Samchuly
Encyclopedia
Samchuly, is a leading bicycle
company and is the largest bicycle manufacturer and retailer in Korea
. Headquartered in Seoul
, South Korea
, Samchuly currently operates a manufacturing facility in Uiwang
, with a production capacity of 300,000 bicycles per year. The Company's offerings consist of folding bikes, women's bikes, children's bikes, racing bikes, mountain bikes and special bikes under brand names such as Andre Kim
, Appalanchia, Cello, KENIA, HOUND, NEXT and Lespo.
Samchuly's business motto is to build reliability, spare no effort, and to have a vision. Samchuly employs 190 employees, while having over 3000 individual retail stores in all areas throughout South Korea
. Samchuly bicycles are also sold in countries such as the United States
, Japan
, and in various countries in Europe
.
Samchuly bicycles have been used in international competition's such as the 1988 Olympics
and the 2002 FIFA
World Cup.
Samchuly is known to have top Korean celebrities represent the brand as spokespeople such as Son Ji Chang, Seo Taiji, Fin.K.L
, and Han Hyo-joo
.
The CEO is Kim Seok Hwan, Grandson of Kim Chul-Ho, Founder of Kia Motors
.
, founder of Kia Motors, founded Samchuly Bicycle in December 1944. As the first company to produce bicycles in Korea, this was in effect, the beginning of the bicycle industry in Korea. By January 1945, Samchuly was producing many components of the bicycle, including the chain
, hub
, crank
, pedals, and other parts in its own factory. In April 1952, during the Korean war
, Samchuly started manufacturing complete bicycles for the first time. This was 85 years after Ernest Michaux started mass producing bicycles in France
and 62 years after Miyada started producing bicycles in Japan
. Samchuly was the first to manufacture and sell a complete bicycle in Korea.
visited Samchuly's factory at Siheung
and encouraged Samchuly to help Korea industrialize in the 1970s. Exports to the United States grew very rapidly in the 1970s, with annual exports averaging 100,000 bicycles. By the 1980s, annual exports averaged 300,000 bicicyles.
to build bicycles and component parts. This complex planned to establish a manufacturing capacity of 3 million bicycles- one million for domestic consumption and two million for exports. With the support of the government, in 1987, Samchuly was able to manufacture 1 million bicycles from its factory at Yangsan
. The following year, the year of the Seoul Olympics, Samchuly exported over 2 million bicycles to the United States alone.
In 1991, Samchuly began producing the popular Lespo models. The firm received ISO 9001 certification in 1995.
, green policies. A plan to build over 5,200 km of new bicycle paths and roads were released. As well, the Four Major Rivers Project was announced and as a result, plans to build bicycle paths connecting the Han River
in Seoul; the Nakdong River
in the Gyeongsang
provinces, the Geum River
in the Chungcheong
and North Jeolla regions, and the Yeongsan River
in South Jeolla, were announced. In response to government supported policies, Samchuly reviewed the possibility of manufacturing higher end bicycles in Korea.
In July 2009, Samchuly broke ground for its Uiwang factory, which was built for the purpose of manufacturing high-end bicycles such as Cello Sports, a subsidiary brand of Samchuly. The production capacity of the Uiwang factory is 300,000 bicycles. The Uiwang factory's competitive advantage is not in its component parts, but rather in its capacity to tailor make bicycles in order. This factory has the capacity to tailor make bicycles to the specific physical requirements of the customer and customizing bicycles depending on various needs.
shape and image in red, supposedly represents development
and stability within the company. With Samchuly’s traditional symbol of “3000”, it allegedly reflects Samchuly’s purported long-term management strategy aimed at being the front-runner in leisure
sports in the year 2000.
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
company and is the largest bicycle manufacturer and retailer in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. Headquartered in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Samchuly currently operates a manufacturing facility in Uiwang
Uiwang
Uiwang is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It is one of many satellite cities that ring Seoul, making up the Seoul National Capital Area. Its largest immediate urban neighbor is Anyang...
, with a production capacity of 300,000 bicycles per year. The Company's offerings consist of folding bikes, women's bikes, children's bikes, racing bikes, mountain bikes and special bikes under brand names such as Andre Kim
André Kim
Andre Kim was a South Korean fashion designer based in Seoul, South Korea. He was known predominantly for his evening and wedding gown collections.-Biography:Andre Kim was born in Goyang, Gyeonggi, Korea, as Kim Bong-nam...
, Appalanchia, Cello, KENIA, HOUND, NEXT and Lespo.
Samchuly's business motto is to build reliability, spare no effort, and to have a vision. Samchuly employs 190 employees, while having over 3000 individual retail stores in all areas throughout South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Samchuly bicycles are also sold in countries such as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and in various countries in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Samchuly bicycles have been used in international competition's such as the 1988 Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
and the 2002 FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
World Cup.
Samchuly is known to have top Korean celebrities represent the brand as spokespeople such as Son Ji Chang, Seo Taiji, Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L
Fin.K.L was a Korean pop girl group that debuted in 1998.Their name stands for Fin Killing Liberty, and was intended to mean that the group stood against "the oppression of all freedom" . The group's name was selected by a poll of young people by the record company before the group's inception...
, and Han Hyo-joo
Han Hyo-joo
Han Hyo-joo is a South Korean actress and model.-Career:Han was first discovered in a teenage beauty pageant in 2003. She began her acting career in the sitcom Nonstop 5 and the gangster comedy My Boss, My Teacher...
.
The CEO is Kim Seok Hwan, Grandson of Kim Chul-Ho, Founder of Kia Motors
Kia Motors
Kia Motors , headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010...
.
