Case study
Shimano Inc. transforms trade compliance with ONESOURCE Free Trade Agreement Management
How the outdoor sporting goods manufacturer automates complex origin procedures for 6,000+ bicycle components across eight trade agreements
A legacy in sporting goods
Founded in 1921, Shimano, Inc. has grown from a bicycle component manufacturer into a global leader in cycling and fishing equipment. Today, the company holds a leading position in the bicycle components market for sporting competitions and operates internationally under the tagline “Closer to Nature, Closer to People.”
With over 6,000 bicycle component products sold across Europe and global markets, Shimano's commitment to quality and innovation extends to every aspect of their operations — including trade compliance.
6,000+
Products managed for EPA and FTA compliance
8
Active trade agreements supported
6
Months to complete full-scale implementation
Lengthy manual processes
As the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and other major trade deals approached implementation, Shimano, Inc. faced a critical decision. Their existing manual processes for managing EPA and FTA requirements were unsustainable.
To review the standard cost, we are required to review the rules of origin certification procedure every six months. However, it is impossible to complete the review manually for 6,000 items. Shinya Tanaka, Sales Management Division Manager, Shimano, Inc.
The bicycle components division had been using manual Excel-based processes since 2009, creating value-added statement sheets and change in tariff classification (CTC) comparison charts only when customers requested them. When the person previously responsible for EPA compliance was transferred in 2018, the urgency for change became clear.
“Without ONESOURCE FTA Management, I don't think we would be able to manage it all.”
Shinya Tanaka
Sales Management Division Manager/EPA Promotion Division Team Leader, Bicycle Components Division, Sales Department
Choosing ONESOURCE FTA
After attending an FTA seminar in May 2018, Shimano, Inc. was introduced to ONESOURCE FTA Management. The team evaluated multiple options, including building an internal system from scratch, adding modules to their existing enterprise resource planning (ERP), and working with various consulting companies.
"After considering everything, including what we learned at the FTA seminar, we believed adopting ONESOURCE FTA Management would be the most logical and effective option,” said Shinya Tanaka, Sales Management Division Manager, Shimano, Inc.
The verification and implementation process took approximately six months from initial evaluation to full-scale deployment — significantly faster than building a custom system would have required.
Real results
ONESOURCE FTA Management has transformed Shimano’s trade compliance operations and strengthened their competitive position.
“Things previously impossible to do manually with only an Excel spreadsheet are now possible, and the origin determination process has become easier even when there is a multilevel BOM involved.”
Shinya Tanaka
Sales Management Division Manager, Shimano, Inc.
The solution enables Shimano, Inc. to manage complex products like hydraulic disc brake components, which consist of numerous parts including bolts, nuts, disc brake rotors, calipers, control levers, and brake hoses. Multiple model configurations can now be assessed efficiently, where previously each specification would have required a separate Excel spreadsheet.
Shimano, Inc. is currently using ONESOURCE FTA Management to manage eight active trade agreements, which has significantly impacted their bottom line and overall competitiveness through tax reduction benefits.
"A German company with a large trading volume had informed us, ‘We will purchase from another company if you don't have a certificate of origin,’" Tanaka shares. "Most of our competitors are Taiwanese companies in bicycle components and not many have signed the EPA and FTA in Taiwan, so providing a certificate of origin gives us a competitive advantage." Additionally, just by determining the origin preliminarily using ONESOURCE software, Shimano, Inc. has drastically improved operational efficiency.
At a glance
Industry
Manufacturing
HQ region
Osaka, Japan
Solutions
ONESOURCE FTA Management
Year founded
1921
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