Save Moto Guzzi

[juanele]

Dear Guzzi Friends

This is Goffredo from Anima Guzzista and I writing to you concerning the difficult situation of Moto Guzzi.

This time is very serious!
I will spare you the political blah-blah but the simple truth is that the actual owners are slowly killing the Moto Guzzi Factory in Mandello.

At present the very survival of Moto Guzzi has become very uncertain as the company ownership is actually emptying the factory in order to transfer the whole production to other premises of the Piaggio group, leaving just a representative empty facade in Mandello. After almost one century, the 57 at Via Parodi no longer will be the house of Moto Guzzi.
The technique is a classical: behind the tag of "reorganisation" and "optimization" they have cut in half the work force, and are now ready for the final hit and emptying completely the site.
The redundancy plan has been in place for two years almost continually now. The workers are facing a constant nightmare.
This cannot happen in silence! Moto Guzzi must continue its existence, and to do so it must remain where it belongs.

This Saturday, 19th September, there will be an International Rally to support the workers of Moto Guzzi in Mandello del Lario where thousands of motorcyclists will attend.
Motorcyclists from France will show their support gathering in Paris on the same day.

We ask to all the friends of Moto Guzzi worldwide to show their support!

This is how you can help:
during the rally, I will be in connection via phone or skype from Paris with the rally in Mandello. The Mayor of Mandello will contact us to show how the support to Moto Guzzi is international.
It will be great to tell them that, as a sign of support, the symbol of the rally (see the link below) is displayed worldwide, from Australia to the US.
So print out the attached symbol of the rally and take a picture of yourself holding it! Then send me back your message with the picture attached!
We will than show the picture and list all the Guzzi friends worldwide during the rally.

Please help Moto Guzzi survive. Act now!
If you share our feelings, circulate this information to motoclubs and press!

Thank you very much,

Yours Sincerely,

Goffredo
Anima Guzzista
Paris, France
www.animaguzzista.com
+33 6 800 34 608

THE SYMBOL OF THE RALLY:
http://mapage.noos.fr/goffredo/various/Aquila-57.pdf

THE PETITION:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/noal ... motoguzzi/

THE DEBATE ON ANIMA GUZZISTA FORUM:
http://www.animaguzzista.com/forum/phpB ... hp?t=37726

 

[GTM®]

Ciao Goffredo, welcome to GuzziTech.com, and thanks for the post!

Count on this group stepping up to help with your requests below. I'll be snapping my photo to send to you today, and I'll send others this week.

Please post a status update when you can.

Grazie, Todd

 

[Tonerjockey]

Here's an application on a racing Guzzi.

Buona fortuna

Alex

 

[RJVB]

Not so very long ago, there were meetings between Piaggio leadership, the unions, Mandello politicians and probably other officials. At the time, Piaggio officially announced that production would remain in Mandello, and that they're trying to boost the marque. The latter statement has appeared in numerous other places, as far as I can remember.

I don't have the time right now to dig up the references to newspaper quotes, but it was reported that even the unions were inclined to believe Piaggio.

Since then, I've only seen discussion about tomorrows manifestation, ignorning the results of said meeting as if it never happened.

I know full well that the factory is again closed for 'technical unemployment', which isn't very delicate. I agree completely that it's a good idea to show continued support to the workers, to 'the cause'. But I have my doubts about stubbornly disbelieving everything Piaggio says, and 'bashing' everything they do. We are after all going through a crisis which is very real — and without Piaggio's support, Moto Guzzi would probably already have disappeared like so many other small manufacturers.

I think there's a moment we *also* have to show Piaggio that we can appreciate their efforts and trust the future of our marque to them. Without that, there may come a point they conclude that whatever they do, it ain't good enough ... so they just do what they think is best.

So, I hope there'll a good ralley tomorrow, with a positive atmosphere! I also hope there'll be good response to the 'Where Eagles Fly' event. If I'd had the opportunity, I'd have gone to both.

Does that logo exist as a decal, or a sew-on patch?

 

[oca]

Rene:

Here is the topic from Mildguzzi posted by Greg Field.

Click here.

 

[RJVB]

That apparently confirms what I was saying?

Greg: September 22nd is either coming tuesday, or almost a year ago. When exactly was that meeting??

