The CEO of Pierer Mobility Group, Stefan Pierer, has stated that KTM didn’t have many sales issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic in an interview with Le Repaire des Motards. Actually, his company has hired more people since the pandemic started.
On the question of COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on KTM and other brands of PMG, Pierer said that the effect was not unexpected, as they are an international company with worldwide connections. Apparently, they realized early that China would be a problem as it prevented PMG customers from buying their products on the Asian markets. Pierer made a plan to stop production in mid-March when he realized that the Asian markets’ disruption caused problems with their Italian supply chain for motorcycle parts they build in Mattighofen.
He says that Austria chose to close down businesses before his decision, which made it one of the first countries to do something like that so early. That decision let KTM get back to business quickly and evade much of an impact. Actually, Pierer claims that the situation has been the opposite! He said that the two-wheeler industry is “thriving to some extent after the COVID,” as there is an increasing demand for their products, due to the people not desiring to ride public transit or be enclosed in a vehicle with others. This trend is occurring worldwide.
Pierer believes that KTM has a position to outdo some of its competition, even though KTM has the same challenges as other companies impacted by the pandemic. He aims to become the number 1 in Europe when it comes to registrations.
During the shutdown, the PMG brands passed up on producing 30,000 motorcycles, which he dubs as “lost.” Nevertheless, he thinks that they may make up to 15,000 bikes this year if they pump up the production. If that doesn’t happen, it means that PMG has taken a big hit.
The important takeaway from this interview is that KTM is still making sales, and their bikes are in high demand. Pierer has his ambition set on becoming the number one in Europe, and that is very formidable.
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Source: Web Bike World
