Boevenvanger and Ferrari in Turkey

Amsterdam, Herengracht, 14 March 2008

These two names would make most Dutch people think of a surly policeman and a flash sports car, but they'd be a long way off the mark in this case. The Boevenvanger and the Ferrari are two new models of bicycles that Yalçin Cihangir and Dave Deutsch, the founders of De Fietsfabriek (the cycle factory), introduced this weekend at the opening of their new factory in Turkey.

On Sunday 16 March, De Fietsfabriek opened its own factory in Büyükcamili, the place where Yalçin Cihangir was born. Over the course of five years, Yalçin and Dave have succeeded in conquering the market with an ultra-Dutch product. A bakfiets – a transport tricycle with a barrow at the front – is becoming increasingly trendy in the Netherlands: a parent taking the children to school in one is now a common sight. Even the Dutch queen Beatrix uses a special bicycle designed for her by De Fietsfabriek.

There are now ten branches in the Netherlands and five abroad. However, it was always Yalçin’s dream to be able to do something to help the place where he was born. Over the years, the village lost all its skilled craftspeople to the big cities. The arrival of De Fietsfabriek is bringing them back again to work in the factory. Moreover, Yalçin is using raw materials and partners from the surrounding region, which will help the area to develop further. Ideally, he would like to put this concept into practice throughout the world. The next step is for the barrow bikes to be sold in Turkey as well. They currently use donkeys there, so a barrow bike could be a welcome change.

Various prominent figures from the Netherlands and the consulate were present at the opening of the factory. The dignitaries included Alphons Geerlings, LL.M. of de Merkplaats, who has been advising De Fietsfabriek on the protection of their ideas and brand names since the beginning. There were Turkish festivities throughout the day, including a traditional spit-roast sheep - a splendid way for the invitees to come into contact with a little bit of Turkish culture.

The success story that Yalçin made of 2007 is described in the booklet Corcil, which can be obtained through De Fietsfabriek. De Merkplaats customers can also come and pick up a free copy of the booklet at the offices on Herengracht.