With no relief from falling powered two-wheeler sales throughout most of Europe, Honda has launched an emergency ‘recovery plan’ for its main European motorcycle, scooter and PTW engine manufacturing facility at Atessa in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Unfortunately it involves a further severe workforce reduction. Another 170 employees are losing their jobs, cutting the factory’s staff to 355 full-time plus 80 seasonal workers.
This is terrible news for Italy, coming as it does, so soon after news of the Husqvarna factory closing.
In 2008, the Honda plant in Atessa had 759 permanent staff plus 270 seasonals. That year, prior to the economic crisis hammering sales, it made 170,000 bikes and 800,000 engines for export to assembly plants worldwide. In 2012, output was down to 58,000 bikes and 50,000 engines but it still had about 600 workers on its payroll.
Honda’s fuel efficient strong seller, the New Concept bike or NC700, is built in Japan. We are yet to hear reports of anyone going around the world on an NC700X so let us know if you do!
(Thanks to British Dealer News)