A NORTHERN Ireland bus-building group has won a £125 million (€155 million) contract to supply new vehicles to a leading UK and North American bus operator.
The family-owned and managed Wright Group, which is based in Ballymena, Co Antrim, clinched the deal from FirstGroup plc despite fierce competition from rival firms.
Mark Nodder, managing director of the Wright Group, said the Ballymena company had to see off at least 24 European bus builders and several Indian and Chinese companies to secure the order.
"This is one of the biggest orders ever placed in Irish or British bus manufacturing history. It took us six months to win this contract. FirstGroup were not only looking for value for money but innovative design which delivered high performance and advanced technology."
The Wright Group will supply a range of new vehicles, the majority of which will be built on a Volvo chassis, to FirstGroup plc. The Ballymena company will also deliver nine new Wrightbus double-decker buses - five of which are more environmentally friendly hybrids.
The Wright Group has become a market leader in the development of innovative buses that use a combination of diesel and electric fuel which helps to minimise pollution. It has also pioneered low-floor buses in Britain and Ireland. Mr Nodder said the new contract was a significant boost for the Northern Ireland company, which has been in business since 1946.
He said the deal could also mean more jobs for Co Antrim in the long term. "This secures employment in Ballymena - it will account for 45-50 per cent of our order book over the next two to three years and it gives us a strong base on which to plan future expansion."
Winning the FirstGroup contract is a major boost for the North's struggling manufacturing sector. A significant number of firms - particularly in traditional sectors such as textiles - have gone out of business or relocated their manufacturing operations offshore to countries like China.
Mr Nodder says the Wright Group has demonstrated that Northern Ireland's manufacturers can compete and can win new business on a global stage.
Its success, he said, was proof that the North remains a good location for manufacturers.
"You have to focus on what you are good at - that's what we've done. We have a very skilled workforce in Ballymena, we have a world-class manufacturing facility and we have a very strong technical and design department."
