ShanghaiJune 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On the occasion of the opening of the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo, the resilience, efficiency, and sustainability of supply chains are becoming focal points for the global industry. Since entering China over 20 years ago, Decathlon has continuously deepened its long-term mutually beneficial relationships with local partners, achieving deep collaboration in areas such as product development, quality management, green production, and efficient delivery. Currently, over 94% of products sold by Decathlon in the Chinese market are produced locally, and this proportion is still increasing. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Decathlon is sharing its supply chain construction practices in China for the first time. Among them, the 17-year strategic partnership with Zhejiang Liyuan Sports Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Liyuan”) serves as a typical example of Decathlon’s deep engagement in China’s supply chain and its collaborative growth with local partners.
Values First: Seventeen Years from “Acquaintance” to “Companionship”
In 2009, Decathlon was seeking partners with professional capabilities, innovative potential, and a long-term development willingness for its fitness equipment business. At that time, Liyuan was in the early stages of its corporate development. “We aspired to become a globally outstanding fitness equipment manufacturer,” recalled Wu Yinchang, Chairman and General Manager of Zhejiang Liyuan Sports Technology Co., Ltd. “Collaborating with an international company was an excellent opportunity for us to benchmark against world-class standards in manufacturing, R&D, and management.”
After multiple rounds of in-depth discussions, Liyuan’s strengths in technical capabilities, product development, and supply chain performance left a deep impression on the Decathlon team. However, for Decathlon, choosing a partner goes far beyond selecting a factory. Elodie LATOUR, Vice President of Decathlon China, stated: “When selecting suppliers, our primary consideration is whether both parties share common values and goals. This is the foundation for establishing any collaboration.” In addition to professional capabilities, Decathlon also values partners’ commitments to compliance, social responsibility, and sustainable development.
This solid foundation for collaboration laid a strong groundwork for the continuous synergy and mutual growth over the subsequent 17 years. Today, Liyuan has become a global strategic partner for Decathlon’s fitness equipment category, with an annual production capacity exceeding 2 million units. Its workforce has grown from dozens at the start of the partnership to approximately 2,200 employees, with a peak monthly output of 400,000 units.
Production Line Process
On-Site Collaboration: Building a Long-Term Trust-Based Cooperation Mechanism
The partnership with Liyuan exemplifies Decathlon’s deep collaborative practices within China’s supply chain. In building its supply chain in China, Decathlon consistently emphasizes establishing long-term, stable, and trust-based relationships with partners. Unlike traditional supplier management models, Decathlon adopts an on-site collaboration model, maintaining frequent communication and deep cooperation with partners in areas such as product development, quality management, and supply chain operations. This model effectively shortens decision-making chains, improves efficiency, and enables both parties to respond more agilely to market demands. As Wu Yinchang put it: “Discuss matters face-to-face, communicate directly, and resolve issues on the spot.”
In Elodie LATOUR’s view, strategic partnerships are built on continuous improvement, trust, and transparency: “We don’t focus on short-term gains with our partners; instead, we prioritize long-term development.” Wu Yinchang resonates deeply with this: “Our goal has always been the same: to make good products and serve the market well.” Based on this consensus, Decathlon and its global partners continuously enhance supply chain responsiveness and product quality, offering high-quality sports products at more affordable prices, embodying the brand philosophy of “making sports accessible to all.”
From Manufacturing to Co-Creation: Creating Value, Shaping the Future Together
Decathlon’s supply chain development in China focuses not only on production and manufacturing but also on empowering partners through management experience sharing, capacity building, and continuous improvement. Product innovation is a key reflection of supply chain capability co-building.
Leveraging ongoing insights into consumer needs and sports scenarios, Decathlon continuously integrates professional expertise with local manufacturing capabilities, encouraging supply chain partners to extend from manufacturing to co-development. Since 2015, Decathlon and Liyuan have gradually entered a joint R&D phase, with the wooden rowing machine (Woodrower) being a representative product. Addressing the demand for home fitness products that combine professional functionality with home integration, Decathlon’s French team handled the exterior concept and design, while Liyuan’s team took on structural design and implementation. Through close collaboration, they turned the wooden rowing machine into a best-selling product that blends sports functionality with home aesthetics.
Wooden Rowing Machine
Sustainable development is also a core focus of Decathlon’s supply chain strategy. Elodie LATOUR stated: “Sustainable development is deeply embedded in our business operations and values.” Under this philosophy, Liyuan has achieved 100% green electricity usage, with carbon emissions decreasing by 42.4% from 2019 to 2025. Decathlon is committed to breaking the perception that “sustainability inevitably leads to higher costs,” creating business value while protecting the environment by improving supplier efficiency, optimizing operations, and fostering continuous innovation.
Factory Solar Roof
Standing at a new starting point on its 50th anniversary, Decathlon will continue to deepen its supply chain ecosystem in China with a long-term perspective, partnering with more local collaborators to explore product innovation, digital collaboration, green production, and efficient delivery. By continuously enhancing supply chain resilience and cross-industry chain synergy, Decathlon will keep providing high-quality, cost-effective sports products and services to consumers in China and globally, making sports accessible to all.