First bus rolls off Brisbane production line
Volgren Australia today handed over the first bus produced at its new state-of-the-art Queensland facility to the Brisbane City Council. The
Volgren Australia today handed over the first bus produced at its new state-of-the-art Queensland facility to the Brisbane City Council.The bus is the first of 125 to be delivered to Council in calendar 2009, and up to 150 annually, as part of a landmark 10+10 year "partnership".
It also marked the 250th bus delivered under Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman’s commitment to deliver a record 500 new buses this term – and brings to 580 the number of buses delivered by his administration since 2004.
Located in the 2.65-hectare TradeCoast Central industrial estate at Eagle Farm, Volgren’s $19 million facility has the capacity to build up to 200 buses for Council and other customers. BCC’s contribution to the partnership is a $6.7 million block of land.
It replaces the former facility at Toowong in Brisbane’s inner west.
Staffed by 90 employees, the facility will initially build 12.5-metre buses based on the Volvo B7 chassis but will begin constructing the first of 39 14.5-metre vehicles scheduled for delivery to Council next financial year.
Volgren Managing Director Peter Dale says the investment in the new facility shows the company’s long-term commitment to Brisbane and Queensland.
He expects a local manufacturing presence – and a soon-to-be-announced Queensland sales and marketing team – will further expand the company’s customer base in the State.
The Brisbane facility is Volgren’s fourth in Australia, complementing bus body-building plants in Perth, Melbourne and Newcastle.
"Last year we delivered 537 buses across the country, making us the biggest bus body-building company in Australia," he says.
"But more important than simply being the market leader – and what makes us proud - is the fact we produce the most innovative and the safest buses in the country."
Volgren buses are built using a unique aluminium system, which makes the buses stronger, lighter and more energy efficient than traditional steel buses. Volgren is a family owned company.
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