PLOCHINGEN, Germany - Demand for bicycle and team sports products within the extensive product portfolio of Decathlon has been very strong in Germany last year, reports the sporting goods retail giant. Decathlon expanded their market share in the otherwise weak German bicycle market in 2024 and reported a sales increase of 8% in the category bicycles. However, exact sales figures have not been disclosed.
TAIPEI, Taiwan - Mixed voices were heard about the state of affairs and future of the industry at the 2025 Taipei International Cycle Show. The unpredictable outlook for the business due to the US conflicted trade war has disrupted supply chain at an unprecedented level. The initial expectation was that Taipei Cycle 2025 would indicate the first signs of an industry moving in a positive direction again. While a series of fresh initiatives were rolled out to bolster the industry's role in ESG, advocacy and future mobility, an industry wide increase in the level of orders itself remained ambiguous.
TAIPEI, Taiwan - The combined revenue of Taiwan's two largest bicycle manufacturers Giant and Merida hiked 48% year-on-year in the first two months of 2025. At the last presentation of the annual results, Giant pointed out that the most difficult period for the industry has passed and is cautiously optimistic about the market performance in 2025. This statement doesn't mean the industry's warehouses are empty again and the market has passed its rock-bottom. However, after hearing Giant and Merida's announcements, component manufacturers have breathed a sigh of relief.
TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's leading role in the international market for ICT products could play an important role in regenerating the supply chain for e-bikes. In 2017-2018 the country's bicycle industry made a successful transition to the production of e-bikes. The strong focus on this high-value product category gave Taiwan the opportunity to move forward in this innovative market. However, the strong fluctuations in supply and demand has seen Taiwan completely lose momentum in the e-bike market.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan - The excess inventory of Giant Group's own brands in Europe and the US in particular, continued to impact the financial performance of the company. The board of directors reported a 7.4% decline in consolidated sales to NT$71.28 bn (€1.98 bn) in 2024. While all financial indicators were negative for 2024, Giant Group remains positive for 2025.
CHANGHUA, Taiwan - For Merida Industry Co. Ltd., the excess inventory situation continues to have an impact on the financial performance. Yesterday the company reported a relatively steadily performance in 2024, with full-year revenue growing by 8.7% to NT$29.63 billion (€ 823 million). The company pointed out that the entire bicycle industry is still in the stage of destocking and inventory impairment. For Merida this means a net loss NT$732.66 million (€20.4 million) before tax which can be attributed to a one-time provision and did not affect cash flow, and it could still be used to offset taxes when profits are made in the future.
