A Scottish bus builder's expansion plans have been described as a “great vote of confidence” in the business.
Alexander Dennis, a subsidiary of the Winnipeg-based bus giant NFI Group and hailed as the world’s biggest double-decker maker, said it is to expand its Larbert head office and facility into a manufacturing site.
The site will focus on the production of the new Enviro400EV zero-emission bus from August 2023, assembling the next-generation body on the new Alexander Dennis battery-electric chassis.
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The decision follows a successful pilot programme to build Enviro400FCEV hydrogen fuel cell buses in Larbert.
Pat Rafferty, Unite Scottish secretary, said: “Unite warmly welcomes the announcement by Alexander Dennis to manufacture the next-generation Enviro400EV zero-emission buses and for the Larbert site to be upgraded to enable this exciting expansion
“It is a great vote of confidence in Alexander Dennis’ world-class workforce and it helps to sustain hundreds of jobs in the local economy.
"Unite is pleased to play our full role in helping to firmly establish the company as a market leader in the manufacturing of green buses and to assisting with increasing global demand in order to meet the challenges associated with the decarbonisation of public transport."
The Larbert expansion, which converts existing warehouse space into production lines, supports the company’s 690-plus green manufacturing jobs in Scotland.
The Enviro400EV double deck that will be assembled at Larbert is described as “the crowd-shifter”, a core member of the next generation of battery-electric buses from Alexander Dennis.
The double deck bus has been designed “to move large numbers of people on busy urban corridors and interurban expresses with a total capacity of up to 96 passengers and an operational range of up to 260 miles on a single charge”.
The Alexander Dennis head office remains at Larbert and work has already been completed to revamp the site’s office.
Paul Davies, Alexander Dennis president, said: “Over the past couple of years we have been laser focused on a modernisation agenda, underpinned by significant investment in our people, our products and our facilities. We not only need to future-proof our manufacturing capabilities for the ZEvolution but we also need to ensure that we create the best possible working environment in which our people can excel.
“This is another step on our Alexander Dennis journey to build a sustainable company for the future, with zero-emission buses being at the core of the repurposed and upgraded Larbert site.
“This marks another exciting milestone in our progress and development as a business and continues to define the Alexander Dennis zero-emission range as a serious catalyst for change in the UK bus industry.”
Cecil Meiklejohn, Falkirk Council leader, said: “Alexander Dennis is a world class leader in bus production and this announcement reinforces their position as a key employer in the Falkirk area. Their modernisation and adaptation to changing markets shows how they are at the forefront of their industry, and we are proud to have them based in our area providing employment and investment opportunities in the coming years.”
Edinburgh-servicing airline worst in UK for delays
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The Hungarian carrier’s UK departures were an average of 46 minutes and six seconds behind schedule in 2022, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the PA news agency.
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