TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Campagnolo has joined the growing list of component and accessory suppliers that will host mini-trade shows next month in Taiwan.
Campagnolo’s “FirstInPerformance” event, scheduled for Dec. 5-9 at the Landis Hotel in Taichung, will include tire brand Continental, suspension manufacturer Marzocchi, and Campagnolo’s wheel brand Fulcrum.
“We’re not doing anything new. We’re just doing it a little more structured,” Richard Storino, general manager of Campagnolo North America, said Monday.
He said Campagnolo’s sales staff normally visits OEM customers this time of year. Because so many OEM product managers will be in Taichung for other mini-shows, he said it made sense for Campagnolo to have a presence there.
“If you can pick a place where they are all going to be, it makes things a little easier,” Storino said.
FirstInPerformance is the fourth group to announce plans for a December event in Taichung. The others are:
Taiwanathon, sponsored by SRAM and WTB and in its seventh year, at the Landis Dec. 3-7;
Ride On Taiwan, with presentations and test rides of product from Fizik, FSA, Fox, Hayes, Hutchinson, Magura, Manitou, Mavic, Sun Ringlé and Vittoria, at the Freshfields Resort Dec. 1-3 and 7-9; and
Surf-On, a new event featuring 3T, Kore, Sella Italia, Sella San Marco, Vittoria and Wippermann, at the Landis and Evergreen Laurel Hotels Dec. 4-6.
With so many companies and product managers expected to be in Taichung, mini-show organizers are considering banding together to produce a more organized and open event, said Tom DeLacy of WTB. DeLacy is one of the organizers of Taiwanathon.
He said the companies have declared the first week of December as “Taichung Bike Week,” and are inviting any supplier to participate.
DeLacy said mini-show representatives plan to meet with organizers of the Taipei Show to discuss having them organize future Taichung events, or even changing the dates of the Taipei show.
Several companies involved in the Taichung mini-shows say the Taipei show, in March, is too late to be a factor in spec’ing decisions.
—Doug McClellan
