Even though the world’s biggest trade shows are not scheduled until the fall of 2020, BMW and now KTM/Husky have announced they are pulling out of both INTERMOT and EICMA. “Trade shows are key business milestones for the entire motorcycle industry, but given the situation, public health and the welfare of our staff are higher priorities over the coming months,” says Hubert Trunkenpolz, KTM AG CMO.
“We have taken this course of action with a great deal of thought and, as a company, KTM AG would be pleased and interested if show promoters, EICMA in particular, would simply consider moving dates to 2021, where we hope and expect the situation to be settled and back to normal.”
According to Trunkenpolz, KTM assessed its 2020 strategy and made several key decisions in the wake of COVID-19 impacting public health, communities, the motorcycle industry and business on a global scale. In the best interest of employees and customers, the company will withdraw from global trade shows for the rest of the year, including INTERMOT in Cologne, Germany and the EICMA exhibition in Milan, Italy.
“The proper planning of such events is currently at risk due to the uncertainty surrounding public gathering restrictions in most countries. The annual success of these indoor shows also sees hundreds of thousands of visitors gathering in enclosed spaces for a period lasting days and even weeks. For these reasons, KTM AG have identified their exclusion as way to contribute towards a safe and strong return to normal activity.”
In typical KTM style, the firm will push ahead with current and future projects in order to provide the motorcycling market with exciting and innovative models and look for the best ways to show-off these developments. The KTM AG board of directors wish to communicate that the coming months represent a small squeeze on the brake, but hands are very much poised on the throttle for the rest of 2020.