How Triumph is functioning in the meantime

Here’s how Triumph is planning to carry on while rebuilding. It’s a statement in full from the factory.

Internal Arrangements: While they are rebuilding the Jacknell Road factory, Triumph are making internal arrangements to enable motorbike production to come back on stream at the earliest possible date.

Machinery which was affected by smoke and soot in the Jacknell Road factory – known as T1 – is currently being cleaned by a combination of specialist and Triumph staff. The areas affected include the three and four cylinder crankcase and cylinder head lines, the engine assembly, chrome plating plant and the paint shop.

Once cleaned, to allow affected machinery to be recommissioned before rebuilding work is complete, the layout of T1 and that of the company’s latest factory in Normandy Way – known as T2 – will be reorganised so that some equipment can be relocated from T1 to T2.

As the crankcase and cylinder head lines for the twin cylinder engine are already located in T2, this will combine all engine manufacture and assembly processes in T2.

The paintshop, which will remain in Jacknell Road, is expected to be back on line by the end of April. This does not affect the supply of spare painted parts, which are painted by an outside source.

Plans for recommissioning the areas destroyed in the fire – the chassis and final assembly, powder coating and production stores – prior to completion of the new building, are also in place.

The powder coating and chassis assembly will be relocated to areas of T1 that were unaffected by the fire, which will be available because of the move of certain equipment to T2.

The majority of the rebuilt area will become the new production stores and assembly line.

Temporary Stores Arrangements

In preparation for recommencing production in August, Triumph have rented a unit at Magna Park in Lutterworth as a temporary stores facility. This unit is fully computerised, including links into Triumph’s systems.

It will receive all deliveries of production stock until the rebuilding of T1 is complete and new racking is in place.

This means that Triumph can continue to receive parts deliveries that were scheduled for the next few months without interruption, thus securing the stock necessary for production to recommence starting September.

This policy will also protect Triumph’s suppliers against loss of business and ensure the future supply of components, particularly those from smaller, specialist companies.

To ensure that Triumph’s high quality standards are maintained within this period, company inspection staff will be working at the Magna Park facility.

Once the new warehousing is in place at T1, stock will revert to being delivered into T1. The Magna Park facility will continue to feed production until stock is exhausted by which the time the T1 facility will be fully stocked and operational.

Manufacturing Arrangements: Manufacturing at T2 has not been interrupted and is ongoing to ensure the continued supply of spare parts and to build adequate stocks of components for when production recommences.

Design and development facilities were unaffected and continue to operate as usual. If anything, development of new models may be slightly accelerated, as the department currently does not have to respond to any production issues.

The spare parts, accessories and clothing distribution operations are unaffected and are supplying stock as usual.

Office functions are fully operational and working from temporary offices at T2.

Plans for the company’s limited component manufacturing facility in Thailand were unaffected by the fire. As announced last September, this facility will be producing some components towards the second half of this year, controlled by Triumph engineers and personnel.

Production Arrangements: Production will recommence starting September. Initially, the plant will operate at 25% capacity, building up to full production over a twelve week period.

During these initial weeks, Triumph will produce a mixture of all models and all market specifications to ensure a fair distribution of product.

While Triumph have stock of most models at the present time – except the Speed Four and Bonneville models, which are in very short supply – they anticipate that stocks will run very low by the time production recommences. In fairness to customers, delivery of stock within each market will be prioritised to meet retail orders.

Staff Arrangements: Staff in many areas are working as usual. There was, for example, minimal interruption to Triumph’s spares operation, which was despatching orders by close of business on the Monday immediately following the fire.

Bike despatch resumed the Tuesday after the fire and all IT systems and temporary offices were functional by the Wednesday,

Staff in the areas specifically affected by the fire are working on a rota basis to assist with the clean up operation. They are keen to be involved and team spirit remains high.