Key facts
- KED, the last German bicycle helmet maker with its own production, is relocating its manufacturing to China.
- The company cited exploding raw material and labor costs, along with ongoing consumer restraint, as reasons for the move.
- Over 3 million euros were invested in the Freiberg am Neckar facility in the past 2.5 years.
- Production in Freiberg am Neckar will cease by December 31, 2026.
- KED will partner with existing global market leader suppliers for its manufacturing needs.
- The company's headquarters, development, sales, and non-production teams will remain based in Germany.
German bicycle helmet manufacturer KED is set to move its entire production to China by the end of 2026, marking the end of domestic helmet manufacturing for the company. This strategic shift comes after significant investments, totaling over 3 million euros in the last two and a half years at its Freiberg am Neckar facility, failed to make local production economically viable.
According to KED's leadership, exploding raw material and labor costs, combined with persistent consumer purchasing hesitancy and an unfavorable political and economic environment, have rendered continued domestic production unsustainable. The company has opted to partner with manufacturers that already supply global market leaders in the helmet industry.
Despite the production relocation, KED emphasized that its headquarters, development, sales, and all non-production teams will remain firmly anchored in Germany. The company also assured that all KED helmets will continue to be developed according to EN 1078 standards and undergo approval by the German quality assurance team, maintaining its commitment to German quality standards.