“A new era is about to begin at Orbea USA,” according to Gonzalo García as he described the future and his new managerial position at the company. Orbea USA is now a US subsidiary of Spanish company Orbea; and, with a new organizational structure, is embarking on a new project.
García de Salazar will now be in charge of one of the Orbea brand’s largest markets and he has a series of goals to achieve:
- to turn the Orbea USA subsidiary into an example of high efficiency;
- to implement the company’s model of success in the American market;
- to build relationships with the leading dealers in the country; and
- effective brand development work in all product categories.
The ultimate goal is for Orbea to become one of the most successful cycling companies in the US market.
The new manager at Orbea USA thinks of himself as a team builder with a focus on strategy, efficiency and proximity. This involves a strategy for adequate brand positioning in terms of both business and marketing, efficiency to make tools available to dealers, and proximity to understand the market and local dealers with long experience in the industry.
Based in the brand-new Orbea facilities in Little Rock, Arkansas, García de Salazar will also make contributions to the company’s general strategy as a member of the main Orbea board of directors.
Gonzalo García de Salazar has a broad experience in the cycling industry. He managed Trek in Spain for 11 years (2002-2013), after being a business representative of the brand for one year. Gonzalo ‘revolutionized Trek’s business in Spain, and secured the second place among best-selling brands in the country – only behind Orbea.’
Before joining Trek, he owned and managed a bike shop in Madrid, Bicimanía, for 12 years (1989-2002). Bicimanía was a pioneer in the introduction of mountain bikes in the 1990s.
Gonzalo also led the creation of AMBE, the Spanish Association of Cycling Brands. He was one of the founding partners of the association in 2010, and presided over it for two years. AMBE strives to achieve a series of interesting goals for the sector. It has also turned ‘beneficial projects into reality, such as the Spanish Unibike trade show.’
