Giant CEO meets with US customs officials in an attempt to have import ban removed

There could be light at the end of the tunnel for Giant customers in the US, after the company CEO met with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials in what was described as a "constructive and productive" meeting.

Components, bikes and accessories made in Taiwan by Giant – one of the world's biggest cycle manufacturers – was slapped with an effective US import ban, known as a Withhold Release Order (WRO) back in September, as reported at Cycling Weekly at the time. This occurred after a CBP investigation revealed five different indicators of forced labour.

CBP said at the time: "Giant profited by imposing such abuse, resulting in goods produced below market value and undercutting American business by millions of dollars in unjustly earned profits."

“Importers have a responsibility to do their due diligence and know their supply chains," it continued, adding: "CBP will continue to investigate allegations of forced labor and take action when we find it in US supply chains.”

Giant, which owns the Liv, Stages and Cadex brands, hit back, saying in a statement that it was "firmly committed to upholding human rights and labor protections."

Since then, Giant – and the wider Taiwanese cycle industry – has undergone a period of reform: it no longer imposes recruitment fees on foreign workers, and has paid back those who have been subjected to them in the past. It has also appointed an independent auditor to assess its labour practices.

Those present at the meeting included Giant CEO Phoebe Liu, and the company's chief legal officer Daniel Chen, reports Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

In a statement, Giant said: "At the outset of the meeting, Ms. Liu paid tribute to Giant’s founder, King Liu, reaffirming the company’s continued commitment to the core values he established, including integrity, trustworthiness, proactiveness, efficiency, and resilience," according to the BRAIN report.

According to the statement, Giant told CBP officials that a lifting of the WRO was important both for business and the public's trust in the WRO process. There was no suggestion as to when the order might be lifted.

BRAIN also reported that Giant's most recent statement of operating revenue, for January, showed a 22% fall on the same month last year, though that did not include profitability data and did not mention the WRO.