International Dealer News IDN 155 June/July 2020 | Page 21

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Piaggio Group Chair/CEO Roberto
Colaninno: "Despite the dreadful
emergency created by the world
pandemic, the Piaggio Group has
successfully passed the first-quarter
test and is investing in the future in
terms of sustainable, technologically
advanced mobility for people as
well as for goods transportation."
The figure includes spares and
accessories, on which turnover totalled
€12.1m.
At a geographical level, growth was
reported on the American market
(+26.5% shipments; +18% net sales),
whereas the EMEA market slowed
(-46.2% shipments; -7.4% net sales).
In India in the first quarter of 2020 the
Piaggio Group sold 37,400
commercial vehicles, with a reduction
of 14.4% in net sales. The PVPL
subsidiary had an overall share of
24.3% of the Indian three-wheeler
market and confirmed its leadership in
the Cargo segment with a share of
47.2%, up from 44.8% in the first
quarter of 2019.
Piaggio is working on a project for the
development and production of a new
range of light commercial four-wheel
vehicles - the new Porter. The new
vehicle will be produced at the
Pontedera, Pisa factory with
operations expected to begin by the
end of 2020.
Production in the Group's Italian
factories was suspended from Monday
23 March 2020 to 3 May 2020. On
Monday 4 May, after implementing
numerous procedures and measures to
guarantee maximum safety for the
health of its workers, Piaggio reopened
its production plants in Italy (Piaggio -
Pontedera - Pisa), Aprilia (Noale and
Scorzè - Venice) and Moto Guzzi
(Mandello del Lario – Lecco).
At the Group level, the return on net
sales was 28.3% (30% at 31 March
2019). Profit before tax in the first
quarter was € 5.2m, a reduction of
63.3% from € 14.2m in the yearearlier
period. Piaggio reported a net
profit for the first quarter of 2020 of
€3.1m (€7.8m in the first quarter of
2019).
Piaggio defends
Vespa design
rights at EUIPO
Following the confiscation of a
counterfeit Vespa design
knock-off at EICMA last
November, a design registered
by a Chinese company has
been declared invalid by the
European Union Intellectual
Property Office (EUIPO).
Like many, Piaggio faces a
constant and ongoing fight to
secure its rights, winning more
than 50 cases against
counterfeiters and IP
infringements in the last two
years alone.
Piaggio said that a design
registered by a Chinese party,
used to justify the production
of scooters similar to the Vespa
and exhibited at the EICMA
2019 (which were removed by
the authorities at the
exhibition centre after Piaggio
lodged a complaint) has been
declared invalid by the
invalidity division of the EUIPO.
The counterfeit registration
was annulled since it was
“incapable of eliciting a
different general impression
with respect to the registered
design” of the Vespa
Primavera, with the invalidity
division pointing out that the
registration was an unlawful
attempt to reproduce the
scooter’s aesthetic elements.
"The Vespa Primavera is
protected by the design
registered by the Piaggio
Group in 2013, by the threedimensional
trademark of the
Vespa scooter and by the
copyright that safeguards the
artistic value of the shape of
the Vespa, a style icon since
1946. The invalidity
proceedings are part of the
wider activities against
counterfeiting undertaken by
the Piaggio Group for years.
"This includes continuous
monitoring of the databases of
internationally registered
designs and trademarks, which,
as a result of the opposition
proceedings initiated by
Piaggio, has led to the
cancellation of more than 50
trademarks registered by third
parties in the last two years".
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JUNE/JULY 2020 21