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7/2021
BUSINESS Collaboration with German tradeshow firm to attract a wider audience to India’s premier bicycle show
Changes to bring a new era to CFOSE LUDHIANA, India – India’s premier bicycle show, the Cycle, Fitness & Outdoor Sports Expo (CFOSE), is all set to join the big league. The annual show in Ludhiana, the hub of the Indian bicycle industry, has long been scouting for collaboration to internationalise the show. It looks like their efforts are set to pay off. Satnam Singh
“W
e are in touch with German tradeshow specialists who organise events in India and globally. This firm has shown interest in collaborating with CFOSE. The collaboration is being finalised and will likely be announced in the second half of November,” said the man behind the Indian bicycle show, Surinder Brar, MD of CFOSE. “We hope this move will facilitate the show to emerge as one of the premier bicycle shows in this part of the world.” The German partner, a major tradeshow organiser with a presence in multiple locations in India, organises more than a dozen tradeshows spread across various industries.
German influence in 2021 Interestingly, this year’s show was inaugurated by Sonia Prashar, deputy director-general of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and president of the Indian Exhibition Industry Association. The presence of the top German trade official also points towards an evolving German connection with the Indian show. “After holding the event regularly for last 12 years, our objective now is to upgrade the bicycle show to attract a global audience. The show has matured enough, and it is our goal to finally connect with the international bike industry,” Brar said. Once the joint venture has been signed, the show will likely move to a bigger location near Delhi, where other international exhibitions are often held. The strategy is to organise one show near Delhi with the German partner in February/March, while another show in Ludhiana would take place around October/November.
Subdued 12th edition of CFOSE The 12th edition of CFOSE was held from 1-3 October 2021 and attracted about 70 exhibitors from India. There was no international partici-
CFOSE is looking to entice bigger brands and a more global audience to its events in the future. pation due to travel restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The show attracted mid to small-scale bicycle assemblers and dealers from across the country, with big brands opting not to attend. It will be interesting to see if the organisers can entice them once the joint venture with the German exhibition company has been signed. Nevertheless, the 12th edition of the show attracted the largest number of trade visitors from across the country, claims Brar. “More than 4,200 trade visitors attended the show, which is regarded as the largest compared to previous editions.” With Covid-19 restrictions relaxing in the country and vaccination numbers increasing, dealers and trade visitors came out in large numbers to visit the event. The 3-day show was down to almost half the number of exhibitors compared to the 11th edition in 2020, held just before the pandemic in the country. Although the pandemic impacted the edition in 2020 as fewer exhibitors and visitors could visit from abroad, it still attracted 150 exhibitors. In the 12 years of hosting CFOSE,
the 10th edition was the biggest to date, with 200 Indian companies and 40 overseas exhibitors showcasing their range.
Indian firms forced to source locally The import-driven bicycle and parts industry that flourished in recent years has received a setback in the post-coronavirus phase as importers are increasingly facing challenges with shipments. “The freight rates reached an alltime high due to ongoing container shortages. A single container that shipped from China to Ludhiana cost INR150,000 (€1,750) before the pandemic, but now costs almost INR1 million (€11,600), making it unviable to import from China,” complained Rajesh Kalra, MD of Suncross Bikes, a regular exhibitor at the show. Suncross Bikes produces Raleigh and its own brand of bikes and distributes almost 30 international bike brands and accessories in India. The pandemic has seen lead times for prominent parts brands out of Asia increase considerably. Lead times in the post-pandemic phase could escalate up to two years in some cases. The demand for international parts and accessories brands was high last year but slowed down this
Photos: Satnam Singh
year due to low supplies. Suncross has formed a solid network of suppliers in China and Taiwan as the company operates sourcing offices in both countries. “We have a presence in both countries but still face supply issues,” confirms Kalra. The ongoing challenges will likely affect the supply chain equation shortly as European buyers are increasingly scouting for alternate supply channels in countries like Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. “China is focusing more on e-bikes and premium bike ranges. This has forced several Indian importers that depend on imports from China to look at domestic suppliers who are now investing in new machinery to improve the quality of finished products.” Even Suncross restricted imports from China and discontinued imports of steel parts, frames, etc., and has started sourcing locally. Localisation in difficult times helps the domestic bicycle industry. Suncross is also hiking capacity to meet the surging demand in the domestic market. “We are currently manufacturing 15,000 units per month but are planning to hike capacity by 30% to meet increasing demand,” concludes Kalra.
Technology transfer with foreign partners The annual show is also supported by the Federation of Industrial & Commercial Organization (FICO). The Ludhiana-based industry body works in upgrading manufacturing standards among micro and small bicycle manufacturers. It has 2,600 members, with 1,400 being micro and small bicycle producers, parts manufacturers and dealers. “We are encouraging dealers to attend or visit the CFOSE as the exhibition provides a platform to expand their network,” said Gurmeet Singh Kular, president of FICO. FICO is also instrumental in technology transfer among micro and small bicycle and parts producers. “We have been actively helping our members to introduce new technology as per the changing trends. We facilitate local manufacturers in their search for foreign partners for technology transfer. We identify potential foreign companies keen to work with Indian partners and are instrumental in technology transfer in the areas of reflectors, hubs, alloy rims, etc. We are also in touch with Taiwan-based Shuz Tung Machinery to introduce hydroforming technology in bicycle frame tubing in India,” noted Kular.
“Shipping costs are making it unviable to import from China,” said Rajesh Kalra, MD of Suncross Bikes.
