Ministry of Economic Affairs Industrial Upgrading and Transformation Service Team assists the bicycle industry in smart machinery transformation

The global high-end bicycle supply chain is based in central Taiwan, with annual production of about 4 million units and an average unit price of over 470 USD, 7 to 8 times the export unit price of mainland China. It not only has world-renowned international brands (such as Giant and Merida), but also controls the OEM advantages of other international brands. Without this golden supply chain, top-tier events such as the Olympic Games and the Tour de France would be much less impressive. However, Taiwan's bicycle industry, which has been deeply cultivated for 50 years, also faces problems such as labor shortages, the red supply chain, reindustrialization in Europe and the United States, and unfair tariff and trade practices.

The Executive Yuan approved the "Smart Machinery Industry Promotion Program", using central Taiwan as a base to build a "smart machinery industrialization" ecosystem for the smart machinery industry, and listing metal transport vehicles as a development hinterland and demonstration field for "industry smart machinery transformation", which is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the bicycle industry. Through the subsidy resources of the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Industrial Upgrading and Innovation Platform Counseling Program", it assists the industry in accelerating toward smart machinery transformation. In the current year (ROC year 105), companies such as KMC, Lee Chi, Taima, and Sun Race were the first to receive subsidies, and relevant assistance was provided by legal entities such as the Traditional Industry Central Branch. Each company is estimated to achieve labor savings and a production capacity increase of more than 20%.

Not only is the government vigorously promoting it, but the industry also recognizes the urgency of reform. The Taiwan Bicycle Exporters' Association established the "Smart Manufacturing Promotion Committee", held 2 promotion briefings, 1 matchmaking meeting, 1 demonstration observation event, and cooperated with the Cycling Center to launch a smart manufacturing course. The full course has 20 classes and 83 hours, covering sensing and smart control, lean management and manufacturing, and the integration of logistics and manufacturing marketing.

In response to intensifying international competition, the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs used the energy of legal entities in the Traditional Industry Central Branch to plan a 4-year (ROC years 106-109) smart transport vehicle industry smart machinery transformation plan. It will take the overall industry supply chain as the counseling target, just like the successful experience of helping the bicycle A-team reverse the situation back then, and carry out a supply chain industrial structure optimization and transformation project.

Thanks to the joint efforts of industry, government, and academia, the bicycle industry said optimistically: "Just as Mercedes-Benz cars continue to be manufactured in Germany, we are confident that the world's highest-end bicycles will also remain manufactured in Taiwan."