Strength Building, Cardio Equipment

Designed for Career People, Retirees

BY DANIEL FOONG

At the 2008 Taipei International Sporting Goods Show (TaiSPO), Joong Chen Industry Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of physical fitness equipment in Taiwan , has planned to introduce a wide variety of new products to foreign buyers coming from around the globe for the important annual sporting goods exhibition in Taipei.

These new products will include equipment from two major sectors -- strength building equipment and cardio equipment -- consisting of between 10 and 20 models, according to Kelvin Wu, general manager of Joong Chenn Industry Co. While the mustle building equipment bear the name of Body Solid, the cardio equipment carry the Steelflex brand.

The general manager said Joong Chenn Industry has made a gain of seven percent in export in 2007, compared with the corresponding period of a year earlier. "We failled to hit our sales growth of 10 percent last year due to the general global economic slowdown," noted Kelvin Wu. "Although we were not able to reach our projected sales target, we were quite happy with the outcome in view of the slowed economy worldwide."

"With the introduction of a comprehensive array of new mustle building and cardio equipment at the 2008 Taipei International Sporting Goods Show in March, we hope to achieve a better sales performance in export this year," commented the general manager. Wu said the new mustle building and cardio equipment are designed mainly for the career people (men and women), and retirees. "These new physical fitness equipment are very much lighter, with 12 levels. Prices are certainly lower," said the general manager.

When Joong Chenn Industry was founded, production was mainly focused on strength building equipment. About five years ago, cardio equipment was added to the product line-up. Currently, strength building equipment accounts for 70 percent of the company's overall revenues, cardio equipment consists of 30 percent, Kelvin Wu said.

U.S. the biggest destination

The United States remains the biggest destination for strength building and cardio equipment offered by Joong Chenn Industry, accounting for 60 percent of its global market share, followed by Asia at 22 percent nd Europe at 18 percent.

Joong Chenn Industry has a strong R&D department, composed of more than 40 specialists. The general manager said only low-priced mustle building equipment are made at the Taichang, China plant, with the remaining high-end strength building and cardio equipment being manufactured at its Taiwan factory in Nantou county.

In terms of production ratio, 50 percent of Joong Chenn's strength building equipment and cardio equipment are turned out at the Taiwan and China plants respectively, according to Kelvin Wu, the general manager.