18 entrepreneurs ‘Life is like a bicycle‘ – in need of TLC
Where there‘s muck, there‘s brass – only these days the muck is stuck to carbon fibre. It‘s an adage that could not be more apt for Alex Trimnell, managing director (aka The Mad Developer) of Muc-Off. Based at Poole for the past 19 years, he‘s behind the range of products which supply tender loving care for action toys, soothing and cleaning bicycles – whether on a mountain, trail or at the skate park – motorbikes and cars at the end of a hard day‘s workout. Not only do the products keep the machines running in optimum form, but also ensure they retain that lovely brand new sparkling patina. With a boom in biking, The Business Magazine sent writer and cyclist Sue Hughes, to meet him
It all started in 1991 when Alex‘s father, Rex, and mother Marilyn Trimnell developed X-Lite UK. After designing and manufacturing the world‘s first twin crown bicycle fork, Rex created a perfectly pink spray to clean his kit in 1994. Quickly gaining a reputation as the best thing since sliced bread, it wasn‘t long before word got out and Muc-Off was born. It is now the go-to brand for top riders and racers. Albert Einstein‘s quote ‘Life is like a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving‘ is an apt choice for the 2013 Bicycle Care Catalogue.
them “use a specific product and your bike will be happier“.
The name makes me smile, how did that come about?
Dad said it one evening, mum said “pardon?“, I laughed. It‘s cheeky but not insulting. Black and pink were the X-Lite colours so we kept them as Muc-Off developed, initially it was very much a small scale, back-garden-shed operation.
You‘ve followed in the family business, a highly entrepreneurial family, would you say it‘s a good recipe for success?
The formation of the business originally centred on your parents developing X-Lite UK, but can you tell me about how it grew from there?
Dad was always a real innovator; he raced motorbikes in the 1960s, developed boat trailers and motorcycle luggage, but he was also exceptionally good at marketing. It‘s rare to combine both. After selling motorcycle accessory and marketing companies, he began making components. My mountain bike was stolen when I was 15 and during a family holiday to Florida we brought back, piecemeal, a superb bike which I refused to part with. The exchange rate was almost 2:1 and I was enjoying riding a very expensive quality bike, but the forks were rubbish. Dad designed and manufactured the world‘s first twin crown bicycle fork. In 1994, Muc-Off was established. He was fed up with harsh chemicals and determined to make a safe, bike- specific cleaner, safe for aluminium, and very importantly, biodegradable. People were using washing up liquid or really harsh chemicals, so our mission was to educate people and tell
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Yes undoubtedly, business was always discussed around the dinner table so I think I started to absorb it from a very early age. I joined the company at 18. Also quality was paramount, because that‘s what dad developed; we all thought if you‘re going to spend thousands on a bike, spend on a cleaner which will make it run better too. It‘s rewarding when the message gets out. I was on the Isle of Wight ferry with a van full of products one day and rather nervously approached some real hard core Hell‘s Angels with custom bikes, really high-end, expensive machines. It made my day when I quizzed them about bike care and they replied “yes, we use Muc-Off“. Sadly, dad passed away in 2004, but my sister Emma and mum are still part of the business. Many of the 20 people we have here now have been part of the Muc-Off family for a long time. There‘s a lot of energy in a family business such as this.
How do you account for your success overall?
Nothing too special I‘m afraid, just hard work mixed with tenacity. I‘m known as The Mad Developer and very driven when it comes to developing the range and more products. It‘s a close family business. We moved into a new factory within weeks of my dad dying, which was sudden and not foreseen, therefore a massive shock, but the business has developed. As well as being entrusted with his legacy in
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JULY/AUGUST 2013
this company, we found it to be a source of great strength during a time of bereavement. We‘ve continued to build it in his honour. During the years following his passing we changed the focus from X-Lite to Muc-Off. Production, originally at Muc-Off‘s site in Poole, has now been outsourced to industry leading manufacturers to enable the company to focus on new product development and global markets. These changes allowed the company to grow its turnover to £4.5 million and build a global brand following. Take, for example, our Facebook site at over 60,000 likes, this wouldn‘t have been possible if we were still manufacturing all the products ourselves in Poole.
Who taught you the most important lesson in business – and what was it?
It was in entrepreneur Felix Dennis‘ book, How to Get Rich: “Hire the best you can afford and
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