KTM employees back

“Some people at home have already had the ceiling fall on their heads”

The employees' journey to work: What should actually be normal was something special at KTM on Monday morning.

(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

Going to work on a Monday morning - what is normal for millions of Austrians has not been normal at all for KTM employees recently. The shutdown in motorcycle assembly in Mattighofen had condemned around 1000 production employees to do nothing since mid-December. Now the ramp-up phase has begun.

On foot from the employee parking lot along the research and development center and then on towards the building where visitors have to register for access to the company premises; then directly in front of the KTM Academy through the access gates that have to be passed before you can get to your workplace - until December 13, this was the path of the KTM production employees, which stood for everyday life and regularity. From then on? Standstill, insecurity, uncertainty.

The sacrifices made by the workforce were serious - with short-time working, salary sacrifices and redundancies.

Peter Vogl, Sanierungsverwalter der KTM AG, im Zuge des Sanierungsverfahrens am 24. Jänner 2025

Just over two weeks after the opening of insolvency proceedings, the motorcycle manufacturer sent production into a forced break in order to get a grip on the excessively high stock levels. The shutdown for assembly was initially planned to last until the end of February, but was ultimately extended for another two weeks. On Monday morning, there was something of a return to normality - production is now gradually being ramped up again. This is an enormously important step for the 1,000 workers affected by the forced break, who until recently were condemned to do nothing and stay at home with a wage for a 30-hour week.

"This day is a special day for us and, above all, for every single KTM employee," emphasized Mayor Daniel Lang, who, together with the other city politicians, has had to put various investment projects on hold in recent months as a result of the insolvency of the leading company. A conspicuous number of men in KTM pullovers have been seen walking with their children during the day in recent weeks.

This is likely to change now that the focus is back on work, even if the restart is only taking place in one-shift operation. "You can feel a sigh of relief that things are starting up again," says Lang.

Investor decision is a long time coming
The head of the town of Mattighofen has recently noticed a "let's get back to work" mentality among KTM employees. "The regular daily routine was lost on many. Some people at home have already had the ceiling fall on their heads," says the 36-year-old, who admits that the restart of production only radiates security to a limited extent: "There is this one big question mark hovering over Mattighofen: Who will join KTM as an investor and will production remain in Mattighofen or will it be relocated? That's what concerns us."

Stock levels fell by 40,000 motorcycles by the end of January
How has the stock level developed? KTM does not want to give any precise details at the moment. However, when the preliminary key figures for the 2024 financial year were published on January 23, Pierer Mobility AG spoke of a reduction in global inventories of 40,000 units.