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Teamworld Aims to be Top PTW Parts Source in Asia
2007/05/11
Established in 1968 under the name Chanyeh Co., the Teamworld Industries Corp. has grown into a major supplier of both original equipment (OE) and aftermarket (AM) motorcycle/scooter parts and accessories in Taiwan. Focusing on parts for made-in-Taiwan Sanyang (SYM brand) motorcycles and scooters in its early years, the company later expanded into the global market.
 | | Sean Lin, vice director of Teamworld`s overseas marketing department. |
The supply of SYM parts remains an important part of Teamworld`s business, but it now offers OE and AM parts to major international brands such as Aprilia, Cagiva, Malaguti, Minarelli, Moto Zuzzi, Peugeot, and Kawasaki as well.
Exports now account for about 20% of Teamworld`s revenue, but that figure is expected to expand rapidly as the firm implements an aggressive strategy aimed at transforming itself into an Asia-wide source for customers throughout the world.
"Teamworld absolutely has the ability to become the best Asian sourcing partner for global clients who want a comprehensive range of competitively priced, targeted quality items from the Asia-Pacific region," states Sean Lin, vice director of Teamworld`s overseas marketing department. "Through our supplier base of more than 200 parts suppliers in mainland China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, which are SYM`s independent suppliers or affiliates, we`re confident that we can help our customers find anything they want."
One of the biggest advantages that these suppliers have, Lin explains, is that all of them have undergone long periods of training and have survived and prospered in the extremely competitive markets in Taiwan, mainland China, and Vietnam. Teamworld itself has the advantage experience, expertise, know-how, prompt delivery, and customer services built up over 30 years.
 | | A few of the products that Teamworld supplies to customers throughout the globe. |
Lin says that his company has experienced a flood of returning orders from buyers, especially in the United States and Europe, who switched to low-cost suppliers in China and Southeast Asia a few years ago. Lin explains: "Most powered two-wheeler (PTW) products are used not for sports or recreation, but for transportation. This means that reliability and durability, rather than low price, is the top priority in the market. In addition, this is a safety-related industry in which any quality defect in a small part might lead to serious damage."
Flood of Orders
His company has also been receiving a growing flood of orders for performance-tuning items from buyers throughout the world, Lin reports, indicating that Taiwan-made motorcycle parts have been gaining increasing popularity in the small-batch, large-variety, higher-price, and innovative segments of the industry.
The most popular tuning parts today, Lin says, are horsepower-enhancing engine parts (such as oversize cylinders and pistons), continuous variable transmission (CVT) weight rollers, side mirrors, and cargo boxes. Riding accessories and other high-end items are also popular because these Taiwan-made items offer high quality at prices that are much more competitive than those available with products made in Japan or Italy.
"To meet the flow of orders returning to Taiwan," Lin notes, "We`ve changed our policy at Teamworld so that we are more aggressive in the self-development of newer and better products. Our core advantage is an integrated competitiveness achieved through strong global logistics services, an abundant product inventory, good product-development capability, and a well-established division-of-labor manufacturing system in Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. Few competitors can match us in comprehensiveness and quality of service."
The vice director says that his company currently stocks over 35,000 items at a modern 19,000-square-meter central warehouse in Taiwan, and at a warehouse that was set up in Europe last year. As if that were not enough, Teamworld can help customers develop any PTW-related item that they need for production in Taiwan, China, or Vietnam depending on the requirements of quality/price matching.
"We expect to grow even stronger, as SYM has set up a motorcycle plant in Indonesia and is planning another one for India," Lin reports. "We`re also planning to move into manufacturing by setting up our own production plants in China to produce such items as control cables and gauges. That will be a good match: the low labor and materials costs available in China, plus our much better quality control and manufacturing techniques."
The image of "made-in-Taiwan" motorcycle parts and other products, Lin comments, "has totally changed and is now that of products featuring high quality, good durability, creative innovation, and competitive pricing. So more and more motorcycle makers, especially in Europe and the U.S., are procuring an increasing amount of electrical system parts, engine parts, and other emission-related items from Taiwan after finally realizing that they want more than low cost. We`re facing a great opportunity to pursue high-speed growth in the next few years.
(by Quincy Liang)
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