You could say that Italian bike manufacturer Fantic was the come-back kid of the early 21st century and, unlike some, its 50-plus year pedigree remains pretty much intact. However, the brand hadn’t been available in the UK for more than 15 years prior to being taken up by its present distributor. By 2014 the company was virtually on the floor but still producing some bikes with a staff of about ten, most of whom were looking for a way out. Enter senior ex-management from Aprilia and BMW/Husqvarna, who put a refinancing proposition together for a venture capital company – and it worked. Put into numbers, turnover in 2014 was €800,000, while last year it was in excess of €40m…
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