GIVI Magazine - Dicembre 2020

FROM RACER TO ENTREPRENEUR OUR TOP CASES LAST FOR 40 YEARS: LET ME TELL YOU WHY… How have you been coping with the health crisis? “Here in Italy, we’ve been at a complete standstill for almost 2 months. Overseas, however, Covid-19 has progressed differently and at different times: in Brazil, we reopened in July, just as we did in Malaysia and in Vietnam. England, unfortunately, is still in a state of paralysis. This at least allowed us to avoid a total shut-down, thanks to the staggered sequence of closures and re-openings”. So, Italy is not the only country you manufacture in? “Manufacturing for Givi mainly takes place here, in Brescia, as does all the distribution for Europe. Then we also have other production sites; in Brazil, for example, serving all of South America, which is practically a continent. We also have production facilities in Malaysia, in Vietnam and in Tunisia; as a group, we have around 800 employees”. Has e-commerce helped to cushion the blow at all? “We don’t sell directly, although e-commerce has helped us achieve good results with our branches in Nevada and in North Carolina, USA”. As a Grand Prix sponsor and enthusiast, how do you feel about its return? “It’s better than nothing, but it’s not the same thing: holding the races in the same few places and without spectators undeniably detracts from it...” Giuseppe Visenzi carries his 79 years exceptionally well. With his passion for motorcycles, racing and flying (he personally pilots his own single-engine aircraft), before he became Mr. Givi (the name of the company is taken from his initials) he was one of the fastest “private” Italian racers on the scene. He took part in the Grand Prix motorcycle races between 1962 and 1970, in the 125 cc, 250 cc and 350 cc classes. His best result came in 1969, when he finished third overall on a Yamaha 350 cc. In the photograph, he can be seen in an interview with our editor-in-chief, Federico Aliverti. And aside from the world of racing, how has the recovery been in the motorcycle sector? “What I see is a great longing for freedom, to embrace the motorcycle lifestyle more intensely than ever. This directly translates into a rebound in the market. In May, and particularly in June, we reported really significant revenues”. What are the values of Givi? “Without a doubt it’s the brand, which has been growing for almost 45 years now, and is known all over the world, in addition to a truly vast product range, which is the result of huge investments and the constant efforts of our R&D department”. Any regrets in relation to these years? “We missed out on China. We were the first to go there, around 30 years ago. Given that English wasn’t spoken in China at the time, we hired a young woman from the Brescia area who knew Chinese and brought her there with us to begin laying the foundations for production there. It was a huge success. Then, that young woman had to leave Italy for family reasons. Today it may seem incredible, but in those days it was extremely rare to find somebody in Italy who knew both Italian and Chinese. Naturally, communication became more and more difficult, and we weren’t able to keep going with the project. Sadly, we let many years go by without returning to China. Today, we’re starting up again, gradually expanding our presence more and more”. What is the product you are most passionate about? “The cases, and not just because they are our core business”. Kappa and Hevik are part of the group: where do they fit in? “Kappa is a slightly more accessible brand, while Hevik is dedicated exclusively to riding gear. We are well aware that the clothing market is highly saturated, and we have only been in it for 4 years. Naturally, this requires more effort than the accessory sector, where we have been present for 45 years”. Do you produce more for motorcycle companies or for the aftermarket? “We do a lot of work for bike manufacturers, but certainly not the same volumes as Givi-branded products”. The EICMA show isn’t taking place this year: what effect will its postponement have on your company? “It will be a very detrimental one, because people came to EICMA from all over the world. We will advertise our products with printed materials and other digital tools that we are implementing more and more. Of course, none of this will make up for the loss of the Milan Motorcycle Show, which has been number one in the world since the 1950s”. What is the main advantage of your products? “It’s a mixture of things: a product has to look good as well as being strong and high-quality. Our top cases, that I see everywhere in the streets, are indestructible, but sometimes they are 30 or 40 years old... and when they last for that long, they don’t look so great anymore. We’ve always purchased the best and highest-quality raw materials available on the market, from plastic to steel and aluminium. Only top-level materials, which is why they last so long”. How do you picture Givi in the year 2040? “I have no way of knowing, and I don’t like to think about it because I won’t be here to see it. But my daughter will be here, and my grandchildren, who will be joining the company full-time soon enough. I am sure that they will be able to embrace the mission that I began over 40 years ago and advance it even further”. 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