More and more adults were turning to bikes for exercise and as a means to cut energy costs. Until the end of the 1960s, nearly half of all bicycles in the United States were sold through small independent bike shops that offered personal customer service. In the 1970s, the introduction of mass merchandise retail chains that stocked large quantities of consumer goods and sold them at discount prices opened up a new market for bike sales. In 1980 posted its fifth straight year of record earnings and announced plans to open a third plant in Ponca City, Oklahoma. However, despite its strong financial position, Huffy was not immune to the problems that most American businesses experienced in the 1980s.
Another unit of the company, Royce-Union, sells about 250,000 higher-end bikes under the RU and Royce brand names. That unit always has outsourced production, to the same plants in China, Taiwan and Mexico that will be making huffy beach cruiser bikes. But Larry Pizzi, Brunswick’s vice president of marketing, said prices of imported Chinese bikes has declined 30 percent a year for the past 2 1/2 years, forcing Brunswick to transfer some production to Mexico. Huffy has been making bicycles in the United States since 1934 and currently imports about 70 percent of its bikes, from China, Taiwan and Mexico. The company holds 25 percent to 30 percent of the U.S. market, the largest single share.
However, despite its strong financial position, Huffy was not immune to the problems that most U.S. businesses experienced in the 1980s. Huffy then invested more than $ 15 million in advanced robotics and new production equipment. After it became apparent that continued U.S. production of low-cost, mass-market bicycles was no longer viable, Huffy had bicycles built by plants in Mexico and China, starting in 1999.
If you’re looking for a new bike, then check out this 50% off bike sale at Target. mongoose bicycles Adult Mountain Bikes are on sale for $74.99 and kids’ bikes are on sale for $59.99. These bikes will likely sell out, so shop now for the best selection. 2006–Huffycontinued to make a small line of Chinese manufactered bikes and proudly announced the milestone of sellingHuffy’s100 millionth bicycle.
When Horace brought his son into the business a few years later, Horace Jr. was able to double production and increase sales to more than $1 million by 1940. Horace continued to guide the company through World War II and the post-war recession by implementing modern management and manufacturing policies. The popularity of the Thunder Trail bike made Huffman was the number one producer of bicycles in the United States by 1977 and all of the laid-off workers were called back. A licensing, sales, and manufacturing agreement with Raleigh Cycle was also cemented in 1982, giving the company the opportunity to tap the high-specification bike market. However, the venture did not prove to be an asset and Huffy sold its rights in 1988.