British Cycle Corporation
Wholly-owned subsidiary of Tube Investments which brought together Tube Investment's cycle manufacturing businesses in Birmingham.
1956 The British Cycle Corporation subsidiary was formed to take over and control Tube Investments bicycle making subsidiaries in the Birmingham area, namely Armstrong Cycles, Brampton Fittings, Hercules Cycle and Motor Co, Phillips Cycles, and Walton and Brown[1]; the activities would be concentrated in a large factory at Handsworth; large redundancies followed; Norman was also in the TI group but does not seem to have been included in the new Corporation.
1958 Tube Investments took-over Sun Cycle and Fittings Co[2] which was later incorporated in British Cycle Corporation.
1960 Tube Investments acquired Raleigh Industries. The board of Raleigh, enlarged with a director of Tube Investments and the MD of British Cycle Corporation, would control all cycle, component and motorized activities of the Tube Investments group[3].
Formation of TI Raleigh Industries.
1981 TI Raleigh faced a Monopolies Commission enquiry because of their refusal to supply discount retailers[4]. In July Ian Phillipps, chief executive of TI Raleigh Industries resigned[5]. Large overstocking by dealers led to drastic cut in manufacturing. Raleigh still had 2000 models in their catalogue[6]. Commission found against Raleigh but allowed it to continue to restrict supplies of Raleigh models but some other brands would be available to discounters[7].