Sitting on the sidelines can't be fun for anyone, much less someone who is as eager, motivated and competitive as Brandon. In the handful of years we have been in business together, Brandon and I have never had the privilege of attending any trade shows together. Between family schedules and commitments, covid, and business duties, Taipei 2024 was the first show which we attended as a team along with Phillip. Below is the excerpt from Brandon's blog www.brandonels.com on his read from the show:
Taipei Cycle Show concluded on Saturday, 9 March 2024 and I have read that there were up to 4 000 international visitors from 80 countries attending the Show. It is difficult for me to say if these numbers, I have read, are true because the 2024 Show seemed to me not nearly as well attended as prior years with many familiar faces and industry friends not walking the aisles. Perhaps the 2024 Taipei Cycle Show reflected the many challenges currently afflicting the global bicycle industry.
This was my 25th Taipei Cycle Show and my 63rd visit to Asia on cycling related business. It was great to be accompanied by Andre van Aarde, Chief Operating Officer of Rush Sports and Phillip Erasmus, Product Director of Rush Sports. For Rush Sports, the Taipei Show was an opportunity to engage with the international brands that we represent in Southern Africa and the supply chain companies and assemblers that manufacture Rush Sports owned brands such as Signal Bikes, Apex Bikes and Apex Parts. Despite the doom and gloom globally, Rush Sports is a company that has zero inventory overhang due to the vision of our collective leadership to cut back inventory purchases before the peak of the Covid era cycling boom. Therefore, the discussions with our partners and suppliers were extremely fruitful and focused on future product development and the arrival of new brands at our business such as Sapim, just to mention one.
Of particular interest to me personally were the main themes of the 2024 Taipei Cycle Show which were: Micromobility, Green Action, Start-up and Innovation and Cycling Culture and Lifestyle.
It is easy probably to say that every industry is now trying to jump on what is politically accepted in Green Action and that there are no real tangible changes being made in the areas of sustainability and climate change. But that is not what I have seen from the actions of some of our international brands. For example, Maxxis Tyres have now eliminated plastics from its packaging and header cards and now only uses recycled cardboard. I think this is a good step and a tangible action in sustainability. I always say that actions speak louder than words! The most energy I saw at this year was again in Start-up and Innovation with many new, small companies with innovative ideas in the areas of accessories. I wish these Entrepreneurs well and I always take time to understand their ideas and products because through experience I know that 80% of them will not be around at future shows, but if you can find that diamond then you can partner with a future winning brand. Who would have thought that when we took on little known Maxxis Tyres in 1997 that in 2024 and for the last 20+ years we would be distributing the World’s largest tyre brand. Trade Shows are there for this reason, but you must be prepared to do the work, pay attention, and evaluate every opportunity and proposal made to you.
Of course, Trade Shows are not just there for business, but also for entertainment and networking with friends. This is an area where I have always excelled, and which can be a sword with two sides! We enjoyed many nice lunches, dinners, and drinks with our partners with probably the Maxxis Appreciation Dinner coming in 2nd behind the main event which was the 40th birthday party of Phillip Erasmus hosted with Matt Harvey of Enduro Bearings at Shabu in the beautiful Taipei 101, which is the 2nd tallest building in the World. The night was ended with many a Japanese whiskey and Phillip experienced the other side of the sword the following morning! But good fun was had by all, and business relationships strengthened.
For 2025, Taipei Cycle will be held from March 26-29.
