Ducati will resume partial production under Italy's Phase 2 lockdown restrictions

Just like its fellow Italian motorcycle manufacturer, MV Agusta, the Ducati group is getting ready to restart production once the Italian government implements Phase 2 of its lockdown easing measures on May 4, 2020.

As part of the protocols, companies deemed essential to the Italian economy are allowed to make preparations for their reopening on May 4 as early as April 27. Ducati has already begun preparations at its Borgo Panigale factory.

As part of the precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, Ducati can only call the minimum number of employees necessary to carry out production and research activities. They must comply with a rigid safety protocol developed together with the RSU and subject to a specific agreement. Masks will be mandatory for everyone, regardless of distancing.

"It is absolutely essential to pay close attention to strict compliance with safety procedures: the virus has not disappeared, said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO. “It will be an extremely difficult year but starting up again is still a beginning; we have a lot of orders for the Streetfighter V4, for the Multistrada GT and for the Panigale V2.”

In compliance with the Italian government regulations, Ducati temporarily suspended production in its Bologna plant on Friday, March 13, 2020, to reorganize production schedules. The gradual improvement in health conditions has allowed the Italian government to enable companies deemed strategic for the national economy to resume work.

To comply with skeletal staff restrictions, Ducati’s workshop staff will begin first, then engine assembly workers and then motorcycle assembly workers. All resources employed in the commercial, marketing, IT, personnel management, finance, purchasing and logistics areas will be working remotely.

The production has been reorganized, going from an eight-hour shift to two seven-hour shifts to allow the minimum number of people to be inside the plant at the same time. The canteen will be active but with one seat for every four chairs.

Only select technicians in Research and Development who cannot do their work from home were allowed to work. All designers, project managers, and those in the calculation department will work remotely.

All the rules of conduct in force in Ducati comply with the updated shared protocol. Inside the company, Ducati has required the use masks, regardless of distancing. This is a first phase of return, which at the moment will only involve a part of the workers destined for the production lines. Entry into the factory is prohibited for suppliers, dealers, external contracted companies, and external staff in general, unless proven and unavoidably required for the continuity of production activities, product development and general services.

"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,” added Domenicali.

Despite the reopening of the production lines, visits to the Ducati Museum, factory and Fisica in Moto continue to be suspended until further notice.

ducati lockdown production