Following its decision to leave the car-selling business and finishing its bankruptcy metamorphosis, American Suzuki Motor Corporation is now a defunct company, with Suzuki Motor of America officially taking over as Suzuki Motor Corporations’s wholly owned sole-distributor of Suzuki motorcycles, ATVs, marine engines, and automotive parts in the continental United States.
From the desk of the Honorable Scott C. Clarkson of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Santa Ana, American Suzuki Motor Corporation’s plan for Chapter 11 bankruptcy has been approved. Overwhelmingly supported by the company’s creditors, American Suzuki can begin restructuring its business operations in the United States, which will include shutting down the company’s automotive endeavors.
In turn, American Suzuki’s new business focuses on the company’s motorcycle, ATV, marine, automotive parts divisions, and will consist of a new wholy-owned subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation. This new company will operate under in the United States under the new name: Suzuki Motor of America.
Fresh off the moto-press newswires, we get word that Hudson Valley Merchandising LLC, the merchandising arm of Orange County Choppers, has sought protection in bankruptcy court under Chapter 7 of the US Bankruptcy Code.
Listed as having $1.12 million in assets and $1.44 million in debts, Hudson Valley Merchandising LLC will be given a trustee by the court, who will then likely dismantle the company and its assets in order to make the company’s creditors as whole as possible.
Certainly wanting to bury the news in the after-work hours, American Suzuki Motor Corporation has just announced that it is filing for Chapter 11 protections, as the American subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation heads into bankruptcy and business restructuring.
Pivoting its business to focus on marine and motorcycle/ATV sales, Suzuki will wind-down and ultimately stop selling cars in the US market. In its press release, Suzuki says will honor all current warranties, and parts and servicing will continue to be available to Suzuki automobile owners.
Today’s news should have little to no immediate affect for Suzuki motorcycle owners in the USA, as the Chapter 11 proceedings are focused more around Suzuki dumping its failed automotive business here in North America, than anything else.
While it remains to be seen how the Japanese company will restructure its American office, the move in fact could be a boon to motorcyclists, as it could mean some life could be pumped back into ASMC. The American Suzuki office has suffered recently from under-staffing and disorganization, and the company could benefit from a proper reorganization.
Time will tell how effective Suzuki’s restructuring will go, and we certainly haven’t heard the full extent of this news item yet. As the ball of yarn untangles, check out the full press release is after the jump. Suzuki’s letter to motorcycle owners is here, car owners here, and there is also an FAQ.
Finally finding a purchaser at its second auction, Moto Morini has seemingly been given a new lease on life after finding a pair of investors willing to back the Italian brand. Buying the company’s assets, but not the property where it resides, entrepreneurs Sandro Capotosti and Ruggeromassimo Jannuzzelli paid €1.96 million for the Moto Morini name, IP, and other proprietary assets.
With both investors saying they have an emotional tie to Moto Morini motorcycles, they also both come with some serious business acumen. For instance, Capotosti is the former chairman of the Banca Profilo and Jannuzzelli was the former VP and Group CEO of Camuzzi, an Italian energy group.
Zero. Nada. None. That’s the number of offers made on Moto Morni and its facilities during today’s bankruptcy auction proceedings. The beleaguered Italian motorcycle manufacturer has had a rough time of things, since its closure hit the newswires back in December 2009. Several suitors have come to the company’s door, trying to woo it into acquisition. First it was Paolo Berlusconi, who came close to finalizing a purchase of Moto Morini, before the unionized labor put the kibosh on the transaction, and Berlusconi walked from the business deal.
Perhaps unsurprisingly was the failure of any offer from Thomas Bleiner to materialize, despite the Austrain businessman’s great lengths to publicize his intentions of purchasing Moto Morini. Bleiner’s plan involved supplementing the motorcycle company’s income with a bank of solar panels, made by Bleiner’s other venture, that would be affixed to the Bologna factory’s rooftop. As was thought at the time, this announcement appears to be just a move to drum up some publicity for the photovoltic enterprise, and not a serious interest in Moto Morini.
There aren’t a lot of arguments for keeping New Jersey as a state in our more perfect union, and perhaps the only compelling reason for some citizens is to keep the Garden State around so New Yorkers will have somewhere to dump their trash and third-tier reality shows. However one of the shining beacons of hope if you’ve gotten lost on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (and I mean horribly, horribly, horribly lost) is the New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP).
The Millville tracks are relatively new-comers to the area, and have provided entertainment to two & four-wheeled enthusiasts alike since their construction. While NJMP has been “under construction” in some form or another for as long as we can remember, the project has seemingly finally hit the end of its troubled waters, recently filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Moto Morini’s bankruptcy has been going painfully slow, but it’s all about to come to a head, as the Italian company will be put up on the auction block April 13th. The Super-Saver Moto Morini package includes all the appropriate intellectual property, assets, and equipment (sans motorcycles, which are being sold separately) for the cool sum of €5.5 million. Should no one want the whole kit ‘n kaboodle, a cheaper price of €2.6 million will be set for the production complex with two years use included. These prices are of course the auction’s guide prices.
Don’t get too excited Moto Morini fans, the Italian brand isn’t making a comeback from the dead as of yet. However Piero Aicardi, Moto Morini’s receiver (the person in charge of handling the company’s affairs during the liquidation/bankruptcy process), wants to re-open the Bologna factory to assemble 45 bikes that are apparently sitting in parts at the factory.
With 16 Scamblers and 29 Granpasso’s capable of being built, Aicardi foresees that Moto Morini could open temporarily to build the 45 bikes, which would sell for €6,300 – €7,100 ($8,500 – $9,600), and use the proceeds to pay off some of Moto Morini’s debts.
UPDATE: Moto Morini’s liquidator has now announced that all the available units have been sold.
As the dust continues to settle around Moto Morini, the Italian marque sees an expiration date looming in its future. Pushing its final days into September of this year, as the company looks for a new potential buyer, assets of this motorcycling misadventure continue to be sold. While many were upset at Moto Morini closing its doors, the good news is that the company has an ample stock of bikes, which it is now selling for severely discounted prices.
Beleaguered French motorcycle company Voxan has found life after death, and today was acquired by Venturi Automobiles. Backed by an investment group in Monaco, Venturi itself was resurrected back in 2001, but with new cash in-hand the company sees motorcycles as a way to bolster its portfolio.
The French conglomerate has released some interesting plans for its newly acquired motorcycle company, namely that it hopes to have Voxan release a production electric motorcycle in the next three years.