Humpert Sets Up Production in Asia

BIKE EUROPE, BREMEN, Germany (February 15) - At this year's Bike.Market.Future Congress that took place last weekend, component maker Wilhelm Humpert GmbH & Co. KG announced that it will open later this year a production facility in Asia. Humpert's Managing Director Willi Humpert said that with more and more bicycles being produced in Asia, Humpert as a component maker has to follow. As it looks now, the production shift to Asia will take place in 2005. Humpert's plan is to open a wholly owned production facility. At this moment it is not yet decided where this facility will be located. "It will be China or Vietnam. Of course we will focus on selling the handlebar production to Asian OEM's, to the US market and also export them to Europe." About reasons for the opening of a production facility in Asia, Willi Humpert explained: "We want to become more independent from suppliers and it also has to do with the increased prices in Europe for raw material. Nickel and steel are cheaper in Asia due to state subsidies." Component maker Humpert already has offices in Asia. Beginning 2002 Humpert Asia International Co. Ltd. was founded which is located in Taipei, Taiwan. In 2003 this was followed with a subsidiary of Humpert Asia located in Shenzhen, China. Currently a total of 8 people are working at the Asian offices which are all involved in sourcing, quality control and sales. Humpert's Managing Director made it clear that the switch to Asia will not mean a closure of the facility in Wickede, Germany. In fact Humpert is expanding in Germany. The component maker has taken over a company located some 15 kilometers from Wickede to increase its activities in chroming. (JO)