Shimano Company turns 90 in 2011

Shimano is the World Leader in Bicycle parts manufacturing based in Osaka city, Japan.
The company hold between 60 and 70% of the world bicycle parts market depending of the year. (Bicycle market is a 3 year cycle, up and down +/-10%)

The company which was created by Mr Shimano 90 years ago is still 75% privately owned by Shimano family, 15% directly and the rest via various private holding companies.

Shimano is the cycling shoes world leader with over 1 million pairs sold per year, the company own private factories in China and Cambodia.

Shimano purchased Pearl Izumi in 2008 which allow the company growth in cycling clothing market.

75% of Shimano sales are bicycle parts, then comes the fishing Reels which share similar cold forged parts that Shimano is a specialist, 3rd Shimano business is manufacturing gear box pinion for Toyota and Honda, again, cold forging small parts.
Shimano 4th business market is Canoe kayak.
The company stopped investing in Golf market, it is now focussing in Rowing market, rowing shoes and straps. There is nobody else in this market...

Back to cycling business.
Shimano sponsors for free 6 Pro Teams out of the 18 UCI Pro Tour Teams, that means the team ask to Shimano to be equipped with the newest Shimano Dura Ace Di2, each teams got 150 bikes to be equiped.
This allow Shimano to be the most represented for free (well parts still cost money, in retail value it is big, but since it is manufacturer sponsor, it is better than cash out).

Happy birthday Shimano...

For the 2011 season, of the 18 pro teams that participate the UCI Pro Tour, 6 are on Shimano Dura Ace, some Di2 some cable type (BMC, Euskatel, HTC, Leopard, Rabobank, Sky), 7 are on Sram Red (AG2R, Astana, Garmin, Katusha, Saxo, Radioshack, Vancasoleil), 5 are on Campagnolo Super Record, Movistar is on electric Campy (Lampre, Liquigas, Movistar, Omega, Quick-Step)