Wrightbus goes from strength to strength

Ballymena-based bus manufacturers The Wright Group has secured an £11 million order from the Netherlands for 102 left-hand-drive buses.

The order follows a major contract won earlier this year for the supply of 89 vehicles to Holland and establishes Wrightbus as the largest British bus exporter to the European mainland.

Patrick Hurst, Managing Director of Wrightbus, said: “We’ve seen our investment in drawing up in-depth marketing strategies pay dividends in the last few years and we’re projecting an increase in output of 35% over the next 12 months.

"We’re confident that our European focus will result in a further growth in export sales,” he said.

The company’s export sales already account for 25% of total Group revenue and with a prototype double-deck bus currently in development for Hong Kong, the company expects its export business to grow from strength to strength.

Two-thirds of our order book for the incoming year has already been secured.

In addition to recent export orders won, the company’s Expotech division exports buses in kit form to the USA for final assembly, with more than 250 units supplied in the last two years.

Earlier this month the company was awarded the Chartered Institute of Marketing Excellence Award NI 2002 and the Market Development Award for best in its category.

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