The independent professional jury of the Tweewieler Awards has announced Lacros as one of three finalists for the title of Best Employer of the Year 2023. They will go to the final on Monday 6th November with fellow finalists Atlas Bicycles, and Roto Two-wheelers.
Bicycle dealers can attend the final on Monday afternoon, November 6, in the AFAS Atrium in Leusden, with free places for two of their employees. In addition to announcing the winners of the four Two-Wheeler Awards (Best Employer, Innovative Entrepreneurship, Most Customer-Friendly Shop and Two-wheeler Shop of the Year), an attractive programme has been drawn up around a variety of topics that affect the industry on a daily basis.
Lacros: self-managing, mentally and physically fit teams
Lacros has been an established e-bike manufacturer since 2009, with a team of passionate staff that assist customers with extensive info about their models with tailored advice, helping them to get the most value out of their bikes for years to come. Based in Schijndel, Lacros takes good employer practises more than seriously. For example, its employees are continuously trained individually (internally and externally), with self-managing teams that receive customized training, with mental and physical fitness being a key priority within the company. Stress is prevented as much as possible by efficient teamwork and a good work-life balance. The way in which Lacros has organized its personnel policy means that the company does not have to make much effort to find new employees; there is more supply than vacancies.
Lacros has been on the market since 2009 and has since become a core brand in compact electric bicycles. In 2021, the manufacturer moved to a self-developed business premises in Schijndel in Brabant, where consumers come from far and wide for a test drive, service, advice or to buy one of the models from the collection.
The market for compact electric bicycles is a niche market, but Lacros feels comfortable with it, because the numbers have increased enormously in recent years.
Compact e-bikes may be smaller in size, but often big on performance and benefits. They are ideal for use in the so-called ‘last mile’ and handy in public transport, camper, boat or caravan, but the electric folding bicycles from Lacros are also extremely suitable for daily use and for longer distances. Thanks to their versatility and ease of use, these bicycles contribute to sustainable mobility.
Lacros is sold directly to consumers, but also works with more than 60 dealers in the Netherlands, further increasing availability and service level. In addition to the Netherlands, Lacros also has dealers (bicycle shops and caravan companies) in Belgium, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. The brand also provides a home service, and Lacros has five service buses driving around in the Netherlands and Belgium for this purpose. Lacros bicycles find their way to users all over Europe, from Finland to Greece and from Germany to Ireland. “Our customers say it’s great that any problems are resolved quickly. For example, if a spoke is broken on holiday, we will send a new one. We sometimes do that with loaner batteries,” says marketing manager Jesse Smits. “That is a form of service that you do not encounter everywhere. After-sales is simply very important, also because our bicycles are not only used on holidays, but also very often daily for commuting. Then people just have to be helped quickly, if necessary. We can also offer them a loaner bike.”
In terms of production, Lacros no longer works in Asia, but from its own production facility in Europe. According to Smits, they do this on the basis of high quality standards. Having their own production facility ensures that they have 100% control over all steps of the production process. In addition to the large showroom in Schijndel, the workshop is also located there, where all bicycles are assembled and adjusted. Maintenance and any repairs are also carried out here. The end user can configure his or her ordered bicycle to a certain extent, in order to tailor it to their user wishes. Permanent Dutch mechanics in Schijndel ensure that the bicycles are assembled as ordered by the customer. “We have everything in-house here. We carry out repairs here ourselves and we have everything in stock,” continues Smits. “That was of course a bit less at the beginning of corona, for example with the tires or gear systems, but now everything is back in order.”
The main target group on which Lacros focuses are recreational users, aged 40 and over, who travel with a camper or boat. But also people who use a compact e-bike for commuting. Lacros distinguishes itself from other brands by being priced in the middle segment. According to Smits, the collection with a Bafang or Motinova mid-engine is valued for its powerful driving performance, and also in hilly areas abroad. “Our compact bikes ride like a big bike with 28” wheels. Partly for this reason, our top model, the S 600 XL, also won at Fietstest.nl. It is very comfortable and for an electric folding bike also a bit bigger with 24” wheels,” says Smits. “We also use larger batteries on our bicycles. A battery of 720 Wh is certainly quite large for an electric folding bike, but we also go for comfort. We equip our models with suspension, a curved handlebar, wide gearing and a wide saddle. That translates into the handling of, as I said, a big bike. And that is appreciated by the customer, because the bike is also suitable for longer distances. In any case, the battery can handle it easily,” says Smits. “Moreover, we can also provide tailor-made solutions, for taller or shorter people. We have also supplied bicycles to people with disabilities, for whom we have ordered and fitted specific parts to keep them safe on the road.”
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