TAICHUNG, Taiwan - The results are in for Giant Group's 2024 sustainability and ethical impacts, and the company is reporting reduced emissions and increased solar power across the board, with some notable caveats. Giant Group, home of Giant, Liv, Momentum and Cadex bike brands, has been advancing its ESG commitments in a three-pronged approach since 2022: innovating a clean future, transforming for circularity and mobilizing for DEI.

LONDON, United Kingdom - Global container prices have fallen for the tenth consecutive week and still appear to be stabilising. Spot rates for containers on the Shanghai-Rotterdam route saw the sharpest drop. This is evident from the most recent World Container Index (WCI) published by market research firm Drewry.

 HEERENVEEN, the Netherlands - In a new move to better its financial position, Accell Group is further centralising its production capabilities. After more than a century, bicycles will no longer be produced at its site in Heerenveen, the Netherlands. The factory is expected to close by the end of Q1 2026, and production will be integrated into existing manufacturing facilities in Hungary. The closure will lead to a loss of approximately 160 jobs.

BUCHAREST, Romania - Despite documented local market volatility, Romania continues to play a key role in European bicycle production, thanks to its generally low-cost labour and a high demand for its bikes in major export markets.

UTICA, United States - Another United States company has committed to reshoring manufacturing to create a "100% made-in-America" bike. E-bike manufacturer eBliss Global has announced a new facility in Utica, New York, with the financial backing of Empire State Development to the tune of $500,000 in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits.

TIMISOARA, Romania - Woom is progressing with its nearshoring strategy and bringing a strong production partner on board with German manufacturer Corratec. From Q1 2026, the German bike manufacturer Corratec will be making woom bikes for the European market at its factory in Timișoara in Romania.

NANTOU, Taiwan - As a company founded in 2020, Yota Cycles has witnessed both sides of the bicycle market pendulum. In the current downswing, the e-bike manufacturer looks positively toward the future.

SEYMOUR, Indiana - From Shark Tank winners to full-on manufacturers, Guardian Bikes has come a long way since its inception in 2013. The American kids' bike brand, with its patented SureStop braking system, has announced the launch of its new bicycle frame manufacturing operation at its existing assembly plant location in Seymour, Indiana.

DÜSSELDORF, Germany - Following European success in Paris, Mechelen and Berlin, French e-bike refurbishment specialist Upway has opened its second UpCenter in Germany. The location in Düsseldorf, strategically chosen for its gateway to western Europe, will facilitate furthering Upway's international growth. The company also counts two locations in the US in its growing portfolio.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - Stepping up investments in employees and production technologies, AD-II Engineering has announced the opening of an all-new factory. A five-story storage system will further streamline the production of Microshift drivetrain components. The company did not communicate an exact date for the start of production in the new facility.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Two Chinese battery manufacturers, Phylion's subsidiary Joycube and Greenway, told Bike Europe of their intent to open factories in Hungary during this year's Taipei Cycle show. As e-bike sales begin to dominate in key European markets and new battery regulations come into force, localised manufacturing and servicing have become a key focal point.

PUNE, India - To expand its reach into mobility products, Indian suspension product manufacturer Gabriel is planning to enter Europe's bike market offering innovative fork and rear shock solutions.

OTTOBRUNN, Germany - This time, car manufacturer Porsche AG seems to be taking the e-bike subject really seriously: Porsche eBike Performance GmbH, which was founded in 2022, has just announced its intention to set up its own e-bike battery production facility in Croatia. This is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2026 - "at the same time as the market launch of the first Porsche e-bike drive system."

MÜHLTAL, Germany - The precarity of the United States market and ongoing tariff uncertainty has taken a toll once again, as Riese & Müller announced this week it will pause all US shipments and re-evaluate following the latest 50% steel tariffs, "and their implications."

REUTLINGEN, Germany - Since establishing Bosch eBike Systems within the Bosch Group in 2009, the company has leveraged technological competencies from automotive electronics and sensor systems to power tool battery technology. For Bosch eBike Systems CEO Claus Fleischer, their systematic technology transfer approach, building on Bosch's foundational expertise in electric drive systems, is one of the three key elements of their success within the bicycle industry.

WASHINGTON D.C., United States - United States President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order this week extending the current pause on high US tariffs for Chinese goods and clarifying trade agreements made with the European Union.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Human rights have become a key issue in industrial practices, progressing from a moral inclination to a regulatory necessity. This change is also taking place in the bicycle industry. The issue came to the forefront earlier this year when allegations of mistreatment of migrant workers in the Taiwanese bicycle industry surfaced. The Taipei Cycle show in March offered Bike Europe the opportunity to take stock of what is currently at play in Taiwan.

REICHSHOF, Germany - Schwalbe owner Ralf Bohle GmbH and Pyrum Innovations AG have concluded a framework agreement for the long-term purchase of Pyrum's recovered carbon black (rcb). The agreement covers the purchase of rcb at a fixed price for the next 10 years.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - For the second year in a row the Bicycling Alliance for Sustainability (BAS) held a forum during the Taipei Cycle show to update the industry on the progress of the initiatives of its members. This year a focal point was the introduction of human rights code of conduct signed by all 82 members of the BAS to protect workers rights within the bicycle industry in Taiwan. The occasion was somewhat marred later in the day when a protest contradicted the progress being made.

ITTIGEN, Switzerland - Two key topics challenging the bicycle and e-bike industry, sustainability and geopolitical issues are addressed in a new study by McKinsey & Company and the WFSGI (World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry). Is the industry prepared for 2025?