OSAKA, Japan - Japanese manufacturing giant Shimano has been cited by the Japanese Fair Trade Commission for violating the Subcontract Act and failing to pay its 121 local subcontractors for storing materials on its behalf.

As the European bike industry adjusts to post-boom market realities, manufacturers face fluctuating demand, excess inventory, and pressure to optimise operations. Flexible, scalable assembly solutions are key to adapting production capacity up or down—ensuring resilience and efficiency in an unpredictable market.

Bicycle manufacturers face increasing demands for flexibility, quality, and cost-efficiency as the industry evolves. The need for smarter, more reliable production solutions is greater than ever. How can manufacturers keep pace with these changes while maintaining high standards? Recent advances in automation and process integration offer compelling answers.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - The countryside just north of Taichung houses one of those smaller, high-tech companies which characterise the bicycle industry supply chain in Taiwan. The family company Ora Engineering was founded in 1996 as an innovator in the metal forming and welding industry. Today the company supplies a range of frames, parts and components, particularly in titanium, to the global market with an export share of 98%.

EMSTEK, Germany - Pon-owned brand Kalkhoff is transitioning to low-temperature powder coatings in the painting process at its bicycle factory in Germany. This reduction in temperature brings significant benefits in terms of energy consumption and reduces CO2 emissions.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - Microshift recently gave the industry an insight into the innovative 5G smart production line the company installed for the production of its gear shift system. The event took place in collaboration with the Taiwan Smart Electric Bicycle Association (TSEBA).