The Taipei Cycle show and the Taipei International Sporting Goods Show (TaiSPO) yesterday opened at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center’s Hall 1 and 2.
The number of companies participating at the Taipei Cycle show is about 15 percent more than in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, while the TaiSPO has increased its capacity by 25 percent from last year.
The Taipei Cycle and TaiSPO joint fair has attracted 1,155 companies, which are showcasing their products at 4,350 booths, making it the largest cycling and sports industry event in Asia, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會), the organizer of the event, said in a statement yesterday.
Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE
About 4,000 foreign visitors from more than 90 countries registered to attend the joint fair, the TAITRA said, adding that it expects the event to result in substantial business opportunities for local firms.
“The keywords of this year’s exhibition are technology, innovation and sustainability,” TAITRA chairman James Huang (黃志芳) said. “The joint fair this year shows more profound and broad applications of technology in both bicycle and sports industries.”
Firms in the bicycle industry continued to deplete inventories in the past year, which should be completed in the second half of this year, Huang said.
However, the outlook for the industry appears positive in the long term, as conventional bicycles and electric bikes play important roles in helping achieve net zero carbon emissions, he said.
Taiwan Bicycle Association chairman Robert Wu (吳盈進) echoed Huang’s remark, saying that last year was a very difficult time for the global bicycle industry due to inventory adjustments.
However, market demand has gradually improved this year and the Taipei bicycle show is expected to bring considerable orders to the local supply chain, he added.
The annual bicycle show features a variety of tires, seats, frames, lights, brakes, derailleurs, bicycles and electric bikes. Top brands in the industry, such as Giant Manufacturing Co (巨大機械) and Merida Industry Co (美利達), as well as chain maker KMC Kuei Meng International Inc (桂盟國際), Japanese bicycle parts maker Shimano Inc and Chicago-based components supplier SRAM Corp, are among the participants this year, the TAITRA said.
Major bicycle manufacturers still focus on lightweight and electric models at this year's exhibition, but several companies display electric cargo bikes with bigger carrying capacity as demand for such models increases continuously, it said.
In addition, for the first time the event features an innovation area for bike ventures, gathering 10 bicycle start-ups from eight countries to present their new products and services across four aspects: electrification, supply-chain digital transformation, sustainable solutions and new business models, the TAITRA said.
The organizer has also put up a first-ever e-cycling pavilion at the bicycle show this year, displaying items such as 3D virtual cycling software that can be synchronized with a real route, smart training platforms, hill-climbing simulators and riding experience systems, it said.
The bicycle show’s forums, in which sustainability is the main theme, are expected to address the next-wave development in the industry spanning from market trends to brand management and supply chain cooperation, the TAITRA added.
The TaiSPO has set up a special zone to present the latest sports technology applications and innovative products, while a diving pavilion gathers more than 30 exhibitors to focus on diving-related supplies, tours and courses, the TAITRA said.
Renowned Taiwanese fitness equipment brands such as Johnson Health Tech Co (喬山健康科技) and Dyaco International Inc (岱宇國際) continue to participate in this year’s event, while several exhibitors are attending for the first time, including Italian fitness equipment maker Technogym, it said.
The joint fair will run until Saturday.
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