Harley-Davidson India Operations Shutdown, Employees To Be Laid Off

Harley-Davidson has announced today that it will shutdown its India operations and as a consequence layoff employees.

In a statement, the firm has said that its manufacturing facility at Bawal, Haryana will be closed and the size of its sales office in Gurgaon will “significantly reduce”. Harley-Davidson also added that it is changing its business model in India and evaluating options to serve its customers.

Moreover, the company is communicating with its customers in India and promises to keep them updated on future support. The Harley-Davidson dealer network will continue to serve customers through the contract term.

No detail is known about the severance package offered to the employees who will be laid off and also about the future of its assembly unit situated at Bawal in Haryana, that is if it will be sold.

The move has been executed as part of the firm’s “Rewire” programme that focuses on overhauling its operating model and market structure. The Rewire is planned to continue through the end of 2020 and lead to “The Hardwire”, a new strategic plan for 2021-2025 aimed at building desirability for the Harley-Davidson brand and products.

It was no secret that Harley-Davidson India operations will be coming to a premature end. The firm had already indicated that it will be focusing on its core markets like the USA and exit loss-making markets like ours.

In recent times, the bikemaker has been witnessing poor sales and while that was one reason for the Milwaukee-based cruiser bike manufacturer to end operations here, another contributor to the problem was a bleak demand outlook which was further exacerbated by COVID-19’s effects.

Harley-Davidson India Operations

• Harley-Davidson has shutdown its India operations
• The American firm will significantly reduce its staff members
• To reroute its focus on markets that will return profits