Ducati reportedly up for sale

Added on Monday, August 15th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

Ducati may soon be up for sale, according to report, with its current owners looking to sell the Italian manufacturer for around £875m.

According to reports in the Independent, private equity group Investindustrial, which has owned Ducati for the past three years, is said to be readying it for sale after making £79m last year.

It is believed that the manufacturer is looking to make significant inroads into the booming Chinese and Indian markets for premium products, a market that is currently being dominated by local manufactures and the Japanese marques.

Founded by three brothers in Bologna in 1926, Ducati manufactured radio components before moving into motorcycle production in 1944, when an engine was developed for a standard pushbike. The company has spent much of its existence under the direct or indirect control of the Italian government and, latterly, various industrial and private equity groups.

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