownership. The administrators overseeing the bankruptcy of bicycle manufacturer Accell are selling the rights to the three brands to investment company Dutech. The deal also includes Accell’s IT platform and Hungarian operations, as well as potentially some of its staff.

Singapore-based Dutech owns several brands in the bicycle and security sectors, including German bicycle brands Kreidler and Prophete. The company employs 3,100 people worldwide. Dutech had long been rumored to be the frontrunner to acquire Accell’s brands. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Accell was declared bankrupt in August after running into financial trouble in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, when it was left with large stocks of unsold bicycles. The company also faced other setbacks, including a major recall of Babboe cargo bikes. Since the bankruptcy, the administrators have spent months examining the possibilities for restarting parts of the business under new ownership.

Several parties initially showed interest in acquiring Accell, which employs around 2,000 people, but many were only interested in specific parts of the business. At the end of last month, 12GO Biking, one of the Netherlands’ largest bicycle retailers, was announced as the buyer of Accell’s bicycle stock.

The latest deal covers the rights to the brands. The administrators said the agreement secures the future of the well-known Dutch names. “They will remain on the market and be further developed by Dutech,” they said. A spokesperson could not immediately clarify what the takeover means for customers who still have warranties on bicycles from the brands.

Many details of the deal remain unresolved, including how many Accell employees will retain their jobs. The IT platform will be transferred to Dutech at a later stage, as the administrators are still using it to settle the bankruptcy. Negotiations are also continuing over the sale of other parts of the business, including the spare parts division. The administrators expect to share more information when further details become available.

Reporting by ANP