British motorcycle brand Norton Motorcycles, which is owned by India's TVS Motor Company since April 2020, has now moved to the brand's new headquarters in Solihull, West Midlands, UK. The new facility has opened in March 2021, and is a world-class manufacturing facility "that is designed (initially) for building orders we have for the current product line-up, and then the range of new products that we'll be launching in the future," the company said in a statement. The new Norton headquarters is described as "the most high-tech and advanced production facility" the iconic motorcycle brand has ever had.
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New CEO John Russell was appointed after India's TVS Motor Company acquired Norton Motorcycles in 2020
"We are in a fantastic position because we have an iconic heritage to work with, alongside the support of TVS Motors with their established reputation, which means we can focus on innovating whilst nurturing the Norton legacy. I'm excited to have a growing team of experts who are passionate about creating a future for Norton that lives up to your highest expectations," said Norton Motorcycles CEO John Russell.
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New Norton Motorcycles headquarters will also house the state-of-the-art production facility
Norton Motorcycles intend to be fully functional at the new facility by the end of March 2021. The new Solihull facility will be the central hub for all Norton activity, from the showroom and sales floor, to design and engineering, and the marketing and support teams. According to Norton, the new facility has invested in brand-new, cutting-edge equipment for the skilled production team to begin manufacturing "the best Norton motorcycles in history."
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The headquarters will be home to design, engineering, purchasing, sales, marketing, and support teams
While Norton Motorcycles will focus on honouring customer orders which were taken before TVS acquired the brand, that is just the beginning of the brand's operations. Norton has filed trademark applications for several new names, possibly to be used in a range of new motorcycle models which will be launched in the near future. The names filed in the trademark applications are taken from Norton's illustrious history, and include 'Norton Electra', 'Norton Fastback', 'Norton Navigator', 'Norton Nomad', 'Norton Ranger' and 'Combat'. Clearly, the next five years in Norton's modern history will be interesting to watch, where this iconic British motorcycle brand heads into, in the global motorcycling industry.
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New Norton factory will have state-of-the-art equipment
In April 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, TVS Motor Company acquired Norton Motorcycles in an all-cash deal of GBP 16 million (around Rs. 153 crore), saving the beleaguered British motorcycle brand from imminent collapse. Immediately after TVS Motor Company's acquisition, Norton Motorcycles started expanding its workforce, as well as making some positive announcements, to meet standing orders of customers which the new management was not legally bound to honour. With Norton now moving to a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and strategic headquarters, another brand new chapter in the British motorcycle brand's history is about to begin.
