TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Frame tubing manufacturer Tange International Co. Ltd. will purchase frame parts manufacturer Long Shen's tooling and equipment after the owners said they are retiring.
Long Shen began in 1986 and is known for its investment in cast bicycle lugs and parts. Its products are common in Asian factories and used by small American and European fabricators.
Since 2021, Tange has helped Long Shen run part of its business by way of a management agreement. According to a news release, an outright sale was difficult because Long Shen does casting work for many other industries. To separate itself from Long Shen's non-bicycle contract work, Tange decided to purchase only the bicycle-specific castings and machines and merge it with its own facility.
"We could not bear seeing all that beautiful quality tooling and heritage go to waste," said Hank Lin, Tange's president. "Long Shen's collection of dropouts, fork ends, fork crowns are used by many bicycle manufacturers today, and their addition will nicely complement our frame tubing business."
A Japanese manufacturer that started in 1920 and now located in Taichung, Tange has made its name producing chromoly steel frame tubing and forks. It manufactures tubing in Japan and Taiwan. The Merry Sales Co., based in South San Francisco, will remain the exclusive supplier for North America for Tange and Long Shen frame building parts.
