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Plans to assemble Belarusian bicycles in Ukraine

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ZHITOMIR, 3 October (BelTA) – Motovelo, Minsk-based producer of bicycles and motorcycles, has plans to start assembling Aist bicycles in Ukraine, Motovelo Director Nikolai Ladutko told reporters on the sidelines of the 2nd Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine in Zhitomir on 3 October, BelTA has learned.

“Motovelo has been cooperating with Ukrainian companies for more than 70 years. We have reliable partners in Kiev; this is a growing multi-business company. The company chief is expected to come to Minsk in October-November to sign an agreement to set up a joint venture in Kiev to assemble bicycles under the Aist brand,” Nikolai Ladutko said.

All in all, about 200 bicycle brands are available on the Ukrainian market. Aist bicycles to be assembled in Kiev will be sold in Ukraine and the European Union. “Ukraine’s population is five times bigger that that of Belarus, therefore the market capacity is huge. However, the competition is also tough, because Ukrainian companies import a lot of bicycles from China. The market is also open for used bicycles from the European Union,” the company chief said.

Nevertheless, Motovelo and its Kiev partner are confident about the prospects of the Aist brand in Ukraine. The decision to set up the joint venture is based on thorough analysis and calculations. “Brand promotion is a lucrative thing today,” Nikolai Ladutko emphasized.

Motovelo is going to produce over 90,000 bicycles and about 4,000 motorcycles in 2019. “The company is operating with a profit. However, the mass production segment is not very profitable,” the company director said.

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