Batavus
Batavus BV is a Dutch bicycle manufacturer, owned by the Accell Group European Cycle conglomerate. Batavus Intercycle Corporation was the leading manufacturer of bicycles and mopeds in the Netherlands during the 1970s. During its most productive years, the company’s . Heerenveen plant employed 700 to produce 70,000 Batavus mopeds and 250,000 bicycles a year. During this time, Batavus was exporting 55 percent of its production with the remainder going to the Netherlands, which had more than two million mopeds in 1977. History In 1904, Andries Gaastra opened a shop selling clocks and small farm machinery. Within two years, he had added bicycles, selling bikes manufactured by the German company Presto. Soon, he began making and selling bicycles under the Batavus brand. By 1917, Batavus had taken over a large bicycle factory. The 1930s proved difficult as much of Europe was in economic recession, but Batavus continued growing by diversifying to include carrier tricycles, motorcycles, and ice skates. World War II saw the temporary shutdown of the factory. Business resumed in 1945 when the war ended and demand for bicycles increased. The company invested in a new factory with modern assembly lines, which brought it to the forefront of bike manufacturing.