New Husqvarna owner Pierer Industries has announced that the brand will absorb KTM’s Husaberg subsidiary when it completes a move to the KTM base at Mattighofen in Austria, as a new entity called Husqvarna Sportmotorcycle GmbH. A fresh Husqvarna-badged range of enduro, motocross and kids’ off-roaders, using Husaberg’s technology platform, will then be launched at the EICMA Milan show in November. A supermoto offering is also on the cards.
Husaberg was originally founded by Swedish ex-Husqvarna engineer and enduro star Thomas Gustavsson in 1988, after Cagiva bought the Husqvarna motorcycle business and transferred its operations from Sweden to Italy. KTM subsequently acquired Husaberg in 1995 and took it to Austria.
After some 212 production workers have been made redundant following the closure of Husqvarna’s Italian plant and legacy bike stock still warehoused there has been sold off, only parts supply and warranty support covering pre-2013 Husqvarna machines will remain at Cassinetta di Biandronno in Italy, employing about 30 people.