October 2017, KUALA LUMPUR – For the first time ever, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the owner and organizer of Taipei Cycle Show held the Taipei Cycle 2018 & Bicycle Industry Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 4th October, 2017. Approximately 100 representatives from the bicycle trade industry in Malaysia attended the conference. In his opening speech, Chang Ming from Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Malaysia welcomed all attendees and 5 speakers from Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
Flew in all the way from Taiwan, Taipei Cycle Event Manager Andrea Wu shared that Taipei Cycle is one of the top three bicycle trade shows in the world. The 2017 show displayed products from 1,115 exhibitors, using 3,340 booths and attracted 44,718 visitors. Accommodating the dynamics of the industry, this annual event is set for a strategic move, taking place from October 31st to November 3rd in 2018 at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1 and TWTC Hall 3.
The development of bicycles has undergone an evolutionary transformation – digitalization. The idea of digital bikes will be a trend in the future, hence the increased needs for smart devices. To accommodate this movement, Taipei Cycle 2018 will highlight e-devices, presenting a brand new loT zone.
Designers and manufacturers are encouraged to showcase the latest loT applications, including cycling-applicable wearable devices, cloud system and service solutions. The show also welcomes companies established after January 1st, 2013 to present their innovations at the Start-up Pavilion. Both pavilions will take place at TWTC Hall 3.
Flying in from Singapore, Tony Tan, the Manager of Coast Cycle spoke about the positive impact of Taipei Cycle d&i Awards to his young company. Co-hosted by TAITRA and TBA and executed by iF Design Asia Ltd, the Taipei Cycle d&i Awards will continue to present the “Gold Award – Young Enterprise” in 2018 to encourage young companies for their efforts in innovation and design. The jury will reveal the results of the year at a pre-show press conference on September 19th 2018.
In the conference, honourable Datuk Naim Mohamad, Founder and Implementation Committee Chairman, KL Car Free Morning Program, shared the history of cycling in Malaysia and his intuitions on bicycle marketplace, development and future plan of cycling in Malaysia.
An avid cyclist himself, Hishamuddin Mustapa, Deputy Director, Package Development Division of Tourism Malaysia took the audience on the journey when Tourism Malaysia started developing cycling tour packages in 2012 in collaboration with local tour agencies and Cycling Malaysia Magazine. Tourism Malaysia has thus far developed not less than 100 cycling tour packages and Hishamuddin suggested that all bicycle shops to work with local tour agencies in selling cycling tour packages.
Coming from media industry, Anson Leow, the Director of Cycling Malaysia Magazine talked about media perspective on the importance of Taipei Cycle Show to the bicycle industry in Malaysia. The show has become more of a platform for suppliers and distributors to reach customers throughout the world. At the same time, it remains one of the most important events for business engagements and networking, and for Malaysians to learn from Taiwan being the biggest bicycle manufacturer in the world.
