PIAGGIO DISPLAYS NEW RANGE OF PRODUCTS

Piaggio is an Italian multi-national company with headquarters at Pontedera (Pisa), Italy and reputed worldwide as a manufacturer of two, three and four wheeled motorized vehicles. The company was founded in 1984 by Rinalso Piaggio (1864-1938) and its 1999 annual turnover was approximately US$ 1 Billion. Mr Alessandro Barberis is the chairman of the company and Mr. Stefano Rosselli Del Turco the President and CEO.
In1946, Piaggio invented the two-wheeled scooter and named it Vespa. The Vespa is the most famous two-wheeler in the world, having reached 15 million mark in 1998 and is today sold in over 120 countries of the world.
In 1948, Piaggio added another wheel to the Vespa, transforming it into a vehicle with three wheels and named it "Ape" (Italian for bee). "Ape" is the most popular three-wheeler today which is utilized for the transport of both passengers and goods, and is exported to over 100 countries around the globe.
In 1964, Piaggio invented the moped with variable centrifugal traction and subsequently applied the same principle to scooters.
In 1968, Piaggio bought "Gilera" - famous Italian company which has given several world champions. Gilera motorcycles have been produced in both two stroke and four stroke engine versions,upto 750cc displacement.
In India, Piaggio began to sell two and three wheelers in Bombay in 1948, which was followed by the signing of Licensing Contract with Bajaj Auto Limited for the production of two and three wheelers in India.
In the 80's Piaggio signed a new Licensing Contract with LML for the production of Vespa which has recently been terminated.
Most recently, in 1998 Piaggio initiated a joint venture Piaggio Greaves Vehicles Ltd. (PGVL) in which it has a majority stake, for the production of three wheelers and light commercial vehicles with Piaggio brand name. PGVL has recently launched the 'Ape' vehicles in India a few months back.
Today, Piaggio's presence in the automobile industry is global. It is a leader in Europe in the two wheeler segment and holds a near monopoly in the segment of light commercial vehicles (3/4 wheelers) below one ton. In India almost 70% of the 2 wheelers and 3 wheelers are based on Piaggio technology.
The new Vespa, which was launched in 1996 in two versions - 50cc 2 stroke fuel injection and 150cc 4 stroke has become the most popular and highest selling scooter in Europe.
Thanks to its 2 stroke direct injection and 4 stroke technologies, Piaggio is the leading company in Europe to have vehicles in all engine cylinder capacities which are already able to conform to Euro II and Indian emission norms for 2000.

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Veeresh Malik and Shailesh Khanolkar at the show
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