In a move that brings some of the Japanese company’s assembly closer to the Euro-zone, Shimano have opened a new factory in Karvina, in the Czech Republic. The 150-strong workforce has already started producing Tourney components such as MFHG37 & 40,
FDTY22, RDTY22 and Outer Casings.At the moment the factory is assembling components based on semi-finished products they
receive from the factories in Far-East. But Shimano intend this only as a first phase, and plan that in 2003, the 7950 square-metre factory should be expanded to twice its current size. The factory would then be able to house an extended production line with injection molding, machining and heat-treatment facilities to work from raw material and create the finished product from scratch.

At a time when a lot of production seems to be moving out to the Far-East, it’s good to see some movement back in the other direction. The Czech Republic itself may be brought into the European Community, but not before 2004.