Piaggio Confident About Aprilia Deal
Italian entrepreneur Roberto Colaninno told reporters his Piaggio SpA scooter-maker will clinch a deal to buy troubled motorbike-maker Aprilia by the end of October. If Piaggio’s offer goes ahead, no jobs would be cut at Aprilia, nor would any of the Italian manufacturer’s brands or core assets be sold off, he said. “We see Aprilia as a fundamental part of our plan and have no intention of selling it off in parts,” Colaninno said. “This is not a financial operation.”
At the same time, he downplayed a rival offer from Ducati Motor Holding SpA (DMH), saying it “is not comparable to ours.”
Meanwhile, Ducati Chairman Federico Minoli said his company’s offer to buy Aprilia remained valid, adding Ducati would also be interested in buying just the Moto Guzzi brand Aprilia owns.
