Wrightbus, which opened a new factory in Ballymena last May, has won the largest part of a £70 million contract to supply 425 vehicles to the First Group. The County Antrim company, which employs more than 1,000 people in Northern Ireland, will provide 301 of the buses.
Most of these will be of a new design, using hybrid technology to improve fuel efficiency. They recover energy during braking and use it to power pneumatic, electrical and hydraulic systems.
Wright Group managing director Mark Nodder said that, when challenged to develop a more efficient bus, the firm had “grasped the opportunity with both hands. The result for Wrightbus has been this excellent new order, and for First Group a fuel-savings dividend from a fleet of brilliant new buses.”
Welcoming the news, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: “This underlines the value of the continuing partnership between First Group and Wrightbus. Not only has
it secured jobs, it also provides a significant ‘shop window’ for the Ballymena firm’s innovative StreetLite concept and the ground-breaking Micro Hybrid technology behind it.”
Of the remaining 124 buses, Falkirk-based Alexander Dennis will make 97, including 60 double-deckers, while Leeds-based Optare will make 21, including six electric vehicles. Volvo Group UK will build the other six.