Arrowhead Engineered Products Acquires Bihr
10.27.22
MEDIA CONTACTS
Arrowhead Engineered Products
Chera Gibb
corporatecommunications@arrowheadep.com
Bihr
Thierry Chonglez
thierry.chonglez@bihr.eu
+32 (497) 512 712
Alcopa
Laurent-Paul Van Steirtegem
laurent.vansteirtegem@alcopa.be
Blaine, MN and Kontich, Belgium – October 23, 2022 – Arrowhead Engineered Products (Arrowhead), a global leader in aftermarket parts distribution, and the shareholders of Bihr today announced the acquisition of Bihr, a leading European distributor of parts, accessories and rider equipment for motorcycles, quads/ATVs, bicycles and scooters. Headquartered in Kontich, Belgium, Bihr is in 20 countries and wholesales 350 brands and 200,000+ SKUs to a network of more than 15,000 retail dealers.
“We seek to combine with highly successful and respected organizations, making every acquisition a success and accelerating our growth to be the largest off-road aftermarket parts supplier in the world,” said John Mosunic, CEO of Arrowhead. “The combination of Bihr and Arrowhead creates a global leader in powersports with an undeniable value proposition for dealers.”
Christophe Piron, former CEO of Bihr, joins Arrowhead Engineered Products as co-president of Europe and president of powersports Europe. He will serve on Arrowhead’s executive committee.
“Bihr and Arrowhead create a company where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Piron. “We are geared up to leverage our shared expertise to expand our offerings and customer reach.”
Alcopa and the other shareholders invested in Bihr in 2010 and spearheaded the company’s European development from its origins in France. Managing Partner Damien Heymans said, “We have been the proud shareholders of Bihr for more than 10 years and are convinced that Arrowhead is now the ideal partner to carry on with the company’s growth.”
“Bihr’s first-class logistics, steadfast commitment to customer service and expanding portfolio of owned brands will be strong assets to Arrowhead. We are convinced that both parties will intensely benefit from this acquisition,” said Axel Moorkens, managing director, Alcopa.
Bihr will continue to conduct business as usual, operating and shipping from its current locations.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP advised Arrowhead Engineered Products on this transaction.
About Arrowhead Engineered Products
Based in Blaine, MN, Arrowhead Engineered Products is a leading global engineer and omnichannel distributor of non-discretionary, proprietary branded, aftermarket replacement parts. The Company leverages data and digital capabilities to provide mission-critical parts for outdoor power equipment, powersports, golf cars, specialty vehicles, agriculture, and other diverse markets. With distribution and sourcing locations in North America, Europe and Asia, Arrowhead Engineered Products employees service over 100,000 customers globally. Visit www.arrowheadepinc.com for more information.
About Bihr
Founded in 1975, Bihr is a leading European distributor of parts, accessories and rider gear for motorcycles, quads/ATVs, scooters and bicycles. Its portfolio of 350 brands and 200,000+ SKUs is distributed through a growing network of more than 15,000 dealers across 20 countries. With first-class logistics and a total storage area of more than 54,500 square meters across seven warehouses, Bihr can supply almost all dealers in Europe within 24 hours. From the outset, the strength and foundation of Bihr’s exceptional success have been based on comprehensive services and first-class logistics made possible by its more than 1,000 colleagues, including 100 in-house sales representatives and 40 customer service representatives. Bihr is a one-stop shop for every riding possibility.
About Alcopa
Alcopa is a Belgian family-owned investment company. Founded in 1937 and initially active in distributing motorcycles and cars, Alcopa is now a diversified firm with 635 million euros of assets under management, holding investments in thirteen European private companies. Alcopa is a long-term industrial partner taking significant positions in sustainable mid-sized European companies.