Fifty Thousand…

…motorcycle units manufactured per year by Hinckley Triumph. That’s as they enter their third decade or reemergence from the seventies implosion. Here’s a well written article from the Leicester Mercury from 12th December:

“Triumph Motorcycles has sold more than 50,000 bikes in a year for the first time since the brand’s rebirth three decades ago. The Hinckley company, bought out of liquidation in 1983 by builder John Bloor, shifted 52,089 bikes in its last financial year, up from 48,957 in the previous 12 months. The 111-year-old marque also made a record turnover of £368 million for the year to June 30, up 7.6 per cent on the previous 12 months.

However, Triumph made a £95,000 operating loss in the same period, down from a £15 million operating profit. Bosses blamed the deficit on foreign currency changes and the cost of setting up major operations in India and Brazil.

They said sales from the firm’s three Thailand factories totaled £225.5 million, accounting for 61 per cent of Triumph’s overall turnover. It was previously 54 per cent. The proportion of bikes sold outside the UK rose from 84.9 per cent to 85.8 per cent.

The company retained its title as the UK’s leading big bike manufacturer. The marque sells 24 models, including the Bonneville and Street Triple.

A Triumph spokesman said the operating loss was in line with expectations.

“Triumph Motorcycles has achieved a record turnover, reflecting a rise in unit sales,” he said. “During the 12 months to November, the company’s global share of the 500cc and above market has increased to 6 per cent from 5.7 per cent.

“In the UK, Triumph has continued to maintain its market position as the UK’s top seller of motorcycles in the 500cc and above market in 2013, retaining a 20 per cent market share.

“The marque has also captured a 3.4 per cent share in Brazil in its first year trading in the 500cc and above market.”

Triumph’s latest financial figures were revealed in documents filed with Companies’ House by Bloor Holdings, of Measham, which owns both Triumph and house-builder Bloor Homes. The house-building business made an operating profit of £38 million for the year to June 30, up 19 per cent. Turnover was £378 million, up from £373 million. A 5 per cent rise in house prices helped offset a 5.1 per cent fall in the number of houses built, which totaled 1,908.

Triumph opened an assembly plant in Brazil this year and has just opened a plant in Manesar, in the north Indian state of Haryana. The motorcycle maker, founded in Coventry in the late 19th century, plans to enter more emerging markets, including China and Indonesia.”

Onwards and Upwards:
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2 Comments to “Fifty Thousand…”

  1. That says just about everything..
    I’ve known about the Thai’ connection since the Bonneville line went there in 2006.. only thro’ MCN tho’. The give-away is that the “Made in England” sticker on the front downtube was removed in 2006.. apparently.
    There are still dealers here, there’s one in my home town.. who play down the foreign manufacturing for fear it hurts sales to would be classic buyers.. I don’t think it matters in a “Global” world.. do you.?
    But at the UK bike show, Triumph senior personnel will tell you openly that they design a model, thoroughly test it, build a production line and iron out the bugs, give it up to a year or so.. then move the whole line abroad, with it’s managers, till it’s settled over a period in it’s new home. Then back home with the development team, and next model please.! Easy as that.. but clearly, not all models go abroad.. tho’ I’m not sure what or where just now..?
    The old UK bike industry was dead by the 70’s.. still gasping, but dead. They always used outside suppliers for big and small lumps of the bikes they built. It could reasonably be said that in reality most UK bikes were nothing more than put together as a sort of meccano..? Most Velo’ bits for instance came from outside contractors..
    Is there a great deal of difference today, Italian firms use “oriental.?” electrics [their own are the worst ever.?] suspension units the same, or Ohlins from Sweden.. and so on. Perhaps BMW is the last European producer using mostly home-grown stuff, tho’ of course they too use Ohlins for high-end models etc..
    Triumph is no longer “Ours”.. and it hasn’t been since the old Meriden models totally ceased production with Les Harris..
    But the scale of the Thai’ input is staggering.. and that is before the Indian units come on-stream.
    Indian websites have for years been shouting for western bikes as tho’ they are god-given.. and they are desperate for Harleys..!!
    They can have them..lol
    Let’s see what they make of Triumph.. I think it is fairly clear where the new 250 is aimed at.. as I have said before, I just wish that Triumph had sorted out its 250, then a 500, years ago and grabbed the riding schools when Honda backed out. That was their entree into that market and easy sales catchment from there.. but Honda has come back with a new CB500 and sales are up and away.. So Triumph eh.?
    Tiger Cub anyone.?
    Miaoooooow..
    Best regards
    B

  2. A great comment B, other than the unwarranted bagging of HD…….Live and Let (Live to Ride)… Cheers, L

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