Leading global bicycle manufacturer Merida Industry is experiencing increased consumer demand for bicycles nationwide across China, with Merida seeing its sales volume and value of own-brand bicycles rise significantly this year.
Focusing on the ‘mid range’ bicycle segment, with unit prices of more than RMB 1,000 in China (US$145 / €120), Merida stated that steadily rising household incomes in particular have helped to fuel China`s domestic demand for such bicycles. Next on the horizon is the opportunity for growth for higher, premium priced products.
Citing its sales in the Chinese market, the firm noted that the average wholesale price of its own-brand bicycles grew 16% year on year to reach RMB 1,392 in May 2010. Sales volumes also soared by 30% and sales value rose sharply, up 51%.
For the first five months of this year, Merida’s aggregate sales volume and value have respectively surged by 44% and 60% from a year earlier.
Meanwhile, Merida`s bicycle sales volume and value in Taiwan also shot up to 72,600 units and NT$638 million (US$19.63 million) in May, representing a 20.2% volume and 11.62% value gain year on year
Merida stressed that its overall sales will continue to gain in June, mainly because of delayed shipments, caused by shortages of raw materials, now having eased.
In total, the firm has scored combined revenue of NT$4.345 billion (US$133.69 million) and shipped over 372,000 various bicycles in the first five months of this year, respectively up 15.82% and 20.88% from a year earlier.
Merida`s Taiwanese counterpart Giant Manufacturing, the world`s largest bicycle maker, also reported its combined revenue of NT$3.206 billion (US$98.64 million) for May, and aggregate revenue of NT$17.349 billion (US$533.81 million) for the past five months of the year, respectively up by 3.09% and 5.12% from a year earlier.