 

[GuzziMoto]

I believe that meeting is old, as are the promises made at it.
There have been many promises made about maintaining the integrity and history of Guzzi but every step actually taken seems to be going the other way. Talk is cheap.

 

[RJVB]

Actually, the meeting will be coming Tuesday from what I heard here, the announcements were those made earlier.

 

[FrostBittenCanadian]

Maybe a quality control program will be put in place,just thinking out loud.
FBC

 

[Mike.C]

Anyone got some pics and story about the rally?

 

[RJVB]

http://picasaweb.google.it/Rugon968/MotoDiProtesta

and in Paris:

(no, that isn't my Norge, I think it's Vizir's)

 

[Mike.C]

Impressive line up of bikes and obviously passionate supporters given the rain, but BIG question is did it achieve anything concrete, time will tell I suppose.

 

[RJVB]

I found it somewhat symbolic that the crowd was addressed from a Piaggio Ape...

 

[GuzziMoto]

RJVB wrote:

Actually, the meeting will be coming Tuesday from what I heard here, the announcements were those made earlier.

Sorry, my mistake. I have heard all this too many times I guess and it is getting hard to keep it straight. I don't want to sound too negative, I do not hate Piaggio and think they have done some great things with Guzzi. I am just afraid that they will apply the same manufacturing ideas to Guzzi as they have in place at Piaggio and Aprilia (contract labor and contracting out to cheaper locations) and while they have said over and over that Guzzi will stay where it is they don't seem to be going in that direction.
I hope they follow up with their plans, until they start doing it they're just words.

 

[GuzziMoto]

RJVB wrote:

Actually, the meeting will be coming Tuesday from what I heard here, the announcements were those made earlier.

Sorry, my mistake. I have heard all this too many times I guess and it is getting hard to keep it straight. I don't want to sound too negative, I do not hate Piaggio and think they have done some great things with Guzzi. I am just afraid that they will apply the same manufacturing ideas to Guzzi as they have in place at Piaggio and Aprilia (contract labor and contracting out to cheaper locations) and while they have said over and over that Guzzi will stay where it is they don't seem to be going in that direction.
I hope they follow up with their plans, until they start doing it they're just words.

 

[RJVB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnFAVA7DTv4

 

[RJVB]

Report on the September 22nd meeting:
http://ilgiorno.ilsole24ore.com/lecco/c ... tori.shtml

2009-09-23
by STEFANO CASSINELLI
- Lecce --
MOTO GUZZI remain in Mandello but the sacrifices are many. This seems to be the framework outlined by the first confirmation that emerged during the presentation of business plan: 50 redundancies, 18 workers and 32 employees, almost entirely the result of early retirement. Numbers heavy environments which employs 150 people but on the other side of the scale Piaggio offers a guarantee to maintain production of Moto Guzzi in Mandello with investments mainly on plants and products with a new range of motion in output in 2011 with new engines.

These were the key concerns identified during the presentation of business plan for the Piaggio factory in Mandello via Parodi. The Human Resources Director of Piaggio, Giancarlo Milianti, and the charge of institutional relations Francesco Delzìo explained yesterday to the unions and the province's industrial plan. Plan built inside a financial and economic crisis that began in 2008 and manifested in full force in 2009, which has rocked the whole area of cycling. In particular segments of the motion of medium and large displacement with a loss of over 22%. Added to this is that for the year 2010 does not provide for an effective recovery of the market, but an adjustment on the actual numbers. This means that the crisis, economists will stop, but do not talk back to the volume of sales three years ago.

The Plan, and broader, covering all critical aspects of Moto Guzzi and the key elements of revival, pointing to the recovery in production volumes and sales, improving the competitiveness of industrial activities, continuity of investment product, adjust fixed costs consistent with the size of the market and the performance of Moto Guzzi. Among the points of the business plan, in addition to new products, including the reorganization of the Italian and European sales network. Will be selected motorcycle dealers in the sector that will support this excellent sales network of promotion and communication, starting from the launch range for the California Vintage Black Eagle, Bellagio and Nevada - that should be made within a couple of weeks. Objectives of Piaggio's desire that the site is a center of Mandello suited for excellence in production, ensuring adequate quality standards and cost competitiveness, of course also related to staff reductions. The plan also refers to the enhancement of the museum, with the development of a project to regenerate the vital contribution of local institutions, would contribute to enhancement of the tourist province of Lecco.

