Burley signs on three distributors to focus on customers, expansion.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Burley Design LLC's new products for model year '08 are the most visible change for the Eugene-based maker of bicycle trailers.

But behind the scenes, the company's new owner, local businessman Michael Coughlin, has revamped Burley's distribution channels.

Before Coughlin bought the business last September, Burley always had shipped directly to dealers. In the past month, Burley signed on a Canadian distributor, Norco Products, and two distributors in the United States - QBP and Hawley.Now, about 1,300 small independent bike dealers throughout North America will order through the distributors, instead of from Burley. The move should help free up Burley's sales people to bring in new pet trailer customers, focus on large customers and continue to expand Burley's business in Europe, Coughlin said. European customers account for about 30 percent of Burley's sales, he said, and more countries - Italy and France, for example - have said they want to carry Burley products but don't have a distributor, Coughlin said.

The arrangement should benefit dealers who order other products from the distributors because they can save on freight costs.

"It's definitely a smart move on their part," said Len Schvaneveldt of Hutch's bike shop in Eugene.

-Sherri Buri McDonald