Italian motorcycle manufacturer, MV Agusta, has announced its plan to return to “business as usual” after more than a month of halted production brought about by the coronavirus crisis. On May 4, the Italian government will implement "Phase Two" of lockdown, which eases restrictions on travel and work for many Italian citizens, and will allow some industries and businesses to resume.
“This is not the moment for being shy,” said MV Agusta CEO, Timur Sardarov. The plan is to gradually return to “business as usual” or rather to “new normality” as the current COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the way everyone will work and live from now on. Looking at the future, even before the total lockdown was announced, MV Agusta’s management has already taken the necessary steps to gear up to new safety culture, redesigning internal procedures and implementing measures to continue production and office work with maximum safety. It took the opportunity provided by this temporary time-out to sanitize all workspaces and refine its work processes.
“We need to embrace change and give everything we have to build a new future for our industry and for our communities, maintaining, if not increasing, the current levels of employment. If it is true that we will have to deal with a whole new set of parameters in all aspects of our societies, we must not be afraid to believe in our potential,” added Sardarov.
With a number of office employees now in work from home (WFH) mode and the spare parts warehouse back to full functionality to guarantee worldwide customer support, MV Agusta is now ready to resume full production as it is determined to carry out its ambitious 5-year industrial plan.
The intention remains to increase production levels from the current 5,000 units per year to 25,000 units per year, thanks to substantial investments in the production lines and R&D, the launch of new models appealing to an enlarged audience, and the strengthening and expansion of MV’s dealer network.
Everything is ready in the Varese MV Agusta headquarters and factory: temperature checks for all personnel and visitors entering the premises; face masks, gloves and sanitizing gel; optimized layout for factory lines and office spaces to guarantee correct distancing; a new set of procedures clearly communicated to all employees; and a COVID-regulations-compliant canteen ensured by an external contractor.
Earlier in the month, MV Agusta had continued to operate when the government implemented a lockdown, only to be forced to close for the remainder of the period.
