Marwi Group outlines its commitment to green initiatives

In 2022 and 2023, the Marwi Group embarked on a journey towards environmental sustainability. “We are ambitious,” says Marwi Group CEO Coco Pai to Bike Europe during a recent visit. In the past year, the component manufacturer made big steps forward in digitisation and smart manufacturing. ESG is the next challenge.

The company finalised Phase 1, diligently conducting a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory while also strategising for future carbon reduction initiatives. Together with third-party auditors from TÜV SÜD, Marwi Group saw assessments for compliance with ISO 14064-1 and ISO 14067 standards. The comprehensive audit marks a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

Future strategy

Looking ahead to 2024, Marwi Group is set to enter Phase 2 of its carbon reduction plan. This phase will focus on curbing GHG emissions from its factory site in Taiwan, primarily through the implementation of energy-saving projects aligned with ISO 50001 standards.

Additionally, leveraging the existing 170kWp solar generator, the company is evaluating the feasibility of constructing an additional unit to bolster its capacity for generating green electricity. These measures are anticipated to make substantial contributions towards reducing Scope 2 emissions. While progress is being made on the operational front, addressing Scope 3 emissions presents a unique challenge for the bicycle industry. Acquiring accurate carbon emission records from upstream vendors, many of which are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), proves to be a complex endeavor.

Marwi Group’s dedication to environmental sustainability exemplifies its leadership in the bicycle industry. Through meticulous planning, auditing, and collaboration with stakeholders, the company is poised to make significant strides in its mission to create a greener, more sustainable future. The company aims to produce fully CO2 neutral by 2040, while Taiwan’s joined initiative, the Bicycle Alliance for Sustainability (BAS), has set this date for 2050.

Investment in smart manufacturing

Marwi‘s ambitions are in line with the company’s philosophy. They were also ahead of the bicycle industry with the introduction of production automation. Just before the start of the pandemic, the company invested millions in smart manufacturing including the construction of a new factory including a warehouse. Smart manufacturing today makes it possible to run small series instead of bulk production only. On the other hand, smart manufacturing did not result in a reduction of Marwi’s labour force but increased the output. In pedals alone, the production capacity has tripled while the quality levels also grew significantly. It also makes the factory more flexible to meet the huge fluctuations in demand the industry is currently facing. Via a sophisticated dashboard, production is monitored 24 hours a day. The new building gave Marwi the opportunity to design an all-new material flow.

Each floor comes with its own fully automatic warehouse, which is not only used for incoming and finished goods, but also for semi-final products. This makes the production floors very efficient. “We could not have realised this level of production automation and smart manufacturing at once,” says Pai. “It is one of the lessons we learned over the years; you have to do this step by step.”

Marwi will be exhibiting at Taipei Cycle Show, they can be found at booth number I0518, (TaiNEX 1).