Harley opens new Latin American headquarters in Miami

Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. announced the opening of a new permanent Latin America headquarters in Miami, Fla.
"As part of its business transformation, Harley-Davidson is taking one of the world’s most iconic brands to the many roads of the world," said Mark Van Genderen, vice president and managing director, Harley-Davidson Latin America during the grand opening event. "This new regional headquarters is part of that transformation, and confirmation that Harley-Davidson is committed to fulfilling the dreams of customers in Latin America from Tierra del Fuego to the Rio Grande."
Harley-Davidson’s strategic growth plans include opening new markets and expanding in existing markets. The company expects that sales outside of the United States will exceed 40 percent of its total by 2014, and growth in the markets that make up the Latin America region are a key part of achieving that goal.
"Our new location will help us better and more quickly respond to our Latin American customer’s needs," Van Genderen said. "Harley-Davidson’s increased focus on customers outside of the US is an exciting time for us, since many Latin American countries have well-established motorcycle cultures and thousands of avid enthusiasts."
The company established complete knockdown (CKD) assembly operations in Manaus, Brazil, in 1998 to better serve the needs of customers in the fast-growing economy. Harley-Davidson motorcycles have also been sold in Mexico dating back more than 80 years.
The Latin America regional office, which had been based out of the company’s global headquarters in Milwaukee, supports subsidiary operations in Brazil and Mexico, as well as operations in many other countries through the region’s Latin America Direct Markets group.