Norton

New top management at Norton Motorcycles announced

from https://www.financialexpress.com TVS announces new top management at Norton Motorcycles: 2021 V4SS to launch soon. With TVS infusing multi-million-pound investments, the Solihull facility will be the most advanced and modern plant that Norton has operated out of in its 122-year-old history. TVS Motor Company (TVS), owner of The Norton Motorcycle Co Ltd (Norton), today announced that Dr Robert Hentschel has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Vittorio Urciuoli as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of the historic Solihull-based motorcycle brand. Hentschel and Urciuoli will take up their new positions as John Russell steps down from his role as Interim CEO. Dr Robert Hentschel joins Norton from Valmet Automotive Holding GmbH & Co KG, where he has served as Managing Director since 2017. Before that, he headed Ricardo Deutschland and Hentschel System and was also Director of Lotus Engineering. Vittorio Urciuoli’s former key roles within the global automotive industry include Director of URVI LTD, Head of Powertrain at Lotus Cars and Project Leader at Ferrari and Aprilia Racing. TVS has created a plan for Norton to transform into the future. Along with the entire TVS team, I look forward to working together with them for the revitalisation of one of the world’s most storied brands. Under John’s tenure, with investment and support from TVS, Norton has returned to a firm footing and made marked improvements to engineering and product quality, which will be seen in the updated V4SS that will be launched soon. In addition, we have established a new, state-of-the-art global design, engineering, manufacturing and sales and marketing HQ in Solihull, Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director of TVS Motors, said. In January this year, Norton announced it would get back to work in full swing by March at its new facility at Solihull, Birmingham in the UK. […]

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Norton Motorcycles Head Of Design Takes Aim At Ducati

by Bryan Campbell from https://www.forbes.com Norton Motorcycles Head of Design Simon Skinner thinks the British brand has what it takes to go head-to-head with Ducati. Admittedly, Norton taking aim at Ducati is a very, very bold aspiration. Considering the Norton name is just as synonymous with bankruptcy and financial turbulence as it is with beautiful motorcycles, you’d be forgiven for taking the current brand revival with a handful of salt. I spoke with a refreshingly candid Norton Motorcycles Head of Design Simon Skinner via video call, who said this time will be different. While there is an incredible amount of bias in that claim, this time around there’s evidence elsewhere to back it up. Back in January 2020, Norton entered the UK equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The following April, the British brand was purchased by the third-largest Indian motorcycle manufacturer, TVS Motors. Now Norton has a new temporary factory in Birmingham, UK, is on a hiring spree and as Skinner puts it, ”the shackles have come off, in terms of design and innovation.” If this sounds at all familiar, there are similar plotlines going on at Jaguar Land Rover with Tata and Volvo and Lotus via Geely. Success isn’t guaranteed, but having a potent resource like TVS certainly helps. Speaking with Skinner, I wanted to hear just how Norton plans to not just take on Ducati and become its British equal. Bryan Campbell: Is Norton looking to follow Ducati’s lead on creating an accessible entry point with a Scrambler-esque model paired with top-tier sportbikes? Simon Skinner: Absolutely. We’ve already designed the 650cc parallel-twin range of motorcycles — the Atlas Nomad and the Ranger — and they are comparable to the Ducati Scrambler. Ours is probably a bit more modern, a bit more capable in terms of the geometry and

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British bike show is a triumph for organisers

