American company buys Kamloops bicycle wheel manufacturer
Kamloops company We Are One has been building bicycle wheels for nearly a decade. This week it was sold to an American company.
The local carbon fibre parts manufacturer was founded by former local professional mountain biker Dustin Adams and the company garnered a renowned reputation in the industry.
Made in Kamloops, We Are One's main product are its "hand laid" carbon fibre rims, which have been assembled in-house with hubs from American company Industry Nine, which now owns the Kamloops manufacturer.
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“Joining Industry Nine feels like the natural next step in our journey,” Adams said in a news release.
Industry Nine has promised the Kamloops factory will stay open and the We Are One brand will live on.
“We are thrilled to officially welcome We Are One to the Industry Nine team... By bringing our two companies together, we’re better positioned to engineer exceptional products and push the boundaries of what’s possible for the cycling community,” Clint Spiegel, founder of Industry Nine, said in the release.
Though there are many bike brands headquartered in BC, only a few manufacture their products in the province as well. We Are One is one of two in Kamloops alone, alongside Vorsprung which builds suspension parts.
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In the years since We Are One started building high-end carbon fibre bike parts in Kamloops, it briefly launched its own bike called the Arrival.
Along with the acquisition, however, We Are One won't build its own bike frames anymore, returning to its focus to parts.
"This acquisition brings our team, our customers, and our community into the Industry Nine family where, together, we’ll continue to develop groundbreaking products and push the boundaries of what is possible. With the combined strength of our like-minded teams, we remain dedicated to delivering even greater value to the cycling world," Adams said.
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