As Trek writes in a press release, the restructuring is a response to increased sales in France, Denmark and Germany. New sales offices will be set up in the first two countries over the winter. The German market will also no longer be served from the European headquarters in Amersfoort, but from Dübendorf in Zurich. The internal sales team will move to Switzerland by February and should be fully operational by the start of the season in March at the latest. Only the sales team for the Benelux countries will remain based at the previous European sales headquarters in Holland.

Dübendorf branch to be upgraded
In Dübendorf, the German sales team will form a new team together with the internal sales team for Switzerland and Austria. Harald Schmiedel, who has been exclusively responsible for the German market in recent years, will take over the management of the enlarged branch. The former Villiger managing director and former Cannondale sales manager Schmiedel has been working for the American bike company since the takeover of Villiger by Trek and has never given up his office in Dübendorf, even during his time in Germany.

One victim of the restructuring at Trek is the previous Swiss Managing Director Tom Brown. He was given notice at the end of November and was let go with immediate effect in accordance with US practice. The American Tom Brown had been in charge of Trek in Switzerland for 12 years, witnessing all the innovations at his employer and implementing them in Switzerland. This included the purchase of the American brands Bontrager, Gary Fisher, Klein and Lemond as well as the takeover of the Villiger Group with the brands Villiger, Arrow, Diamant and Tigra. Brown was also involved in the difficult decisions to discontinue the Tigra and Arrow brands and to stop importing the cult Klein bikes into Switzerland. Most recently, Brown caused a stir when he took over the management of sales in Switzerland and Austria in early summer.