Sustainability at Cortina: not a trend, but a route
We see sustainability for Cortina as an ongoing journey.
A journey that matters to us as a family business, because we care about the generations to come. Every step, big or small, brings us closer to working smarter, cleaner and more efficiently. Whether it’s about the product, logistics, packaging or warehouse management, we keep improving. Because in everything we do, there’s an opportunity to do better. For now. And for later. Here’s how we’re making every link in our chain more sustainable.
Reduction in delivery trips
We have reviewed our logistics. Where we previously shipped every order immediately, in 2023, 2024 and the first half of 2025 we saved approximately 8,500 trips by delivering to a number of customers once a week instead of twice a week.
Combining orders into packages
We aim to combine products for dealer orders into one package as much as possible. For this reason, products from the AutoStore, our automated warehouse system, and larger products from other zones in the warehouse that do not fit in the AutoStore, come together at the packing station where the orders are combined. In 2023, the objective was set to combine 15% of orders in this way. Over three years, we increased from 9% combined orders at the start to 14% in 2024 and as much as 20% in 2025. To give an indication: in 2024, we shipped 55,000 fewer boxes than we would have without this approach. This equals 33 fewer fully loaded trucks per year.
The AutoStore operates with 65 robots; this is efficient, quiet, energy-efficient and they do not require lighting. Due to the layout of our building, we cannot regulate the temperature of the AutoStore separately from other areas. We are still looking for optimisation in this regard.
E-bike and battery together
An e-bike and a battery. Logically, they belong together. Nevertheless, they currently arrive at the Cortina dealer in two separate shipments. This can be done more efficiently. Therefore, the objective is that by the end of 2026 all e-bike shipments will be bundled with the batteries in one delivery.
Small adjustment, major effect: removing the packing slip
Sometimes making operations more sustainable lies in small, practical choices. For example, we have discontinued the paper packing slip. It appeared that there was no need for this. The information is available digitally and up to date. By taking this step, we saved almost 40,000 packing slips in 2024 and the first half of 2025.
Sustainability on the bike
Sustainability is not only present in our processes, but also in the collection itself. For this, we work together with our suppliers of components, such as pedals and kickstands. Since 2025, all Cortina bicycles have been equipped with pedals of which the aluminium consists of 90% recycled material. The plastic of the pedals consists of 40% recycled material. 70% of the models in the 2026 collection have an aluminium kickstand that consists of at least 90% recycled material.
Sustainability is a route, not a destination
At Cortina, we do not believe in “green” as a buzzword. For us, sustainability means looking ahead, working smarter and, above all, taking responsibility and collaborating with our suppliers. Not only for the bicycles we produce, but also for how they arrive in the store.
Cortina is part of Kruitbosch
Kruitbosch is the parent company behind Cortina, children’s bicycle brand Alpina and wholesaler and partner in micromobility PENDLR. Since 1955, Kruitbosch has been a well-known player in the bicycle and mobility industry. We started as a local family business in Zwolle and have now grown into an international company operating in Europe, with a focus on the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Every day, more than 250 employees at Kruitbosch work on brands that create impact with sustainable solutions for urban mobility in Europe. We do this together with dealers, suppliers, partners and other stakeholders. Because even if we sometimes go against the current, we move forward together. Always with an eye on a future that looks just a little more colourful.