1944–1964
Kim Chul-HoKim Chul-Ho
Kim Cheol-Ho is a South Korean football player who since 2011 has played for Sangju Sangmu FC.-Club:Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma* K-League : 2006* K-League Cup : 2004* AFC Champions League : 2010-References:...
, founder of Kia Motors, founded Samchuly Bicycle in December 1944. As the first company to produce bicycles in Korea, this was in effect, the beginning of the bicycle industry in Korea. By January 1945, Samchuly was producing many components of the bicycle, including the chain
Chain
A chain is a sequence of connected links.Chain may also refer to:Chain may refer to:* Necklace - a jewelry which is worn around the neck* Mail , a type of armor made of interlocking chain links...
, hub
Hub
Originally, the term hub referred to the central part of a wheel.Hub, HUB, Hubs, or HUBS has many uses, as listed below.-Wheels:* Bicycle hub, the central part of a bicycle wheel*Hub gear, bicycle gear...
, crank
Crank
-Mechanism:* Crank , in mechanical engineering, a bent portion of an axle, or shaft, or an arm keyed at right angles to the end of a shaft, by which motion is imparted to or received from it...
, pedals, and other parts in its own factory. In April 1952, during the Korean war
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Samchuly started manufacturing complete bicycles for the first time. This was 85 years after Ernest Michaux started mass producing bicycles in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and 62 years after Miyada started producing bicycles in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Samchuly was the first to manufacture and sell a complete bicycle in Korea.
1965–1984
As the Korean economy struggled to grow, Samchuly decided to export bicycles to the United States and shipped their first set of bicycles in 1965. President Park Chung-HeePark Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
visited Samchuly's factory at Siheung
Siheung
Siheung is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.In the early Three Kingdoms period, the Siheung area was part of the Baekje kingdom. It was lost to Goguryeo along with the Han River valley in 475....
and encouraged Samchuly to help Korea industrialize in the 1970s. Exports to the United States grew very rapidly in the 1970s, with annual exports averaging 100,000 bicycles. By the 1980s, annual exports averaged 300,000 bicicyles.
1985–2007
In 1985, Korea established a designated manufacturing complex at DaeguDaegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
to build bicycles and component parts. This complex planned to establish a manufacturing capacity of 3 million bicycles- one million for domestic consumption and two million for exports. With the support of the government, in 1987, Samchuly was able to manufacture 1 million bicycles from its factory at Yangsan
Yangsan
Yangsan is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea.-Administrative divisions:Currently, Yangsan is made up of 1 eup, 4 myeon, and 7 dong. There are plans, however, to create a new Ungsang-eup, which would include 4 dong.-Railways:...
. The following year, the year of the Seoul Olympics, Samchuly exported over 2 million bicycles to the United States alone.
In 1991, Samchuly began producing the popular Lespo models. The firm received ISO 9001 certification in 1995.
2008–present
By 2008, the Korean government started to promote environmentally friendlyEnvironmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
, green policies. A plan to build over 5,200 km of new bicycle paths and roads were released. As well, the Four Major Rivers Project was announced and as a result, plans to build bicycle paths connecting the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
in Seoul; the Nakdong River
Nakdong River
The Nakdong River is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan.-Geography:...
in the Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
provinces, the Geum River
Geum River
The Geum-gang River is located in South Korea. It is a major river that originates in Jangsu-eub, North Jeolla Province. It flows northward through North Jeolla and North Chungcheong Provinces and then changes direction in the vicinity of Greater Daejeon and flows southwest through South...
in the Chungcheong
Chungcheong
Chungcheong was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Chungcheong was located in the southwest of Korea...
and North Jeolla regions, and the Yeongsan River
Yeongsan River
The Yeongsan River is a river in south-western South Korea. It has a length of 115.5km, and covers an area of 3,371 km2. Yeongsan River starts from the Yongchubong Peak located in Yong-myeon, Damyang County, South Jeolla Province...
in South Jeolla, were announced. In response to government supported policies, Samchuly reviewed the possibility of manufacturing higher end bicycles in Korea.
In July 2009, Samchuly broke ground for its Uiwang factory, which was built for the purpose of manufacturing high-end bicycles such as Cello Sports, a subsidiary brand of Samchuly. The production capacity of the Uiwang factory is 300,000 bicycles. The Uiwang factory's competitive advantage is not in its component parts, but rather in its capacity to tailor make bicycles in order. This factory has the capacity to tailor make bicycles to the specific physical requirements of the customer and customizing bicycles depending on various needs.
Corporate Mark
The corporate logo’s contemporaryContemporary
Contemporary is a visual arts magazine, published every month. Founded and edited by Keith Spencer in 1992, it was originally called Contemporary Art...
shape and image in red, supposedly represents development
New product development
In business and engineering, new product development is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a new product to market. A product is a set of benefits offered for exchange and can be tangible or intangible...
and stability within the company. With Samchuly’s traditional symbol of “3000”, it allegedly reflects Samchuly’s purported long-term management strategy aimed at being the front-runner in leisure
Leisure
Leisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....
sports in the year 2000.
Lespo
Lespo is the leading brand of Samchuly that carries bicycles for women, mountain bikes, and bicycles for professional cyclists as well.NEXT
The Next brand is a brand with mass distribution, it carries standard bicycles such as entry level bicycles and bicycles for women.See also
- List of South Korean companies
- List of bicycle manufacturers
- Economy of South KoreaEconomy of South KoreaSouth Korea has a market economy which ranks 15th in the world by nominal GDP and 12th by purchasing power parity , identifying it as one of the G-20 major economies. It is a high-income developed country, with a developed market, and is a member of OECD...
External links
- Samchuly Homepage (Korean)
- Samchuly Homepage (English)
- GoBizZ Korea article
- KOTEF Wopeclub Samchuly Blog