A NORTH Yorkshire cycle supplies business is riding high after scooping a national industry award, as its ability to weather the recession sees it go from strength to strength.

Owned by husband and wife team Julie and Simon Ellison, Zyro, based at Thirsk Business Park, recently celebrated its 15th anniversary and this month has been named best UK cycle parts and accessories distributor, voted by industry peers and cycling journalists, for the second year in a row.

The UK’s largest privatelyowned cycling parts distributor expects to turn over about £34m this year and is on target to reach its five-year plan to top £50m per annum by 2014.

Jane Watson, Zyro’s marketing manager, believes that the cycle industry has been bouyed by families buying bikes for leisure activities that can be enjoyed for years to come, rather than splashing out on one major holiday.

Team GB’s impressive performances on the cycle track at major international competitions and the Cycle to Work scheme has also helped boost the market that is fuelling Zyro’s continued success.

While no business can claim to be recession-proof, the cycle business is proving to be more resilient than most in the face of a tightening in consumer spending.

Zyro has expanded its workforce by 25 per cent in the past year to about 110 full-time staff, and after five years at its current, purpose-built site, is about to move into premises three times its size.

Zyro is the main distributor for leading brands of cycle accessories, including the worldrenowned Altura range, and puts part of its success down to maintaining very close relationships with the network of cycle retailers throughout the country to ensure it has a firm grip on its market.

Its main overseas market is in the Benelux nations, but plans are afoot to grow exports to make the most of emerging territories.

The Orange Pages, Zyro’s first printed trade catalogue, and its web sales, have both been key to getting the message across about the business which is gradually shaking off its reputation as one of the region’s hidden gems.