Ducati to go it alone Down Under

Ducati has now become the second European manufacturer in 2019 to announce it’s establishing a fully owned subsidiary in Australia and New Zealand to replace the current private ownership structure.

KTM was the first to make the move, and now Ducati has followed suit – spelling the end of a 55-year partnership with the Sydney-based NF Importers, which has been distributing the Italian hardware Down Under since 1964.

The new business structure will begin on April 1, 2020, with NF Importers to maintain its relationship with the parent company through its four directly owned Ducati dealerships.

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The new Ducati subsidiary will be under the leadership of Sergi Canovas, who has been the boss at the company's Indian operation for the last three years.

“I am extremely happy and honored to take this responsibility. Ducati has been well represented by NF Importers and I am looking forward to continue the fruitful relationship with them on the retail side,” said Canovas.

“Establishing the subsidiary in Australia and New Zealand will assert the brand’s DNA and values of Ducati, translating them into an enhanced experience for all our Ducatisti across Australia and New Zealand.”

NF Importers Managing Director, Warren Fraser, will farewell Ducati at the distributor level with a great sense of pride.

“I believe that we have represented the Ducati brand very successfully in good and bad market conditions since 1964 and have established the Ducati brand as one of the predominant prestige motorcycle marques in Australia and more recently New Zealand,” he said.

“We have built the brand… from virtually nil in this country to where it is today. We have put an estimated 55,000 Ducati motorcycles into the Australian and New Zealand markets, we have consistently been one of the highest achieving countries in terms of market share, and we have built a large and loyal band of Ducatisti.”