Located in Brentford, London, England, Brompton Bicycle is a fabricator of folding bicycles. The company was founded in 1976 by Andrew Ritchie, to manufacture the Brompton folding bicycle which he designed. The factory also produces many of the modular parts which constitute the bicycle. Brompton currently employs over 240 people, and is the largest volume bicycle manufacturer in England, producing over 50,000 units per year. Their product has become a fixture in England, used by bicycle commuters in London and other British cities, and is gaining followers among urban commuters in other parts of the world, including the United States. Brompton also operates a bicycle rental system.