August 8, 2023 - (Copenhagen, Denmark) Earlier this year, Black Iron Horse cargo bikes based in Copenhagen, announced that the Ebbefos Foundation, a Danish charity organization, had become the majority shareholder. The move is part of the company’s restructuring that will see even more efforts to create sustainable products that support families and professionals around the globe to trade in their cars for cargo bikes.
Founded in 1996, Black Iron Horse unveiled its innovative design offering revolutionary rear-wheel steering that allows 180 degree turns with remarkable stability and maneuverability – read our test report of their The Pony model here.
“The fact that all our bikes are designed, assembled and tested in Denmark is one of the key aspects of our identity. Therefore, our workshop has never left Copenhagen since the company was founded,” commented Jesper Lindahl-Berg, who is one of the original founders and is now a minority shareholder along with Mike Eschen.
The Ebbefos Foundation dates back to 2021 and seeks to solve some of the issues children and youth currently face such as anxiety, bullying, and the feelings of loneliness or being an outsider. As a result, 60% of Black Iron Horse’s profits are now donated and used to aid young people in need of guidance.
Designed and assembled in Copenhagen, local production of their cargo bikes has been a key aspect of Black Iron Horse’s identity. The frames are locally produced in Europe and the steel is sourced from Northern Europe. Each cargo box is made in Denmark and constructed out of 100% recycled plastic.
According to Black Iron Horse, “Through the process of injection molding, plastic waste is melted and pushed into molds in order to form the wanted shape of our cargo boxes. All the boxes from the Polly, Pony and Ibex line are made in the region of Jutland using waste sourced from difficult-to-recycle materials like fishing nets, artificial grass, agricultural netting and so on. The variety of waste results in unique colors for the boxes that are not only aesthetically pleasing but truly help the environment.”
New products are in the works such as a larger front box to hold more passengers and/or gear. “We source our materials as ethically and sustainably as possible, while keeping manufacturing centralized to reduce the carbon footprint of each one of our products,” added Lindahl-Berg. “The future looks bright for Black Iron Horse and we’re excited about our new direction to support youth and the movement toward more sustainable mobility solutions.”
Read more about Black Iron Horse here and about the Ebbefos Foundation here.
