Wiggle Ltd
is an online retailer of cycle, run,
swim and triathlon products, based in Portsmouth, Great Britain. Wiggle started
as a small independent bike shop called Butler Cycles, located in Portsmouth.
Wiggle officially started trading on the 28th May 1999, with an initial
investment of £2000 by Mitch Dall and Harvey Jones. Between 2002 and 2009,
Wiggle continued to experience strong progression. In 2009, Dall sold his 26
percent stake in the company to the ISIS-led buyout group. Annual sales revenue
had reached £55 million.
In
December 2011, the company was sold to Bridgepoint Capital for £180m. In
September 2013, Stefan Barden joined Wiggle as CEO, formerly the CEO of
Northern Foods, Heinz UK & Ireland and Brakes Uk & Ireland.
Since
Barden's appointment, Wiggle has
continued to expand at a rapid pace, in multiple business areas. In March 2015,
the company appointed Brian McBride as Chairman.
In
the summer of 2015, Wiggle moved its main warehouse premises to 'Citadel' - a
super-warehouse in Wolverhampton, with 323,000 square feet of storage.
Wiggle
to merge with Chain Reaction Cycles
Wiggle
and Chain Reaction Cycles announce February
12, 2016 that they are to merge to further strengthen their position in the
global online retailing world of cycling, running, swimming and triathlon
products and accessories. Financially, the combined business will have revenues
in excess of £300m.
The
combined business will offer all customers an extended range of brands and
products, with Wiggle’s strength in tri-sports and road cycling complemented by
Chain Reaction Cycles’ strength in mountain biking, BMX and road cycling too.
Chris Watson, Managing Director of Chain Reaction Cycles, said: “This is an
exciting new chapter for the Chain Reaction Cycles brand. Since the business
started in 1984, we’ve grown strongly from our mountain bike origins in
Northern Ireland to meet the needs of more MTB, BMX and road cyclists across
more countries. Coming together with Wiggle is a great way to continue that
growth, as a global force in cycling and a leader in technology, eCommerce and
innovation.”