Malaguti Motorcycles is a family-owned Italian scooter and motorcycle company which is based in San Lazzaro di Savena and was founded by Antonino Malaguti Motorcycles in 1930.
Starting as a simple bicycle shop in 1930, Malaguti Motorcycles has grown over the last 75 years to spread out to two factories which are located just outside of Bologna, Italy. The first factory, which is located at San Lazzaro di Savena, occupies 25,000 square meters and is the main corporate headquarters, as well as parts warehousing, sales offices, and production engineering and prototypes workshop. The second facility is located at Castel San Pietro Terme houses in which they have four assembly lines, a pre-assembling division and a plastic injection workshop division. The total of these two factories is over 60,000 square meters, which together with 270 employees and a profit of 108 million euro in 2003, means that Malaguti Motorcycles is among the largest companies in its region and not to mention the largest motorcycle manufacturer.
Malaguti Motorcycles had to stop production until the end of the Second World War due to the occupation by the German Troops in Italy which was invaded as well as after the war, while the owners hid in the mountains waiting for the retreating Germans. Unlike Ducati, the Malaguti Motorcycles factory was not bombed by Allied Forces as it was not seen as a significant threat. Starting around the 1950's, Malaguti Motorcycles also produced and sold many items for the Sachs Company in Germany.
In the 1960's and 1970's, Malaguti Motorcycles would benefit from another war; the Vietnam War in which over 70 percent of their first scooters were to be exported to the Vietnam Region.
Malaguti Motorcycles were imported into the U.S. during the 1970's OPEC oil embargo. This was to be the first major economical boom for Malaguti Motorcycles since the Vietnam War ended. Malaguti Motorcycle's sales soared thanks to the thousands of mopeds being sent to California and other states to help the Americans survive during the OPEC oil embargo. Malaguti Motorcycles had not had such a hit since its first moped with any new product.
After the gas crisis ended and the demand for the Malaguti Motorcycles dirt bikes and mopeds had died off, they had managed to receive some minor dirt bike orders during the 1980's.
In 1999 there was an increase in the demand for Italian scooters due primarily to government incentives which had allowed the scooter sales to reach an all time high. Joel Martin, who was a marketing student, noticed this and began the operation of bringing one of the oldest scooter brands back to America.
Malaguti Motorcycles USA opened their doors in 2001 and quickly became the exclusive North American Distributor for Malaguti Motorcycles, allowing the company to enjoy great success early on, thanks to being featured in E! Entertainment, Playboy, and the US Motorcycle press.
In cooperation with Ducati North America, Malaguti Motorcycles was able to quickly expand its North American presence and by 2001 the high demand for European scooters, made Malaguti Motorcycles an instant hit.
The 9-11 Terrorist Attacks on the Twin Towers almost closed Malaguti Motorcycles down as stores across the country began to close or lose sales following the crisis.
Malaguti Motorcycles USA survived this crisis but the increasing pressures from the new inexpensive Chinese products in 2002 and the higher costs of production in Italy made it impossible to continue after 2005.
The Malaguti Motorcycles now has over 4 factories, 400 employees and a 1999 turnover of 155 million Euros which places Malaguti Motorcycles among the best companies in the Emilia Romagna Region of Italy.
Malaguti Motorcycles are still in production today in Italy.
Original Authors: Nicholas
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 08/06/2008
