BREAKING: THE ICONIC AUSTRALIAN bus brand Custom – under its relatively new ownership of The Dunn Group’s Custom Bus Group - celebrated its 100th bus coming off the production line in St Marys, Sydney, NSW, today.
Built on a Scania K310 city bus chassis it is for delivery to State Transit’s (STA) Port Botany depot, under the Region 9 contract, according to the company.
NSW Minister for Transport and Roads, The Hon. Andrew Constance MP, was on hand to help with the celebrations with representatives from the STA, other Custom Bus Group customers and the media.
Scott Dunn, managing director and owner of Custom Bus Group said he was very proud of what the business had achieved since starting the “New Custom” in March, 2018.
“In just over a year we have relocated the factory from Villawood to St Marys and created 175 jobs,” Dunn said.
“I knew it would be a challenge – though with a brand name that dates back to 1954, a lot of good people, and some passion, we have been able to continue the manufacturing of world-class buses in Sydney,” Dunn said.
“We have delivered 89 of the 100 buses to NSW operators and I would like to thank our customers and the NSW Government for their trust and support.
“The business currently has strong orders and we are hoping to create more jobs for Western Sydney.
“We will continue to build our low-floor city bus and school bus and will also have some exciting announcements in the near future regarding new products for the Australian market,” he explained.
LOCAL SUPPORT
BusNSW executive director Matt Threlkeld (pictured left) congratulated Custom Bus Group on achieving the milestone.
“To start a manufacturing business from scratch and build 100 buses is no easy feat,” Threlkeld said.
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“High quality vehicles are needed to meet customer expectations and having a bus-building plant in Sydney – supporting jobs in Western Sydney – means we have a healthy industry,” he added.
“It’s important that companies like Custom continue to build high-quality vehicles that meet customer expectations,” Threlkeld explained.
SPECIAL MOMENT
As mentioned by the company to ABC magazine weeks earlier, the 100th Custom bus featured its special decal to celebrate the occasion.
Custom Bus Group was formed after the previous operation was purchased by the Dunn Group – which runs Telfords Bus & Coach – from administrators Worrells in March, 2018. As a result, the operation relocated to 18-30 Vallance Street, St Marys, in Sydney’s western suburbs.
Photography: Fabian Cotter