Following the closure of the Borgo Panigale factory production line on March 13 due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, Ducati is planning on restart production on March 25. Production was shut down “to implement a series of protocols and actions on the production lines, to further increase the safety level of workers and to introduce a multi-shift work program to halve the number of people on the assembly line at the same time,” according to Ducati sources.
Ducati had been monitoring workers in Emilia-Romagna factory in northern Italy since February 24. “The most important was the measurement of the temperature at each person entering the plant,” a Ducati spokesman said. “Access was limited to necessary personnel, a strong urge to work from home, meetings with reduction of participants and distance between them and cafeteria with special procedures and revision of shifts to reduce close contact between people.”
“I am proud of how Ducati’s workers are facing this difficult moment for our country,” CEO of Ducati Motor Holding Claudio Domenicali said. “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 organizing ourselves to be ready for the restart and, even in this period of downtime, we will not fail to provide support.”
R&D continues, though more work will be done off-site for the time being. According to Ducati, “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 work from home technology.”
