Novatec is exemplary for the development of the Taiwanese bicycle industry: the quantity is decreasing, but the quality is increasing. Bicycle mass production is taking place on the Chinese mainland. Taiwan's bicycle export statistics show this picture: from January to September 2011, the number of bicycles exported fell by around 14 percent (from 3.8 to 3.25 million units) compared to the same period last year - at the same time, however, the value of the exported goods rose by around 13.5 percent (from 1.05 to 1.20 billion USD).

High-quality export goods from Taiwan
With 200 employees, Novatec manufactures mid and high-end wheelsets and hubs for its own brand of the same name at its headquarters in Taichung. The mass business with low-priced hubs is handled under the name Joytech with over 700 employees at two locations on the Chinese mainland. Around 40 million units of hubs and wheels are produced at the company headquarters in southern and central China, generating a turnover of just under USD 5.5 million. Turnover is slightly higher at the headquarters in Taiwan, but this is spread over only 1.5 million units.

The parent company Joy Industrial has its origins in 1971, the high-end branch Novatec was launched in 1989. For the past five years, wheel construction has been added to the business alongside hub production. Novatec obtains the carbon fiber rims for its own carbon wheels from suppliers, otherwise everything - apart from painting - is done in-house. The wheel production department is compact. Production under one roof and the short distances are important in order to ensure seamless quality control.

Novatec not only works the market directly, but also puts its capacities at the service of OEM customers. For example, Specialized's Roval wheels come from the Taichung plant. Manufacturers such as HED and Pinarello also cooperate with Novatec. In addition to the strong focus on wheels with the Novatec and Joytech divisions, the Joy Industrial Group has another mainstay: e-scooters and e-bikes are marketed under the Dienatronic brand.

www.novatecwheels.com