130 Jobs Created At Wrightbus

130 new jobs are to be created as part of a £14m investment by Ballymena company Wrights Group, one of the UK's leading bus builders.

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster announced that the investment would go to funding five research and development (R&D) projects at the company.

The family-owned firm employs around 1,800 staff in Northern Ireland. The new jobs are being created at Wright EN-Drive, the company’s dedicated facility for the design and manufacture of integral vehicle chassis.

Wright Group is widely known as the company that manufacturers the 'Boris Bus' for the City of London; so-called due to its affiliation with the Lord Mayor Boris Johnson.

Minister Foster said: "In the last five years Wrights Group has undertaken a number of successful R&D projects that have significantly boosted its sales and international profile. This investment will further strengthen its product portfolio and its ability to sell into markets around the world.

"The company has high growth potential as is reflected in the creation of 130 new jobs, which will generate £2.5million a year in wages for the local economy. It is also strategically important to the Northern Ireland supply chain."

The R&D projects include developing a range of low-cost premium class buses and coaches for the Indian market, low height and narrower double deckers for the Australia /New Zealand market, electric powered, zero emission single and double deck vehicles for the Hong Kong market, double deck and single deck buses to meet the operational requirements in Middle East countries, and a new integral chassis.

Invest NI has offered £1.8million of support for the projects, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, and £650,000 of support for the 130 jobs through its Jobs Fund.

Mark Nodder, Group Managing Director of Wrights Group, said: "Our aim is to become a world class designer and manufacturer of integral public transport vehicles and evolve into a major international supplier to the worldwide bus market.

"This investment brings us a step closer to achieving that. With Invest NI’s support we will be able to bring products to market quickly, and we anticipate that within four years we can triple export sales."

(IT/MH)