SRAM has announced that it will be expanding its production in Europe, with a new 25,000 square metre factory in Coimbra, Portugal, slated to open in 2028 and be fully operational by 2032. The American company is moving production to the new facility from Taiwan. It cites a number of advantages, not least lower emissions from transport and shorter lead times and says that it will enable it to produce, test and quality control its entire catalogue of over 7,500 components. The move supports one of the companys stated key responsibilities, namely, to do its part to reduce its overall environmental footprint in lasting ways. According to SRAM CEO Ken Lousberg: "Expanding our manufacturing footprint in Europe allows us to work more closely with our European OEM and aftermarket partners, improve sustainability, and operate with greater speed and resilience across our global network." You may like: SRAM calls for reform as UCI loses its gearing restrictions appeal in "groundbreaking" ruling 500 additional employees SRAM already has a factory in Coimbra, where it makes thousands of kilometres of chains each year. SRAM SRAM already has a plant in Coimbra, which employs around 300 staff. This assembles Zipp wheels and Time pedals and makes around 15 million metres of SRAM chains each year. It expects to hire an additional 500 employees when the new 57.5m factory opens. Isabel Gomes, SRAM Portugals general manager says: A second facility here confirms what our team has built over decades and it means European riders will get more SRAM products faster, with the same quality standards they've come to expect. SRAM already makes all its Time pedals in the current Coimbra factory. Warren Rossiter / Our Media Situated around halfway between Lisbon and Porto, Coimbra has a population of around 150,000. The surrounding area is already home to a number of other cycling brands, including wheel maker Rodi, Polisport which makes a range of components and child's seats, and InCycles which offers bike design and manufacturing for third parties as well as selling bikes under its own portfolio of brands. Onshoring is becoming a hot trend in bicycle and component manufacture, with Canyon now making some of its carbon handlebars in Europe and several Italian brands moving more of their production and assembly back in-house. At the same time, theres a burgeoning of Chinese bike brands and own-brand Chinese manufacturers of everything from wheels to groupsets that looks set to disrupt the global cycling market.