FEATURE
after all – but it’s so versatile, it makes a great case study for other companies both in and out of the cycle industry. Steve Larking, Assistant Marketing Manager, and Ed
Braithwaite, Cycle Market Manager, showed BikeBiz around the Lyon Equipment HQ to learn more about how the company operates – and where it began. “Lyon equipment is over 50 years old, founded by Ben
Lyon, who was originally in caving and manufactured caving ladders,” says Braithwaite. “He met Fernando Petzl out on a caving trip, and they started the distribution and trade between cave ladders and rope climbing equipment. “That was originally in Dent, but then progressed to more
products, and they started to look at how they could train people in using those products safely. This led to them setting up IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association), which is essentially about accessing building structures safely on ropes, which is very popular in the oil industry and wind farms.” IRATA is still in operation, with an entire space in the Lyon
Equipment HQ dedicated to training. In addition, Lyon has purchased a local gorge, where the team offers dynamic IRATA training. “We still manufacture ladders and equipment here at Lyon and sell them internationally,” continues Braithwaite. “We’ve got a training area where we still train people at IRATA, and we also train rescue services or individuals looking to do IRATA courses.”
32 | June 2026
That’s the IRATA side of the business, but there’s also the distribution side – which isn’t limited to cycling. “So division-wise, we’ve got the distribution side, where
we have an outdoor department, water sport department and the cycle department,” adds Braithwaite. “All have their own teams and own marketing support, but they also work in combination when needed. “We’ve then got a division that looks after the work and
rescue, which is working with trainees delivered by the trainers. And then they also have a work and rescue retail side where they sell product into the work and rescue world. “The final department is the product and manufacturing
department, where they design things from the ground up for specific tenders or rescue teams throughout the UK, from the Coast Guard through to mountain rescue or emergency services.”
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