Management Change at Ideal Bike Corp.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Yesterday it was announced that Hermes Chang (photo) is the new President of Ideal Bike Corporation. He succeeds Louis Chan who is appointed President of ASI-Asia; the company that markets and distributes Fuji,  Kestrel, SE Racing and Breezer brand bicycles. ASI-Asia is the strategic partnership between Ideal Bike Corporation and Advanced Sports, Inc. from the US. Louis Chan is the Chief Strategic Officer for Ideal Bike Corporation.

Hermes Chang the Ideal Bike Corp. President is the son of the owner of the Taipei stock market listed company, Pen-Tsao Chang.  Hermes Chang is a financial specialist who has been working outside of Taiwan earlier.

Hermes Chang has to change Ideal Bike Corp. from a typical OEM maker into an ODM bike manufacturer with the emphasis of adding value to the products it is producing. At yesterday’s press conference on the change in Ideal Bike management Hermes Chang said: “Our strategic Alliance with Fuji, Kestrel, SE Racing and Breezer is a good example on how Ideal Bike Corp. wants to go in the near future. Currently we have a 17% shareholding in Fuji -  ASI-Asia. We are looking for the same partnerships in Europe.”

Hermes Chang continued: “Currently we are operating a facility in Poland. Next to Giant we are the only Taiwanese bike maker having a facility in Europe which due to currency exchange rate problems was los making in 2008. This problem won’t happen this year. The position of the Poland factory is OK as anti-dumping is still a big factor. Next to that the positioning of the factory in Poland is perfect as it I the heart of Europe and has low labour costs. We target to further grow the company there and its production of high-end bikes.”