SRAM SCORES HIGH ON ESG WITH STRONG CORPORATE CULTURE

After working in SRAM Asia for over three decades, Bob Chen shares his expertise and realistic outlook on the global biking industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a bitter-sweet three years to the global bicycle industry. On one hand, this period brought about a universal surge of bike riding opportunities. On the other hand, the bike industry also encountered the challenges of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Corporate Sustainable Development.

Ninety percent of SRAM’s products are made in Taiwan. Being accountable for such a huge responsibility, General Manager, Bob Chen, has to react to the customers and cultivate desirable corporate culture. Under his leadership, the plant cut down electricity expenditure and saved 7.56% of water. “The silver lining of the drought in Taiwan two years ago made us ponder how to use water sparingly. In the past, we used a great amount of water to clean the parts in the production line. The severe water shortage nearly shut down the production line and forced us to use water more efficiently.” Dreading another water supply shortage, they hired a professional team to redesign the water system and will install a new water recycling system in the near future.

Bob Chen reveals that cultivating desired corporate culture is the underlying key for corporations to reach sustainable goals in ESG. “The professional team can make suggestions all they want, but the goals could not be reached if workers did not follow through with the new policies. We make every effort to explain why we want to implement these strategies to cut down resource expenditure.

We will also establish a sustaining empowering team to welcome any input and cut down even more energy consumption.”

For example, F. K. Day, the brother of one of the original founders of SRAM, founded World Bicycle Relief to distribute bikes and microloans to underprivileged families, and education funds to empower female students. SRAM Corporation matches employees’ donations to WBR after the 2005 Tsunami in Asia. “WBR is still helping underprivileged families and female students as of now. Many employees keep donating annually and they are very proud of their actions.” This sense of pride resulting from communal commitment is an essential part in building camaraderie.

Both SRAM and Velo focus on improving themselves in innovations and development and their collaboration inspired each other in all aspects. Bob Chen and Velo’s VP, Ann Chen, realized the most cherished memories they had were time spent with their colleagues.

“Having been working in the cycling industry, all 2000 employees took biking for granted and never thought of founding a bike club. Yet, we were inspired by Velo employees’ Tour Taiwan Cycling event and started our own bike club in 2020.” Bob remembered “We encountered a severe cold front since day one. It was not that bad heading south on the west coast in the dry cold at first. But when it started to pour, biking at a low temperature while wet gradually became unbearable. “It was excruciatingly painful riding in a downpour and none of us looked like we were enjoying it one bit. After taking hot showers and dinner, we all sat down to drink alcohol and ended up having a great long chat. It turned out to be such an accidental fantastic teambuilding experience!” Reminiscing that bitter-sweet trip, Bob Chen had a bright smile on his face.

Looking ahead, Bob Chen is optimistic about the biking industry. “In the long run, the pandemic made more people start to cycle. As long as we sell all the stocks and keep developing new designs, bikes are always in demand!”

ANGEL REVO earned the 2023 Taipei Cycle d&I award in the parts and components category. Latest addition to the aesthetic series, ANGEL REVO features our Future Friendly technology in-cluding VAF (Velo AtmosFoam), non-petroleum hybrid bio-plastic Euphorabase and GRS4.0certified recycled Omni Cover. Blending popular features from their Senso TT and Angel TT performance saddles, the ANGEL REVO includes Velo’s patented pressure relief Y-Cutout. The saddle features the longest cutout of previous models providing enhance comfort for long rides.

Velo's commitment to innovation has helped it become a leading brand in the cycling industry and trusted by riders around the world. Our latest foam technology VAF (VELO AtmosFoam) provides riders with maximum comfort, creating an experience akin to floating on a cloud. VAF is lightweight and has incredible support for your sit bones to bring you better overall comfort and performance. VAF is lighter and more responsive compared to other foam compounds with finer pore structure. The microcells in VAF are more evenly distributed providing consistent rebound and shock absorbing capabilities. This new foam also provides lower thermal conductivity, keeping the contact with the saddle cooler in hotter weather conditions. VAF’s use of nitrogen helps reduce CO2 emissions, creating a more eco-friendly production process.

Velo’s aim is to utilize sustainable upcycling technologies and green recycled materials to minimize production waste and contribute towards a better planet. Previously, foam was the main waste product in our production process, with the excess being sent to waste management plants. However, we have upgraded our production methods and now reuse leftover foam. Moreover, the plastic used for our grip base is made from recycled fishing nets. By incorporating recycled materials without compromising on production quality, in a reasonable cost structure, we have significantly reduced waste to a more ecoproduction environment.

As we bid farewell to the challenging year of 2022, the nimble rabbit ushers in a fresh outlook! Despite their petite stature, rabbits are renowned for their exceptional running abilities, earning them a spot among the ten swiftest creatures on the planet. The European brown hare, equipped with robust legs, can reach speeds of up to 72 km/h (45 mph) when fleeing from predators like hy-enas, raptors, and humans.

Velo launched its latest addition to their Chinese Zodiac series on the ANGEL REVO. It features a stunning golden shell and captivating depictions of rabbits in motion, jumping and sitting amidst the fields. The dynamic silhouettes of these furry creatures evoke a sense of energy and playfulness, perfectly capturing the spirit of the rabbit zodiac sign. Don't miss the chance to add this exquisite saddle to your collection!