Tag Archive: Growth

  1. The WTO Goods Barometer indicates a steady increase in trade, although concerns about policy uncertainty remain

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    Source: World Trade Organization

    The fourth quarter of 2024 saw continued moderate expansion in the global goods trade, according to the latest WTO Goods Trade Barometer. Prospects for trade in 2025 could, however, be affected by possible trade policy shifts.

    The Goods Trade Barometer serves as a composite leading indicator for global trade, offering real-time insights into the direction of merchandise trade in relation to recent patterns. When the barometer exceeds a value of 100, it indicates trade volumes are above the expected trend, whereas values below 100 imply that goods trade has either dipped below trend or is likely to do so soon.]

    Currently, the barometer index stands at 102.7 (illustrated by the blue line above), which is higher than the quarterly trade volume index (shown by the black line) and surpasses the baseline value of 100. This suggests a steady growth in trade as we approach the fourth quarter. However, the forecast is tempered by increasing economic uncertainty, including potential changes in trade policies.

    Most of the barometer’s component indices are either on or above trend, with the exception of the electronic components index, which is at 95.4 and has stabilized below trend. The indices for export orders and raw materials are on trend at 100.5, while air freight (102.9), automotive products (104.0), and container shipping (105.8) are all significantly above trend.

    Notably, the container shipping index has seen the most substantial improvement over the past three months, while the air freight index has lost some momentum. Export orders, typically the most reliable predictor among the barometer’s components, are hovering close to the baseline value of 100, indicating a likelihood of steady trade growth in the near future.

    The WTO’s latest trade forecast, released on October 10, predicts that trade volume growth for 2024 will be approximately 2.7%, with an anticipated increase to 3.0% in 2025. This updated forecast reflects only slight adjustments at the global level compared to the April predictions, though there were significant regional revisions. Notably, Asian economies experienced a faster-than-expected rise in exports, while North American countries saw a surge in imports during the first half of 2024. In contrast, European trade flows continued to decline in both exports and imports, which has negatively impacted overall global trade growth. The next trade forecast from the WTO is scheduled for release in April 2025.

    You can access the complete Goods Trade Barometer at this link.

    For more information on the methodology, please refer to the technical note available here.

  2. QWIC makes the Top 250 Growth Company and FD Gazelle 2021 lists

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    E-bike manufacturer and LEVA-EU member QWIC is proud to announce that it has been awarded as both a Top 250 Growth Company, and FD Gazelle 2021. Both prizes are awarded to the fastest growing companies in the Netherlands.

    The Financieele Dagblad has awarded QWIC for the second time with an FD Gazellen Award. The FD Gazellen Awards are presented to the fastest growing companies in the Netherlands, with QWIC being honoured in the western region, and large categories. Criteria include a turnover growth in the previous three years of at least 20%, with the last year closing at a profit. The official award ceremony will take place on November 25.

    QWIC is also included in the Top 250 Growth Companies 2021. The Top 250 Growth Companies is based on the ScaleUp Dashboard of the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), and the Erasmus Center for Entrepreneurship (ECE), and is drafted in collaboration with nlgroent. The list is an overview of companies (scale-ups) with a minimum of 10 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) and/or a turnover of at least 5 million euros. These companies realized an annual growth of at least 20% in FTE and/or turnover for three consecutive years.

    Not only in terms of turnover, the QWIC team has also expanded considerably in recent years. Since January this year, QWIC has increased by 38 FTE. The team now consists of about 140 employees. The 250 growth companies are an important growth and innovation engine for the Dutch economy, and collectively, they are responsible for creating +30,000 jobs.

  3. VanMoof Sales Triple in Year of Unprecedented Growth

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    LEVA-EU member VanMoof released new figures that highlight a watershed year of growth, with sales tripling and a new mobility paradigm emerging from the global pandemic.

    Dazzling growth

    The worldwide e-bike boom resulted in explosive growth figures, with global revenue and bikes sales at VanMoof increasing over 200% in 2020. This growth spiked early in the year as lockdown took hold and huge numbers of people re-discovered the bicycle as a safe alternative to public transport. This resulted in VanMoof selling more bikes in the first four months of 2020 than in the previous two years combined.

    • VanMoof bike sales triple during worldwide lockdown
    • VanMoof on course for over 100% annual revenue growth
    • Year-on-year sales increased in US by 120% and in the UK by 230%
    • VanMoof global operations expand to support increased demand with 300 new employees, 31 pop-up shops, and new Seattle brand store
    • VanMoof completed series B funding, totalling $50 million to date
    • VanMoof riders have traveled almost 12 million kilometers, saving over 1346 tons of CO2*

    Technology for a better future

    For the first time VanMoof took a deeper look at the impact their rider community is having on the world. E-bikes have now taken pole position in a worldwide mass mobility revolution. The trend of millions of people switching to more sustainable transport is shown in the rapidly growing VanMoof community, increasing by 30% to over 155,000 riders. And the pace of this e-bike transition has already changed cities radically. City dwellers worldwide are embracing e-bikes as a safe and reliable mobility option.

    This year alone, VanMoof riders have travelled almost 12 million kilometers – that’s 300 times around the world, or 15 times to the moon and back. Most impressive of all are the carbon impacts, saving over 1346 tons of CO2 from being released. And this is just the beginning, with all related trends pointing to cleaner, greener, and smarter cities.

    A new mobility paradigm

    “This was a breakthrough year for e-bikes. And we’ve started to see the benefits of less congested streets, cleaner air, and healthier commutes. We have every reason to believe this behavioral shift is here to stay now that people have adopted a smarter, greener alternative to the status quo” 

    Ties Carlier, co-founder VanMoof.

    According to the latest projections, the market for electric bikes is expected to exceed $46 billion in the next six years, with a growth rate twice that predicted before the pandemic. The impact of Covid-19 has had an unique effect on transport planning in major cities, with new policy developments transforming urban landscapes and allocating significant funds to increase the amount and quality of cycling infrastructure.

    Ride the future

    With an updated motor, automatic electronic gear shifting, and integrated anti-theft tech, the VanMoof S3 & X3 are custom-tuned for the ultimate riding experience. This new range of e-bikes isn’t just the most innovative and powerful VanMoof has ever made, it’s revolutionizing the way cyclists move around cities forever. The high performance VanMoof S3 & X3 open the road to the latest e-bike tech at $1998. Available worldwide in VanMoof brand stores and at vanmoof.com.

    Photo credits: VanMoof.

    *based on the average Co2 emission of cars/km in Europe (source)

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