Brompton Bicycle is relocating to a factory site twice the size of their current facility to help meet international demand.

The London based company will stay in the capital, and are aiming to complete the move to their new 86k square foot site in Greenford, London, by January 2016.

The facility will allow Brompton to grow and potentially double their production to 100,000 new bikes a year. Already around 80% of their bikes are shipped worldwide, but they hope to take the brand to more people across the globe, furthering their current status as the UK’s largest bike exporter. It’s also hoped that the extra space will help designers further development.

All 240 staff employed by Brompton will be working in the same facility once the move is complete.

The company say that staying in London was an absolute must to ensure they retained the craftsmanship gained in careful training, and the inspiration provided by being in the busy capital which the bikes are so useful for.

The bikes are still custom designed at the factory, and each steed is hand brazed by a skilled craftsman who has had 18 months of training and leaves a “signature” stamp on the parts of the bike they work on.

Brompton Bicycle Ltd CEO, Will Butler-Adams OBE, said: “In the early days we couldn’t believe how big our factory was and how we would ever fill it. We have, and for some time we have been squashed in it and need more space.

“We are committed to London; Brompton was born from a need of city living, our staff are Londoners and the city continues to inform how the Brompton develops.

“The move represents the ambition, passion and the long term commitment we have to change how people live in cities around the globe. It comes with risks but these are worth taking if we wish to continue to innovate, both in our product and how we make it, such that we offer something of real value to our customers!”

Brompton say that cycling in London has increased by 91% since 2003, and they’re proud to be taking the revolution worldwide. Since every bike takes 6.2 tonnes less carbon than a car to make, and you can fit 42 of them in the space of one car – we reckon expansion can only be a very good thing.

Thinking of getting yourself a Brompton? They’re a special breed – here’s our buying guide…