Bajaj Auto inks partnership with UK's Triumph

In a development that would change competition in the motorcycle manufacturing sector, India’s second largest manufacturer Bajaj Auto has inked a deal with with iconic British brand Triumph Motorcycles, for the manufacturing of mid-capacity motorcycles - leading to a tough time to some of the leading players in the sector.

“The objective of this non-equity partnership is to deliver a range of outstanding mid-capacity motorcycles benefiting from the collective strengths of both the companies,” Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto Ltd and Nick Bloor, CEO, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd, said in a joint statement, on Tuesday.

The brief statement, however, did not spell anything on financial details - though it clearly mentions manufacturing of ‘mid-capacity motorcycles’. “We hope to bring to bear upon global markets the individual strengths of the partners, including brand position and perception, design and development technology, quality and cost competitiveness and worldwide distribution,” the joint statement added.

With this new agreement, Triumph would significantly expand its global reach by entering new high-volume market segments, especially within the emerging markets across the world.
On the other hand, Bajaj Auto would gain access to the iconic Triumph brand, and its great motorcycles, enabling it to offer a wider range of motorcycles within its domestic and international markets.

As far as Bajaj Auto is concerned, its motorcycle icons – Pulsar, Discover, Boxer are top selling brands in many countries; Boxer is a leading motorcycle brand in Africa, and Avenger, Platina and CT100 are iconic brands in India and several other countries.

The company that has recently launched new brands such as V and Dominar motorcycles is the world’s third largest motorcycle manufacturer, India’s second largest manufacturer of motorcycles and the world’s largest manufacturer of three-wheelers with market capitalisation exceeding of £10 billion as on March 31, 2017. It has its manufacturing facilities located at Chakan near Pune, Waluj near Aurangabad, and at Pant Nagar in Uttarakhand.

First established in 1902, Triumph Motorcycles celebrated 115 years of motorcycle manufacturing in 2017. For more than two decades, Triumph Motorcycles has been based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and has produced iconic bikes that perfectly blend authentic design, character, charisma and performance. Building around 65,000 bikes per year, Triumph is the largest British motorcycle manufacturer.