by Nigel Baudains from https://guernseypress.com The heyday of the British motorcycle industry was on display at St James yesterday. People were queuing by the 10am opening to see about 90 machines spanning the period from 1911 to the present day. Alan Richmond, who organised the show on behalf of the St James Trust, is also chairman of The British Motor Cycle Club Guernsey. ‘I think British motorcycles appeal to the older man who probably had one in his youth,’ he said. ‘Naturally he will say that it was the best and there is a huge brand loyalty. ‘For the practical, you can strip them down to the last nut and bolt, whereas motorcycles today are computer-controlled and you dare not change a spark plug.’ Some of the bikes – nicknamed trailer queens – belonged to people who did not want to get them wet. Half an hour of riding and four hours of cleaning was no fun, he said. Vaccine centre volunteer Alan Boyd, 66, said visiting the show had reactivated his interest in motorcycles. ‘I had bikes from the age of 15 and I even managed to persuade my wife, Jo, to tour Europe with me on a [Honda] Goldwing,’ he said. ‘I sold it because I thought I was getting too old. I’m a Triumph fan. The early ones leaked oil and the electrics were always packing up. Every time you went out it was an adventure as you never knew whether you’d get back or not.’ Within a few minutes of the show opening, the hall was packed with motorcycle enthusiasts. Jackson Garage technician Wojtek Krzemien, 39, who came to Guernsey from Poland 13 years ago, was among them. ‘I just love motorbikes and I wanted to bring the boys to show them the story of motorcycling,’

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Norton Motorcycles invests in advanced new factory headquarters

Norton Motorcycles invests in advanced new factory headquarters in Solihull The Norton Motorcycle Co Ltd has moved to a new location in Solihull, West Midlands The new HQ will be a permanent base for all staff and incorporates state-of-the-art design, engineering, manufacturing and quality capabilities Opening of the newly fitted out factory comes after a multi-million pound investment from Norton’s new parent company, TVS Motor Company Commissioning is near completion and opening is expected in Q1 2021 Over 50 high quality, new jobs have already been created and more are expected to follow as the business activity grows providing a welcome boost to the local economy. The site in Solar Park, Solihull is the most advanced facility that Norton has ever had The Norton Motorcycle Co Ltd has announced that the company is moving to a new headquarters. The state-of-the-art production site located in Solihull, West Midlands, will open following a multi-million pound investment by Norton’s Indian parent company, TVS Motor Company. It will be the most advanced manufacturing facility in the 122-year-old motorcycle brand’s history. The premises will be the central hub for all of Norton operations, providing a permanent base for all staff. The new headquarters will be home to design, engineering, purchasing, sales, marketing, and support teams as well as the skilled production team that is resuming manufacture of motorcycles. Some of the specialist tooling and equipment previously used by Norton has been carried over to the new site in Solihull, but the site is benefiting from substantial new investment. The new manufacturing facility will make use of modern-day, quality-assured production processes. Skilled technicians will deploy bespoke bike building techniques and state-of-the-art new manufacturing equipment to ensure all bikes are built with great precision and quality, a hallmark of both Norton and TVS Motor Company. Norton will

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New Auction World Records Set at Successful Bonhams Motorcycles Winter Sale

from https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/31428/ The Winter Sale including The National Motorcycle Museum Reserve Collection – Bicester Heritage 11 – 12 Dec 2020 Bicester, Bicester Heritage Offered from the National Motorcycle Museum Collection,1936 Brough Superior 982cc SS100 Registration no. VD 6582 Frame no. M1/1661 Engine no. BS/X 1001 £3 MILLION TOTAL REALISED WITH 92 PER CENT SELL-THROUGH RATE 1936 Brough Superior 982C SS100 from the National Motorcycle Museum Reserve Collection, SOLD for £276,000 Two world auction records for a Sunbeam and Norton F1 motorcycle were set over the weekend at the successful Bonhams Motorcycles Winter Sale at Bicester Heritage, which realised more than £3 million and had an impressive sell-through rate of 92 per cent. A 1928 Sunbeam 493cc TT Model 90 Racing Motorcycle, which had raced at Pendine Sands, powered through its top estimate of £24,000 selling for £41,400, while a 21,188-mile 1990 Norton F1, the roadster inspired by the sporting partnership with John Player Special, made £40,250, both setting new world auction records. However, the name dominating the sale was Brough Superior, with no fewer than five examples featuring in the sale’s top ten, led by a highly original 1936 Brough Superior 982cc SS100, bearing the earliest engine number in a production model, which sold for £276,000. All three machines were offered direct from the National Motorcycle Museum’s Reserve Collection, an exclusive selection of 52 British motorcycles – and motorcycle-related cars – presented on the first day of the two-day sale. A brace of 1937 Brough Superiors offered from The Connoisseur Collection – comprising blue-chip examples from the estate of a late motorcycle enthusiast – also featured in the sale’s top ten, a 982cc SS80 and a 1,096cc 11-50hp which both exceeded their top pre-sale estimates selling for £73,600 and £71,300 respectively. The Connoisseur Collection also offered an example of one

