UPDATE March 19, 2020: A few days after Austrian giant Pierer Mobility announced that all the activities at its KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas facilities were suspended, it's now BMW's turn to take action.
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The manufacturer announced on March 18 that all activities at its car manufacturing facilities across Europe and in South Africa would be suspended until April 19—including Mini and Rolls Royce plants. BMW's Berlin Spandau motorcycle factory is included on the list of affected facilities. At total of 30,000 workers are impacted by the decision, 2,000 of which are assigned to the Berlin Spandau production line. Certain European dealers are also temporarily closing down due to a dramatic drop in sales.
“We take our responsibility seriously, both when it comes to ensuring the protection and health of our employees and to achieving the best possible balance in terms of profitability,” CEO Oliver Zipse said in a statement on Wednesday.
The announcement comes only two days after the manufacturer announced that it was closing the BMW Welt, BMW Museum, and BMW Group Classic.
Original article follows.
The global COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the motorcycle industry in ways both big and small. Pierer Mobility, the parent company of KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas, announced that it is proactively stopping production for a limited period of time at the end of the month.
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The main KTM and Husqvarna facility is located in Mattighofen, Austria. The GasGas factory is located in Girona, Spain. According to the March 12, 2020 COVID-19 Situation Report from the World Health Organization, there were 2,140 confirmed cases in Spain and 302 confirmed cases in Austria. At this point, every effort to keep people at safe distance from one another is necessary according to international public health experts. Pierer Mobility’s facilities will remain closed from March 30 through April 10, 2020.
Moto Morini did not give an official date for resuming production at this time, which is completely reasonable given these extraordinary circumstances. We send our best to every employee of Moto Morini, KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas during these difficult times, and hope that everyone keeps themselves and their communities as safe as we all can.
Sources: Automotive News Europe, Pressetext, Motociclismo, WHO