SR Suntour Becomes Biggest in Bike Suspension

TAICHUNG, Taiwan – With over 6 million suspension forks produced and sold in 2008 SR Suntour is well under way to become the biggest in bike suspension. In fact the company, headed by Daisuke Kobayashi (photo), already realized that leading position in the market for magnesium suspension forks now that SR Suntour is producing all forks for the renowned Italian brand called Marzocchi.

After Marzocchi was taken over by Tenneco Inc. in August 2008, the complete production of the bike suspension products was switched to SR Suntour. All Marzocchi suspension forks as well as all shock absorbers are now produced at SR Suntour’s HQ and hi-end production unit in Changhua, Taiwan. This facility was expanded in particular to cater for the Marzocchi production.

Marzocchi’s new owner Tenneco Inc. is one of the world’s largest designers, manufacturers and marketers of emission control and ride control products and systems for the automotive OE market and the aftermarket. The company is based in Lake Forest, Illinois; has a yearly turnover of about US$ 6.2 billion and approximately 21,000 employees worldwide.

SR Suntour which next to suspension forks and rear shocks is also producing drive train and e-Bike components had an extremely successful 2008. The company revenues showed a 30% growth up to TWD 4.5 billion (€ 101.5 mn).

The biggest part of the production of the six million suspension forks took place in China where the company operates two plants. These are located in Shenzhen and Kunshan and produced 4.5 million suspension forks last year.

This year the Kunshan facility will be expanded further in order to cater for, among others, the huge new Giant factory in Tianjin that started operation last April and has a production capacity of 3 million bikes per year.