Piaggio is therefore the intent of a specific absorption of Moto Guzzi in the group, but the Eagle will maintain its unique characteristics and will remain in Mandello proposal with a new way to capture new market segments, particularly the young .

 

[Holt]

also: http://www.ilgiornale.it/a.pic1?ID=386308&START=0&2col=

 

[GTM®]

Thanks René & Holt!

Per above, Google translated:

Dear Editor,
We read with amazement the article headed "They have broken wings to the myth of the Eagle," published yesterday by The Journal, which is so far from the reality of the current situation and prospects of Moto Guzzi and the establishment of Mandello del Lario .
Indeed, the revival of Moto Guzzi is the great challenge that the Piaggio Group has taken over the coming years. It is a complex challenge because it involves a market in motion in 2009 to record a fall of more than 20% in Italy and Europe, after the 10% decline suffered in 2008, and not even a glimpse of a shooting in 2010 . But it is especially an exciting challenge and courage that Guzzi would have been impossible to imagine, if it had not been able to count on the strong shoulders of the Piaggio Group, Europe's leading producer of two wheels - it must be remembered - Moto Guzzi acquired in late 2004 when the production of Mandello not reached to 4 thousand units per year, in a market context is completely different.
Setting aside the logic of exclusive financial convenience, which was recommended to choose among other, the Piaggio Group has shown in recent days to trade unions and local institutions a strategic plan for the relaunch of Moto Guzzi, which starts from the fundamental to maintain production in Mandello del Lario. It 'a plan full of investment but also of "passion" for Eagle Mandello, which will lay the foundation for its wings in the coming years are more robust and able to fly higher.
The plan provides for significant investment in product innovation. The work of the Technical Center will focus Noale motion - in synergy with the garrison engineer Mandello del Lario - when designing new engines for Guzzi, which will feed a range of products to be launched on the market in the years 2011-2012 in the tourer segment and roads. Meanwhile, the plan envisages investments of 5 million euros in 2010 to improve product quality and marketing operations, including the initiative, "Black Eagle" who will buy visibility at EICMA 2009.
Among the key points of the revitalization of Moto Guzzi includes the major reorganization of the sales network in Italy and Europe: The objective is to enhance the distinctive characteristics of the brand Guzzi over other Group brands, with a strong financial commitment to training of sales and marketing efforts in support of dealers. In parallel to field innovative communication strategies to revive the old charm of Guzzi and expand the brand to target a younger world. Organize large raids in Italy and abroad, which emphasize the call to adventure "on the road to Guzzi and Guzzisti on the model of successful enterprise Mandell - North Cape in 2006, product placement in dramas and blockbuster movies, initiatives to test ride in major Italian and European cities. These activities, supported by the launch of the online community of Guzzisti constitute the ideal bridge to the celebration in 2011 of the ninetieth anniversary of Moto Guzzi.
The recovery plan of Guzzi part from a fundamental idea: the bond of Aquila with its territory is not an homage to the rituals of politics and the union. It is a strategic asset of Moto Guzzi, a value of industrial, commercial and imagination that the Piaggio Group wants to strengthen. Not with slogans, but with the choice of remaining in Mandello, with planned investments in development, sales network, marketing and communications, with the decision not to squander the wealth of professionalism and passion of the employees of the establishment of Mandello. Mandello del Lario will arise as a production site of excellence, in which men and women of Guzzi will have the pride of working for a quality production, characterized by a strong brand identity. But the only way to achieve this is to be consistent with the market, tailoring the organic production volumes in question and a radically changed the momentum of a few years ago.
The relaunch of Moto Guzzi is possible. We have resources, skills, courage to achieve it, but we want and we can do with the unions and local institutions, relying on balanced and correct. Why the Eagle returns to fly high in the skies of his timeless myth.
* Director of External Relations and Institutional Affairs Piaggio Group

 

[WitchCityBallabio]

We were at the Protest Rally. A great time. Bikes from all over Europe. We signed the petition there. Here's some pics.

A video of the parade of bikes. Lots of Guzzi's. I'd estimate there were a thousand or more. This is part one of three parts, all similar in length. This will give you an idea of the numbers....