Shimano: Wearing the Yellow Jersey in Bicycle Manufacturing

Shimano Inc. is a Japanese sports gear maker particularly for bicycle components, fishing tackle, cold forging products and rowing equipment.  It is the most popular brand in bicycle equipment and is considered to be one of the best.  The company was established in February 1921 by Shozaburo Shimano.  It was first called Shimano Iron Works, which primarily produced bicycle free wheel.  By 1939, Shimano has reached a 1,000,000 unit-per-month production of freewheel.  The year after that, the company was incorporated in January bearing the name Shimano Iron Works Co. Ltd with Shozaburo as the first president.  The company’s head office is in Sakai City, Osaka, Japan.  The first overseas company was established in the United States in 1965 through Shimano American Corporation.  The latest is Shimano Cambodia Co. in 2011, the year making the company’s 90^th anniversary.  As of the end of 2012, Shimano Inc has 43 consolidated subsidiaries.

One of the makings of Shimano as a leading company in bicycle manufacture is the Dura-Ace, which they introduced in the 70s paving the standards of bicycle component in the industry.  It has established the ideal that the performance of a bicycle is not due to one or two highly-functioning parts but a totality of a system composed of parts, all of high quality.

The company’s guiding statement is to “promote health and happiness through environment of nature and the world around us.”  As a manifestation, Shimano is one of the founding members of International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives’ (ICLEIS) EcoMobility Alliance, described as a travel through integrated, socially inclusive, and environmentally-friendly transport options, including and integrating walking, cycling, wheeling, and passenging.  By enabling citizens and organizations to access goods, services, and information in a sustainable manner, EcoMobility supports citizens’ quality of life, increases travel choices, and promotes social cohesion.