Eugene
Oregon native Michael Coughlin bought bicycle equipment
maufacturer Burley
Design, a fixture in the Eugene business landscape since
1978. The worker-owned cooperative is transitioning into a
privately owned company. The first change was the loss of 39
employees, as Coughlin refocused production from several niche
products to just bicycle trailers, Burley’s best-selling
line. According to marketing manager Cary Liberman, the buyout
has not been met with many hard feelings, especially given that
an out-of-state buyer might have eliminated all the jobs in
Eugene. “Overall, it’s a positive thing,” he
says.
