Ducati extends production line shutdown to March 25
Ducati has decided to extend the shutdown of its production lines to 25 March as they implement new measures to safeguard the health of workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Italian motorcycle manufacturer released a statement explaining the decision to close production until March 18 would be extended to March 25, with new regulations to be implemented to reduce contact between people while maintaining a strong workforce.
Ducati statement
Claudio Domenicali – CEO of Ducati Motor Holding
“I am proud of how Ducati’s workers are facing this difficult moment for our country. My thanks go to all those who, on a daily basis and even in a difficult situation like this, are confirming the great value of a united, cohesive but also sensitive and attentive workforce. For them, for their safety and for their security, measures and choices like the ones we are making are necessary and owed. However, all the support services for our customers are guaranteed, first and foremost the supply of spare parts. We want to reassure Ducatisti and our dealers all over the world: we are organising ourselves to be ready for the restart and, even in this period of downtime we will not fail to provide support.”
Since the beginning of the health emergency in Italy, on Monday 24 February, Ducati has adopted an important series of measures to limit the probability of the virus spreading at its plant in Borgo Panigale, in a very timely manner and in advance of later arrangements. The most important were the measurement of the temperature at each person entering the plant, trips limited to the strictly necessary, a strong impulse to smart working, meetings with reduction of participants and distance between them, canteen with special procedures and revision of shifts to reduce close contact between people.
Despite all this, Ducati had already decided to suspend production from Friday 13 March to Wednesday 18 March included, in order to implement a series of works and actions on the production lines, to further increase the safety level of workers and to introduce a multi-shift work programme to halve the number of people on the assembly line at the same time.
The postponement of the reopening to 25 March was necessary to ensure full compliance with the new guidelines (shared protocol, issued on 14 March), which will require a few more days of work and modifications to the structures.
On the other hand, all activities related to the development of new products and market support continue, in compliance with the rules of conduct against the spread of the virus, making extensive use of smart working technology.
