Italian motorcycle brand Fantic Motor will acquire 100 per cent shares of Motori Minarelli by the end of 2020. Motori Minarelli is owned by Yamaha, and the transaction will see the expansion of the strategic partnership between Yamaha Europe and Fantic Motor to expand in the field of motorcycles, and also focus on the future goal of producing electric-powered motors. According to a joint press release, Yamaha recognises Fantic's "deep market knowledge, innovation and proactivity", while Yamaha provides "reputation, high quality and strong manufacturing expertise."
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By acquiring Minarelli, Fantic gets access to "a skilled workforce, an updated industrial asset to support its growth, the increase of industrial and R&D capacity, and the access to selected Yamaha engines and components with the latest technologies." The expansion of the strategic partnership is also in line with Yamaha's ongoing global strategy for engine manufacturing, which leverages efficiency gains through global implementation of platform engine manufacturing, and capacity optimisation.
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Fantic Motor is an Italian brand associated with trials bikes, but has since the late 1990s started building a wide range of motorcycles, from 50 cc choppers to enduro racers. Motori Minarelli has a rich history starting in 1951, and has focused its efforts on building two-stroke motors for other companies, including Fantic. In 1990, Minarelli began a business relationship with Yamaha, and in 2002, Motori Minarelli became a member of the Yamaha Group. With the sale of Minarelli to Fantic, Yamaha will be looking to leverage some of the engine development capabilities of the Italian brand, with a future goal being quite possibly the production of electric-powered motors, in addition to supplying traditional engines to existing customers.