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Norton will fill the high-end technology deficit for TVS Motor

by Chanchal Pal Chauhan from https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Norton is one of the most iconic British brands, besides Triumph, Royal Enfield and BSA. Incidentally now all of the remaining famed British brands either have Indian owners or strong engineering relationships with local entities. Another Indian company bags a storied European brand. This time it’s TVS Motor, the third largest two wheeler maker from the world’s biggest bikes and scooter market, and getting ‘Norton’ under its belt would not just fill the technology deficit, but would also make it a serious contender in the super-bike category, something its rivals are always vying for. Industry veterans cite it as a major catch for any aspiring Indian company aiming to hit the global circuit in style. “Norton is a major brand in the developed markets of Europe and the US and at Rs 150 crore, it’s a steal. The brand has a major pull and would fill the void for TVS Motors in technology and take it many years ahead of its rivals,” says a two wheeler specialist. TVS Motor Company has announced the Norton acquisition on Friday. Norton is one of the most iconic British brands, besides Triumph, Royal Enfield and BSA. Incidentally now all of the remaining famed British brands either have Indian owners or strong engineering relationships with local entities. Typical of the cash-starved British brands, Norton was started in Birmingham in 1898 by James Lansdowne Norton. It has a fantastic global appeal, a strong unique design and British heritage carried for decades. It has always been closely associated with “Motor Racing” and also makes superbikes in various categories across markets. It is a brand which has a huge opportunity for TVS to scale up and create value. TVS Motors can now focus on these developed markets with a known brand and

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Norton Motorcycles ‘will be restored to its former glory’

from https://www.dailymail.co.uk New owner set to invest tens of millions of pounds Norton Motorcycles’ new owner has pledged to double its workforce and launch more products. India’s TVS Motor, which bought the British brand out of administration for £16million earlier this month, is reportedly set to invest tens of millions of pounds in the luxury motorbike maker in a bid to revive its fortunes. Sudarshan Venu, TVS’ joint managing director, said 122-year-old Norton, whose bikes have been ridden by Che Guevara and Clint Eastwood, had ‘tremendous potential’. He said production at its Donington Park site in Derby would be restarted to fulfil outstanding customer orders, but that Norton would require a newer, larger factory within six months to begin its expansion plans. TVS, India’s third-largest motorbike maker, said it planned to run Norton at arms-length. John Russell, former boss of Harley Davidson, has been named interim chief executive. Venu said: ‘Norton is an iconic brand. ‘We want to restore it to its former glories, produce the excellent products that it has and delight its loyal fan base.’

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TVS acquires Britain’s most iconic sporting motorcycle brand ‘Norton’

by TE Narasimhan from https://www.business-standard.com Founded by James Lansdowne Norton, in Birmingham, in 1898, Norton Motorcycles is among the most popular British motorcycle brands of all time and is one of the most emotive marques today TVS Motor Company on Friday announced the acquisition of the United Kingdom’s most iconic sporting motorcycle ‘Norton’ in an all-cash deal, for £16 million, by acquiring certain assets of Norton Motorcycles (UK) (in administration), through one of TVS Motor’s overseas arms. This would be among the most interesting acquisitions of a storied motorcycle maker, and reflects TVS’ and India’s rapidly rising prominence in the global two-wheeler market, said the company. Founded by James Lansdowne Norton in Birmingham (in 1898), Norton Motorcycles is among the most popular British motorcycle brands of all time. Since the 20th century, Norton has been renowned for its classic models and eclectic range of luxury motorcycles, ranging from the authentic retro classic reboots of the famous Commando to their contemporary 200 bhp, 1200cc V4 super-bikes. Sudarshan Venu, joint managing director of TVS Motor, said: “This is a momentous time for us at TVS Motor Company. Norton is an iconic British brand.” Norton had some management issue, which TVS — with its global supply chain capabilities and financial support — helped overcome. Though there will be some concerns in the short term due to Covid-19, TVS Motor has enhanced its cost-reduction measures, and cut down on capex. Given the nature of Norton, which is not a capex-heavy business, there seems no immediate concern. Manufacturing will continue in the existing facility, and there are many customer orders that will be fulfilled in a profitable manner. The immediate focus would be on developed markets, in which Norton is already present, before expanding in key developing markets. The company has a strong relationship with

