Taking Stock of Norton

TAKING STOCK OF NORTON

There's new hope for investment in

Norton, now that owner Nelson Skalbania has maneuvered around

Canadian stock regulators, who blocked sales of his company's stock while probing the Norton deal (see "Norton on the Rocks," Cycle World, March, 1994).

Skalbania acquired control of Vanguard U.S.A., a “shell” company existing in name only, moved Norton’s assets there and changed the name to Norton-BSA Inc., according to a Canadian source. lt’s a public company owned by the same people in the Canadian company,” Skalbania says. “For sure it’s good news, we’re able to raise money, which any expanding company needs to do. There are all kinds of things happening in the business plan.”

One thing that worries some observers is Skalbania’s admitted willingness to sell most of what’s left of Norton, including its main factory in England.

Richard Negus, general manager at the Shenstone, England, factory, says the company plans to debut two singlecylinder retro-bikes in October, a BSA Gold Star and a more upscale Norton International. Skalbania says a line of clothing and merchandise is also being developed, along with a helicopter and a personal watercraft. Robert Hough