Merida Industry Co., Ltd (MIC; ) is a Taiwan-based company with R&D headquarters in Germany that designs, manufactures, and markets bicycles globally in over 77 countries. Founded in 1972 by Ike Tseng (1932–2012), the company designs and manufactures over two million bicycles a year at its factories in Taiwan, China, and Germany. After Tseng's death in January 2012, his son Michael Tseng became the company's president.
After making bicycles as an original equipment manufacturer for numerous other brands, the company established its own brand, Merida, in 1988.[1] The company currently designs and manufactures bicycles primarily for its own brand—and for brands with which it shares financial interest, including the now German brand Centurion.[2]
Merida has been a publicly traded company on the Taiwanese stock exchange since 1992 and is valued as of 2012 at approximately £350 million, making it one of Taiwan's largest companies.[3]
The name Merida derives roughly from the translation of its three syllables měi-lì-dá, which mirror the company's goal to manufacture bikes that enable the customer to reach their destination.[4]