These folding bikes are built by hand in London from 1,200 mostly specially made parts, and are sold in cities around the world. Founder Andrew Ritchie, 68, designed his first Brompton in 1975. Chief executive Will Butler-Adams, 40, has driven expansion following a buyout in 2008 — in 2014 the company made 45,000 bikes, generating profits of £3.5m on sales of £27.2m, 80% of which were exports. Two of its nine shops are in China, with others in London, Kobe, Hamburg, Milan and Amsterdam.