The bicycle industry may still be navigating challenging market conditions, but Herrmans is not pressing pause. Quite the opposite. The Finnish component specialist is continuing to invest in product development, customer support and its global business model, and its latest move sends a clear signal.
Acquisition of Roxim
In March 2026, Herrmans acquired the technology and business of Taiwan-based bicycle lighting specialist Roxim. The transaction adds complementary lighting products, design expertise and, perhaps most importantly, a significantly stronger local presence in Taiwan. “For us, it roots in our strategy and where the market is going: more e-bikes, integration and a global business that needs global presence,” explains Herrmans' CEO Dan Liljeqvist.
The decision was also driven by customers. Global customers with strong Asian presence had increasingly been asking Herrmans for more local R&D and sales support. Working across continents and time zones can make even straightforward development projects slower than they need to be. “Time differences and zones are challenges to fast projects both ways,” Liljeqvist says. “Taiwan is a very strong and important hub for R&D.”
We strive to be the solution provider for our customers in an increasingly competitive environment”
Listening to customers – and acting on it
That is the real strategic value of the Roxim acquisition. Herrmans already had a presence in Taiwan, but what was previously a small sales office and warehouse has now become a team of around ten sales and R&D specialists. For customers with their headquarters in Taiwan, that changes the daily relationship fundamentally. Instead of communicating primarily across continents, they can now work directly with the Herrmans team on the ground. “This is a very big change for global customers who have head offices in Taiwan,” says Liljeqvist. “Now they can talk directly with locals in Taiwan.”
The stronger presence in Taiwan also benefits Herrmans’ European and global customers. Development and sourcing increasingly take place across regions, and customers can now rely on local support in Taiwan while continuing to work within the same Herrmans organisation. The aim is to offer the same close and reliable cooperation whether a project is handled in Europe, in Taiwan or jointly across both regions.
“We really strive to be the solution provider for our customers in an increasingly competitive environment,” Liljeqvist adds. The benefit goes beyond communication. More local engineering resources mean faster feedback, closer cooperation and the ability to develop solutions closer to the customers and the bicycle industry ecosystem itself. And while the market remains challenging, Liljeqvist sees continued product development as essential: “Despite still lower market volume, we have to keep developing.”
More than additional lights
Roxim brings smart light innovation and new design language to Herrmans’ existing lighting portfolio. Particularly interesting are high-end and S-Pedelec solutions, still a niche segment, but one that offers valuable opportunities for technology development. “Roxim brings great gap fillers,” Liljeqvist explains. “The demand in high-end solutions complements our current light range. We learn valuable things that we can start to trickle down into our existing product lines.”
The acquisition also adds experience in integrated lighting solutions. As bicycle design increasingly moves towards cleaner, more integrated systems, lighting can no longer be treated simply as an accessory attached to the bike. “Integration in the bikes has become an important aspect,” says Liljeqvist. “Especially for mid- to high-end bikes, there is much more room for us to integrate and adapt smart functions.” This is where Roxim’s technology and design expertise can influence future Herrmans products beyond the existing Roxim range.
Future Herrmans product ranges will profit from Roxim design and innovative solutions”
European heritage, Asian innovation
For a company with around 65 years of history, the acquisition is not a departure from Herrmans’ European identity. It is an extension of it. The company continues to leverage highly automated production in Europe, while Taiwan adds a new source of innovation, market knowledge and customer proximity. Internally, the company now talks about Herrmans Europe and Herrmans Asia, while Roxim remains as a product name. “Roxim stays as a strong product name as of now,” Liljeqvist explains. “Future Herrmans product ranges will profit from Roxim design and innovative solutions.”
That combination could prove particularly powerful in an increasingly global bicycle industry: European engineering and manufacturing expertise combined with Taiwan-based development capabilities and close access to the world's most important bicycle production hub. The strategy is therefore not about competing head-to-head with Chinese suppliers on volume. It is about making global cooperation with customers easier and more effective. “Our key customers are OEs,” says Liljeqvist. “They have competition, like we do, so we have to support their efforts to stay ahead.”
A faster Herrmans
The first months of integration have already delivered encouraging feedback. Existing customers have responded positively, the Roxim products are now fully available, and the teams are learning from each other. At the upcoming Taichung Bike Week, Herrmans will take the next step, presenting new integrated and smart lighting solutions.
For Liljeqvist, the acquisition is therefore less about the transaction itself and more about what comes next. “An acquisition is never a straight road,” he admits. “But most of the things we saw and were looking for are now falling into place.” And that may be the most important message Herrmans is bringing to Taiwan: even in a difficult market, standing still is not necessarily the safe option. After 65 years in the bicycle industry, the company is continuing to listen carefully to customers, strengthening local relationships and investing in new R&D capabilities. The result is a more globally connected Herrmans Team, with Europe as its heritage, Taiwan as an increasingly important innovation hub, and customers firmly at the center of the strategy.
This article is sponsored by Herrmans.
