NOW
IN OUR
29th
YEAR
™
THE LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE AND PARTS INDUSTRY
H-D Business Overhaul Intended to "Rewire
The Company for Success" - 'Hardwire'
5-year Strategic Plan Due by Year End
Harley-Davidson has announced
some of the actions it has taken
to "rewire the company", stating
that it is "setting the foundation
for a 5-year plan as the most
desirable motorcycle brand in
the world." The company has
also reported 2020 financial
results for Q2 and the ongoing
actions it is taking to manage the
impacts of COVID-19 on its
business.
"I'm very pleased with our
accomplishments in these times of
extraordinary challenges and
uncertainty," said Jochen Zeitz,
Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-
Davidson. "Through all of this, we
have made significant progress
toward the goals of The Rewire, the
positive feedback from key
stakeholders and the early impacts we
are seeing in the marketplace are very
encouraging.
"A total rewire is necessary to make
Harley-Davidson a high-performance
company. Building on our strong brand
legacy, we are reinvigorating our core
profit driving business - powered by
our strongest dealers, most exciting
'VisiOne'
products and careful inventory
management, while focusing on the
most important opportunities for
future expansion.
"We're overhauling our operating
model and our product plan and are
rewiring our market structure and
organization to focus on the strengths
of our brand and company. We are
now working on our new 5-year
strategic plan, The Hardwire, which
will be grounded in enhancing the
refined
line-up,
high-impact
launches
desirability of our brand and
protecting the value of our iconic
products."
At the heart of the new operating
model is a much needed and long
overdue reduction of complexity and
an ability to react to business needs
and opportunities with increased
speed.
"Vast changes to the company's
operating model under The Rewire
include all areas of the business
globally, from commercial operations
to center-led support functions.
Significant work has been undertaken
to eliminate duplication, inefficiencies
and complexity throughout the
organization. As previously
announced, the streamlined structure
requires 700 fewer positions across
our global operations."
The company says it also plans to
"rewire its product offering to more
precisely match customer desires and
to strengthen the value of its
products" with a refined motorcycle
line-up and high impact product
launches. The company says it will also
improve product timing and go-tomarket
plans "to achieve the greatest
market impact."
Highlights of the new approach
include streamlining planned
motorcycle models by
approximately 30 percent;
balancing investments between
current stronghold categories
Continues on page 8 >>>
SEPT 2020
ISSUE #254
PAGES 20-23
INDIAN JD 107 LE
BY KLOCK
INDIAN S&S
This is 'VisiOne' by Debenedetti & Fiordi
Designers in Italy - an exceptional 1,600
cc Buell XB12 - see pages 32/33 …