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Facing financial crunch, UK based Norton Motorcycle goes into administration; India roll out hit

by Ketan Thakkar from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com Norton had set up an equally owned joint venture with Pune-based Kinetic Motoroyale in 2017 to start making mid-size motorcycles for India and Southeast Asian Markets by 2018. The project got delayed due to financial crunch at the UK-based entity. UK-based premium bike maker Norton Motorcycle’s India roll out may be hit, as the company has gone into administration after failing to pay outstanding dues to the UK authorities. According to a news report, the company is struggling to pay a tax bill and faces a winding-up order under the UK’s insolvency law. Norton had set up an equally owned joint venture with Pune-based Kinetic Motoroyale in 2017 to start making mid-size motorcycles for India and Southeast Asian Markets by 2018. The project got delayed due to financial crunch at the UK-based entity. When contacted, Kinetic Motoroyale managing director Ajinkya Firodia told ET that Norton was looking to raise funds. Firodia said he would be travelling shortly to the UK to understand the situation better and seek clarity. “Norton Motoroyale (the joint venture) is a separate company and continues to exist and hold its rights in its territories of India and Asean countries. After our visit, we shall understand the extent of impact, if any. The India-side development of all parts is nearly complete for the 650 Atlas. For some parts developed in the UK or Europe for Norton, I shall seek clarity from the administrator,” Firodia added. When queried if the 650cc bike would get further delayed, he said it was “difficult to predict” now. Kinetic Motoroyale had set up a 30,000-unit capacity plant in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. A range of Norton bikes were expected to be made at this plant for Indian and Southeast Asian markets. According to media reports, Norton, which was

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Norton Motorcycles the 121 Year Old Iconic British Motorcycle is Crowdfunding on Crowdcube

by JD Alois from https://www.crowdfundinsider.com Norton Motorcycles the 121-year-old legendary British motorcycle company, is planning to raise capital on Crowdcube. Norton Motorcycles UK Ltd is seeking £1 million to help fill product pipeline orders and to continue to innovate and develop its bikes. Additionally, the company states that the offering’s objective is to give global customers and bike enthusiasts a chance to become part of the heritage company, “profiting from its continued success.” While the offering page is not yet live, you may register your interest in participating in the securities offering here. Earlier this month, Norton gave £1 million worth of shares to its employees. Norton’s current CEO Stuart Garner bought the company in 2008 with little experience in bike manufacturing but a passion from the brand, and has since kept it going expanding its line and exporting bikes around the world. Norton shares the following data points: Cumulative sales of £43m with profitable and growing revenue Year on Year EBITDA growth of 55% with forecast EBITDA growth of 65% £15 million invested into R&D to deliver a fully developed model range Successful new model launches giving a £30m order book 15,000Sq ft new production facility to increase current production Only British motorcycle manufacturer to design, engineer and fabricate all of its chassis’ in its UK The details of the securities offering are not yet available along with the valuation and current year financials but these should be made available once the offering is live on Crowdcube. You can review the most recent financials on its Companies House page including year-end financials from 2018 that are an interesting read. The motorcycles are beautiful bikes – you cannot argue with that. If you saw the James Bond film Spectre you would have seen a Norton blessing the screen. Garner says

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