TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—The number of complete bicycles exported from Taiwan dipped slightly in the first nine months of the year, but the units’ value continued to climb.
Between January and September, bicycles shipped from the island fell 2 percent to 3,115,906 compared with the same time period in 2011, according to statistics from Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade. The value of those bikes rose 6.4 percent to $1.25 billion, and the average price per unit increased to $402.73 from $391.29. Complete bicycles do not including folding bikes or electric bikes.
The number of exports to Europe, Taiwan’s largest market, fell 8.7 percent, perhaps reflective of market trends such as the down economy in Europe and more European suppliers ordering bikes from assemblers in lower duty countries in Southeast Asia. Europe imported 1,947,041 bikes from Taiwan in the first nine months of the year, compared with 2,134,714 in 2011. Exports to Asian countries jumped nearly 40 percent to almost 400,000 units and North America, the second largest importer of bikes from Taiwan, saw an uptick of 4 percent.
The manufacturing of parts and components continues to thrive in Taiwan, as the value of several key categories rose in the first three quarters of the year. The value of frames and forks increased 25 percent to $276.7 million; saddles were up 28 percent in value; rims up 3 percent; spokes up 37.8 percent and hubs ticked up 35.8 percent.
