Co-Motion Cycles | Vertical integration & TIG welding

Context & positioning

Co-Motion is one of the rare American factories with vertical integration: design, CNC machining, TIG welding, painting and assembly on a single site. Founded in the late 1990s, now in its 3rd building. Production of 4 to 5 bikes per day in peak season, with a range from $2,900 to $18,000. 100% made-to-order manufacturing.

Production flow

Order → CNC (dropouts, junctions, stems) → Tube cutting → Adjustable jig → TIG tacking → Progressive TIG welding → Polishing → Epoxy painting → Assembly → Inspection + packaging

Workshop organization

Clear sequential flow, with each zone corresponding to a production step. Adjustable jigs according to the production order (PO), enabling customization without multiplying tooling. Ergonomic arm to position the frame in any orientation during welding. The shop supervisor checks throughout the process. Painting is done on-site with custom pigment mixes.

Production management analysis

100% made-to-order production, inventory reduced to the strict minimum. Dual-loop quality control: shop supervisor throughout the process + lab testing for new models / field testing for production runs. The absence of mandatory certification (US market) simplifies product development. Wide technological diversity: belt drive, bottom bracket gearbox, Shimano/SRAM.

Strengths

• Rare vertical integration: complete mastery of the value chain
• Adjustable jigs = customization without multiplying tooling
• Progressive TIG welding (small passes): perfect thermal control
• Impressive product range diversity for a modest-sized team

Areas for improvement

• Underdeveloped visual production management (POs not visible on the shop floor)
• Limited throughput (4-5 bikes/day): scaling difficult without heavy investment
• Strong individual know-how (TIG, settings) = person dependency risk

Key takeaway

Vertical integration is a powerful model for guaranteeing quality and customization, but it requires very rigorous organization to avoid bottlenecks. Visual management and process standardization are the priority levers in this type of structure.