- This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 9 months ago by
.
- Posts
After nearly fifteen years of US ownership, Norton, the quintessential and most famous of British motorcycle brands returns home.
As a result of prolonged negotiations and a multi-million pound deal we can announce that the Norton motorcycle brand is, at last, back in caring British hands.
Stuart Garner a UK based businessman and owner of Norton Racing Ltd has bought back all the trademarks and development work relating to the Norton, Manx, Atlas, Commando and Dominator brands.
Norton Racing Ltd is already in development of a new rotary engined race bike and now with the ownership of the brand itself plans are being developed to introduce a new road bike for 2009.
‘This has been a challenging and exciting period for us’ Commented Garner ‘We are proud to have brought the brands back home and we now intend to focus on re-establishing Norton as a premier motorcycling brand across the World’ he added.
In the early nineties the brands were bought by Norton Motorcycles Inc in the USA with the view of developing a new Commando road bike for the US market. Nearly $10 million was spent on IP, design and development, and this development work has formed part of the new deal. The investment can now be brought to bear on the new global project for the Norton Commando 961.
Norton intend to develop a strong presence on the track and on the road during 2009 with a new 15000 sq foot factory and office complex based at Donington Park – Norton are at the heart of motorcycle racing once again and committed to investment to make the initiative work.
As well as creating a new ‘state of the art’ road bike the Norton brands will see a vigourous licensing programme through Norton Global Brands to safeguard and develop licensing of all kinds from spare parts to clothing.
Commenting on the programme Garner said ‘Our trade marks and brand have incredible strength and value, we will strongly enforce our position as the new owners of these world famous brands and ensure our new partners benefit from a robust protection programme going forward’.‘This is the beginning of a new and exciting era in a brand that was started over 100 years ago by James Lansdowne Norton. It has sustained ups and downs over the years but still stands for performance and excellence. These will be the standards we live by from now on’ stated Garner.
Official Site
Lets hope with the Marques return they can make a go of it. There’s certainly a fine Pedigree to follow.
This is good news. It will be great to see a Norton brnded bike back in the market place alongside Triumph.
Good stuff TT07, but it will be tough for them to get establish themselves, here is the article in full:
A UK businessman has bought the iconic Norton motorcycle brand, intent on returning the company to its former glory. So, is its future as bright as its past?
It stormed to victory in the Isle of Man’s first TT race, delighted generations of speed demons and carried Che Guevara through South America.
The mere mention of the name Norton brings a glint to the eye of many men of a certain age.
Of all the marques associated with the post-war “golden age” of British motorcycles, it is Norton whose appeal has endured best.
“When I started biking, Norton was king,” said 63-year-old George Peddie, of the Tay Valley Norton Owners Club.
He bought his first bike in 1963 and recalls the thrill of riding between his home in Perth to the Scottish naval bases at Faslane and Prestwick where he was stationed.
For thousands like him, the magic has never diminished.
“They are superb bikes. They might be getting old but there’s so many Nortons still on the road,” he said.
Mr Peddie owns “only” one these days – a 1987 ex-RAF Interpol 2 – but many fanatics own several and he says the bikes’ longevity is part of the attraction.
“How many foreign-made bikes are still on the roads after 20, 30 or 40 years?”
Set up in 1898 by Birmingham-born James Lansdowne Norton, the company produced its first bike in 1902.
Five years later, a Norton won the twin cylinder class in the first TT race and the company soon built a reputation as one of the best manufacturers of road and race bikes.
It supplied more than a quarter of the British armed forces’ 400,000 motorcycles during World War II and, when racing resumed, remained a sporting force for 20 years.
A Norton carried Britain’s Geoff Duke to world championship success – and an OBE – in both the 350cc and 500cc classes in 1952.
“While it was winning, the man in the street wanted one,” said John Morgan, of the national Norton Owners Club.
Despite lacking the power of four-cylinder Italian rivals, its superior handling allowed it to take corners so quickly that it punched above its weight for a decade.
However, by the mid-1970s, the brand was suffering like much of Britain’s manufacturing industry.
Sales fell as Japanese competitors churned out superior models at lower prices and Norton’s ageing production methods left it unable to compete, said Mr Morgan.
A government-backed merger with fellow fallen giants Triumph failed to revive its fortunes and by 1976 it had all but disappeared.
It spluttered on in various guises but finally went into liquidation in 1992 after Sir John Harvey Jones declared it a lost cause on his BBC Troubleshooter programme.
Despite this, the marque retained its romance.
Mr Morgan said: “During the 1990s, the classic bike movement grew apace.
“Baby boomers who, as teenagers, could never afford to buy a bike suddenly found they had the kids off their hands, money to spare and could indulge in the fantasies of their youth.”
The UK owners club has more than 4,000 members and there are similar branches across Europe, in the US, South America and Japan.
That is the market that Stuart Garner, 39, hopes to tap into.
The Derbyshire-based entrepreneur invested millions of pounds into buying the brand from the US owners who took control 15 years ago.
With that comes the design for a retro sports version of the popular 1960s and 70s Commando model that the Americans had spent $9million developing.
“We have an instant customer base and the brand is really strong still so it’s up to me to make sure we don’t ruin it,” said Mr Garner.
While full of admiration for the resurgent Triumph, relaunched by property magnate John Bloor in 1995 and planning to increase production to 100,000 bikes per year, he will not copy its model.
“I don’t want to take Norton mass-production. It’s got to be a niche product,” said Mr Garner.
Norton will move into a 15,000-square foot factory alongside the paddock at Donnington Park, where it will develop the NRV588 racer in time for next season.
Mr Garner hopes to be selling Commandos by next summer, followed by a road-going version of the NRV588, and create 100 jobs in the process.
According to Motor Cycle News’ Andy Downes, the test of Norton’s comeback will be its quality.
“A new Norton has to encapsulate its British heritage without seeming too old. It’ll be a fine balancing act.
“They need the product to be top class because no-one will spend a lot of money on them if they’re not.
“But they have a good engineering team behind them and it’s still one of the best-loved brands in existence.”
Mr Peddie, however, remains sceptical.
“I would love to see Norton back in business but it’s been tried several times and never reappeared.”
They are trying to hire engine designers and some other engineers too
Power Train Design Engineer :
The role of Design Engineer at Norton is an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to join a small close knit team of industry professionals in a fast moving and dynamic environment, working with one of the most passionate and exciting names in the motorcycling industry here at Donington Park.The role would consist of engine design and validation from concept through to production and production support, including scheming and detailed component engineering of the Power Train using the latest 3D CAD software (Pro E). Experience within a production vehicle or motorsport engine design department is essential.
Norton invites applicants from all engineering backgrounds however a practical experience of automotive fundamentals would be of great benefit as would a working knowledge of 3D CAD systems, the candidate must be a team player and posses and excellent work ethic.
Salary package dependent on previous skills and experience.
If you would like to apply for this job, please send your C.V. to: [email protected]
Source:
https://www.nortonmotorcycles.com/jobs/power-train-design-engineer.php
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.