Ducati to resume operations at Borgo Panigale factory in Italy today; workshop staff to start work first

Ducati is set to gradually return to normal, with the steady resumption of production in its Borgo Panigale factory in Bologna, Italy, scheduled to begin today-27 April. Operations were suspended in its Bologna plant on 13 February. This is a first phase of return, which at the moment will only involve a part of the workers destined for the production lines. Workshop staff will begin first, then engine assembly workers and, from 28 April, motorcycle assembly workers. As for employees, the use of smart working will remain mandatory, only those who are not in a position to carry out their work from home will be allowed to access the factory, according to a company statement. “We are ready to go, we have worked hard over the past few weeks to minimize any risk,” said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO. [caption id=“attachment_8303781” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Ducati logo. Pic courtesy: Ducati[/caption] “The two-wheel market is highly seasonal, and the stop to production in March and April has already had negative effects on sales. The Chinese market is already booming, sales in Korea and Japan are doing well. In Germany, dealers have been open for a week and we already have a major shortage of product,” Domenicali said. He said that the restart could allow the firm to reduce at least in part the negative effects of the lockdown that occured at the ‘worst time’. “We have a splendid order book: the brand-new Streetfighter V4 just launched has obtained unanimous approval from the specialized press and is the undisputed queen of the category. Unfortunately, production was halted just one month after the start. Then there are also many orders for the Multistrada 1260 S Grand Tour and for the Panigale V2. We also have the empty warehouses of the Multistrada 950 and Ducati Scrambler 1100 PRO. Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets “I am convinced that in this ‘phase two’, the bike will prove to be an extraordinary means of combining fun, passion and the possibility of having a vehicle with which to spend the weekend but also to move around quickly and safely in the city, without any problems of parking or social distancing. I want to thank all Ducati employees who have patiently and collaboratively managed this very anomalous phase and are supporting us in the management of the restart,” Domenicali added.