«Why will it be different now? I don’t judge what others have done. However, I know that we at Ktm have the experience, size and skills needed to relaunch the company.” Given recent history, the first question to the new president and CEO of Mv Agusta Hubert Trunkenpolz is basically a given. Looking at an icon of Italian motorcycles, MV Agusta, which in recent years has been a place of passage for important investors: from Malaysians to Proton ad Harley Davidsonad Amg Mercedes. Big international companies entered and then left the capital without ever managing to revive the fortunes of the brand.
“Descent” culminated for the Varese company in the request for an arrangement with creditors in 2017, a path of decline interrupted, however, by the arrival of Timur Sardarov, Russian entrepreneur who took over MV Agusta by injecting almost 200 million in resources and thus avoiding the final collapse. Partner who is now joined by an industrial partner worth 2.7 billion in revenues and 380 thousand motorcycles produced, the Austrian group Ktmwhich through the Pierer Mobility holding company first (November 2022) acquired 25.1% of the capital, then bringing the share to 50.1% less than a month ago, exercising the existing purchase option in advance.
«For some time – explains Trunkenpolz – we had been looking for a top-of-the-range motorcycle brand to complete our portfolio and MV Agusta had always been on our radar. Sardarov was looking for an industrial partner, we were looking for a brand in the luxury segment and so the agreement was found.” The subject of the agreement is the company founded in 1945 by the Agusta family, which later became a global icon thanks also to its repeated victories in the world racing championships. Giacomo Agostini.
Objective 10 thousand motorbikes
Company capable of creating cult objects worth 40-50 thousand euros, with a production of just under 6 thousand units and 95 million in revenues, 85% thanks to exports. «We will invest here in Varese – explains the manager – to bring production beyond 10 thousand motorbikes within three years, even if this is the minimum we expect, taking into account a current capacity which can reach up to 15 thousand. This is one of the strongest brands in the world, they make a fantastic product and they have a good team. The weak point is distribution and that is where we think of intervening first.”
From a network of 186 points of sale, the first target is to reach at least 400, taking advantage of KTM’s global network, which has 40 branches worldwide. Taking advantage of the group’s dealers but above all looking for new ones, perhaps broadening the audience to the world of cars too. «There is a lot to do – he explains – but first of all I want to reiterate that production will remain here in Varese – he explains – because Made in Italy is a founding value of this product. We will maintain the maximum possible independence for MV Agusta, even if we see evident synergies in the area of research and development, in purchasing, in software and in management systems”. The targets for 2024 see a production of 5800 motorcycles and revenues of 115 million, with the entry of new staff as output increases.
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2024-04-08 05:56:09
