Taipei Cycle Show, 6 March – WBIA launched its Sustainable Supply Chain project to the Bicycle Industry at its high-level Sustainable Supply Chain Principles event at the 2024 Taipei Cycle Show on 6 March. The WBIA Sustainable Supply Chain Project is based on the WBIA 10 Sustainable Supply Chain Principles agreed upon by WBIA members during the 2023 Taipei Cycle Show. The event prioritised three of the ten key principles – Education, Energy, and Ecodesign – as tangible steps towards advancing sustainable practices in the bicycle industry at a global level. During the event, experts presented on the European Battery legislation and the Political Dimension of the Industrial Transition in Europe. In the panel discussion, representatives from leading companies shared practical examples of applying the WBIA principles from their work – whether it comes to clean energy, providing education in their supply chain or improved ecodesign and material use.
Erhard Büchel, CONEBI President, said: “I am happy to witness the realisation of the new WBIA Sustainable Supply Chain project. This project stands as a testament to our shared vision of a more sustainable and circular industry. It emphasises collaboration among companies across the globe to coordinate efforts towards this common goal. The industrial transition we all seek needs partnership, recognising the pivotal role each one plays in shaping the future of our industry.
“The WBIA 10 principles serve as our foundation, providing a framework for sustainable practices within our industry. While there are numerous commendable national and regional sustainability projects already in existence, the time has come to combine these efforts into a common global initiative. Through the WBIA SSC Project, we aim to do that, ensuring that our actions are coordinated and our impact maximised.”
Robert Wu, Taiwan Bicycle Association and KMC Chairman, stated: “As a co-organiser of this event, TBA is proud to have been involved for the past two years. We have successfully launched the 10 principles that guide the entire bicycle industry towards a sustainable supply chain. We recognise the significance of our mission and understand how to integrate sustainability into our daily lives and actions. With only one earth and no backup plan, we must utilise the power of bicycles to protect and enhance the planet’s beauty and sustainability. We appreciate the WBIA for allowing us to co-organise and commit to supporting this event in the future.”
In the photo from left to right: Germaine Lesur, WBIA, Sustainability Director, Mathias Hierl, CONEBI & WBIA, Charlie Liu, Bicycling Alliance for Sustainability, Representative, Anke Schäffner, Zweirad-Industrie-Verband, (ZIV), Chief Policy Officer, Bob Margevicius, Specialized Bicycle Components, Executive Vice President, Robert Wu, Taiwan Bicycle Association and KMC, Chairman, Erhard Büchel, WBIA & CONEBI, President, Felix Jahn, Schwalbe, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Sylvain Lemenand, Decathlon, Bike Components Purchase Leader, Tim Salatzki, Zweirad-Industrie-Verband (ZIV), Chief Technology Officer, Manuel Marsilio, CONEBI, General Manager
Missing from the photo are: Dr KB. Thakur, AICMA India Bicycle Industry Association, Secretary General, Arthur Wittouck, Decathlon, Sustainability Leader – Taiwan Production, Joel Demeritt, Trek Bicycle, Sustainability Engineer and Daniela Leveratto, WBIA, Technical Director
The event was opened by the WBIA and CONEBI President Erhard Büchel and TBA and KMC Chairman Robert Wu. The speakers included Bob Margevicius (Specialized), Dr. T.B. Thakur (AICMA India Bicycle Industry Association), Charlie Liu (Bicycling Alliance for Sustainability), Felix Jahn (Schwalbe), Sylvain Lemenand and Arthur Wittouck (Decathlon), Joel Demeritt (Trek), Anke Schäffner (ZIV), Tim Salatzki (ZIV), Germain Lesur (WBIA), Daniela Leveratto (WBIA); Manuel Marsilio and Mathias Hierl from the WBIA secretariat moderated.
The WBIA Sustainable Supply Chain Project is based on the WBIA 10 Sustainable Supply Chain Principles, prioritising the three principles – Education, Energy, and Ecodesign. The project aims to create awareness among stakeholders and assess the social compliance of members.
Additionally, the project strives to engage members in actively monitoring and reducing their energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Furthermore, product evaluation plays a crucial role, with an emphasis on promoting the use of sustainable, long lasting, and repairable raw materials, considering their impact on the climate.
The project will move forward with the operational model and strategic validation during Eurobike 2024. This will be followed by the establishment of working groups and an evaluation of progress at the next Taipei Cycle Show.
The event was kindly co-organised with the Taiwan Bicycle Association, TAITRA, Bicycling Alliance for Sustainability and Cycling & Health Tech Industry R&D Center.
You may find more photos from the event here.
For more information, please contact:
Manuel Marsilio, General Manager – CONEBI
Alix Stamp, Communications, Media & Events Manager – CONEBI
