Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Donut Media
Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson on Thursday, May 19, released a statement saying it will officially suspend assembling and shipping new units for two weeks except for its electric models due to supply chain issues. The move affects both its Wisconsin and Pennsylvania plants.
According to the seasoned motorbike maker, a third-party supplier it didn’t mention was facing a regulatory compliance issue with a component. Harley-Davidson did not offer a further explanation about the matter, which speaks volumes about the seriousness of the problem.
Harley-Davidson isn’t the only vehicle manufacturer facing such snags. Parts shortages have plagued the auto industry and international supply chain since the onset of the global pandemic in 2020.
In the statement, the iconic motorbike maker announced the suspension of motorbike assembly and shipments for a period of two weeks. Still, when local Pennsylvania news station Fox43 spoke to officials, they said the closures could last for the unseeable future, Ride Apart reported.
Jaime Katz, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar, said there is no indication of how the suspension will affect the units already made.
Last month, in its first-quarter financial results, Harley-Davidson highlighted the impacts of the industry-wide chip shortage and production halts on its margins and sales. Motorcycle sales in North America were down 5% between 2021 to 2022. The motorcycle company said dealers had low inventory due to the shortages.
Jochen Zeitz, Harley-Davidson CEO, during the company’s April 27 earnings call, said they expect supply challenges to continue disrupting the industry.
On Thursday morning, the motorbike company’s stocks were trading at $32.60 a share. The stock lost about 20% of its value in April.
It’s not the first time the motorcycle maker is making a hard decision to halt production and supply. In March 2020, the company closed production in U.S. manufacturing facilities to help contain the global pandemic.
Harley-Davidson isn’t the only vehicle manufacturer facing such snags. Parts shortages have plagued the auto industry and international supply chain since the onset of the global pandemic in 2020.
In the statement, the iconic motorbike maker announced the suspension of motorbike assembly and shipments for a period of two weeks. Still, when local Pennsylvania news station Fox43 spoke to officials, they said the closures could last for the unseeable future, Ride Apart reported.
Jaime Katz, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar, said there is no indication of how the suspension will affect the units already made.
Last month, in its first-quarter financial results, Harley-Davidson highlighted the impacts of the industry-wide chip shortage and production halts on its margins and sales. Motorcycle sales in North America were down 5% between 2021 to 2022. The motorcycle company said dealers had low inventory due to the shortages.
Jochen Zeitz, Harley-Davidson CEO, during the company’s April 27 earnings call, said they expect supply challenges to continue disrupting the industry.
On Thursday morning, the motorbike company’s stocks were trading at $32.60 a share. The stock lost about 20% of its value in April.
It’s not the first time the motorcycle maker is making a hard decision to halt production and supply. In March 2020, the company closed production in U.S. manufacturing facilities to help contain the global pandemic.
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