Since its inception as a division of Grenda’s Bus Services, and its first bus delivery in 1979, Volgren has been dedicated to redefining the standards of bus manufacturing in Australia.
While the late 70`s partnership between Volvo and Grenda Bus Services saw the beginnings of what we now know as Volgren, the company’s history actually stretches back to 1945. It was then that George Grenda took a brave step by leaving behind his milk carrying business and made his first venture into the bus industry, purchasing four routes and six vehicles. While bell-bottoms, corduroy and disco plagued the minds of locals at the time, the people behind Grenda had their hearts set on building new buses.
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Volgren’s journey began in the 70’s when it commenced operations as a body repair business. Recognising the potential for growth, Volgren quickly expanded its horizons, becoming the distributor for Volvo Bus chassis in Victoria and southern New South Wales.
“It started when Volvo asked Grenda to become its chassis distributor in Victoria and southern New South Wales.” Volgren’s CEO, Thiago Deiro, told ABC.
“And that is how Volgren was born,” Deiro says. “The name Volgren, is inspired by this partnership. It takes the first half from Volvo, and the second half from the Grenda name.”
This marked the beginning of a journey that would see Volgren evolve into an industry leader known for its high-quality products and engineering excellence. It was during this formative period that Volgren solidified their partnership with Volvo Bus, a collaboration that Mitchell Peden, VP of Volvo Bus Australia, describes as unparalleled in strength and success. “There has been no stronger partner in Australia for Volvo Bus than Volgren,” Peden emphasises.
The new relationship also brought about a second affiliation –with the Swiss company Hess, a pioneer Bus Manufacturer who started operations in 1882 and engineered the bus body building aluminium technology, today known as `CO-BOLT®`. With all the pieces in place, Volgren built their first bus, over the top of a B58 mid-engine Volvo Chassis, in 1979.
Hess’ CEO, Alex Naef, highlighted the collaboration’s significance, stating, “The partnership with Volgren has enabled Hess’ expertise to gain a foothold in Australia.” This move not only advanced Volgren’s manufacturing capabilities but also set a new benchmark for the industry. According to Hess’ CEO, the introduction of the aluminium bus bodies “signalled a step change for the Australian industry,” offering a durable, lightweight solution that reduced downtime and repair needs.
Reflecting on this era of innovation since Volgren`s first bus in 1979, and the broader journey of Volgren, Geoff Grenda shared, “I am very proud of Volgren’s achievements. For the company to have gone from making a few buses a year for internal use to being a market leader is something that everyone who works there or who has worked there can be very proud of.” Geoff further highlighted the forward-thinking attitude that has defined Volgren’s approach: “We had a lot of firsts in the marketplace. Vehicles we pioneered are now the norm.”
FRESH APPROACH
Intent on solidifying its reputation for innovation and quality, Volgren continued to evolve and grow its technology and practices.
Between 1999 and 2004, a series of state government and city council contracts helped Volgren transform from a successful Victorian company into an expansive nationwide manufacturer.
“In 1999, we won the first contract with PTA in Western Australia where we delivered our 1000th bus,” Deiro says.
“Then only one year later, in 2000, we won the first contract for Brisbane City Council.”
In February 2012, after over 30 years of full ownership, the Grenda Corporation – still a family-owned company – sold a majority stake in Volgren to Brazil-based Marcopolo SA, one of the world’s largest bus body manufacturers.
Volgren’s CEO highlighted the significance of this alliance, stating, “our strategic partnership with Marcopolo has been pivotal in improving our internal processes and driving our expansion across Australia. Through this collaboration, we’ve leveraged Marcopolo’s global expertise and resources to enhance our capabilities, allowing us to meet the growing demand for high-quality buses and tailored solutions while remaining deeply committed to our Australian roots. “This partnership has enabled us to stay ahead of the curve in the industry’s evolution by combining our strengths and expertise to innovate, diversify our product offerings, and provide cutting-edge solutions to our customers.”
Andre Armaganijan, the CEO of the 75-year-old company, Marcopolo S.A, shares his insight on the collaboration between the two companies: “The relationship between Marcopolo and Volgren represents a powerful synergy of global vision and local excellence. With Marcopolo’s support, Volgren has access to a wealth of international knowledge, technology, and resources, enabling them to push the boundaries of what’s possible in bus manufacturing.
“This partnership goes beyond mere collaboration; it’s a commitment to revolutionising public transportation in Australia, ensuring that each bus we produce sets a new standard for quality, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Our shared journey is one of continuous improvement, innovation, and a dedication to delivering unparalleled value to our customers and the communities they serve.”
Volgren has spent the recent years turning its focus to the future of the transport industry, providing zero-emissions options to build on its technological capabilities in 2024 and beyond.
Volgren has been carefully planning the transition to zero-emission buses, first with its hybrid bus bodies, and then with its Electric Optimus bus in 2019. Now, Volgren will have more than 150 zero-emissions buses on Australian roads by the end of 2024, including its first ever Hydrogen Buses, with Deiro saying it has been a smooth transition.
“Building the first Electric Bus in 2019 was a good exercise for Volgren to learn more about technology, safety around the equipment, and how to actually design around an electric chassis platform,” he says.
“But it has been really straightforward. Today we have a large product mix in our factories. We build diesel, hybrid and electric buses, at the same time, at a similar pace.
“Going into the initial manufacturing was probably daunting before we knew more about it. But nowadays, we just take it as business as usual.”
Despite finding national success, Volgren’s values have remained the same since its inception, focusing on satisfying our customers whilst remaining a local manufacturer, Deiro says.
“The core of Volgren is to be a local manufacturer. While Marcopolo currently exports to over 100 different countries, we wanted to ensure that the focus of local bodybuilding was maintained.”
“That thinking is really valued by our customers, business partners, and the government. We build our entire business around that and investing and expanding our local manufacturing facilities.”
MOVING FORWARD
Throughout the next phase of the company’s evolution, Deiro’s goal is to ensure that Volgren continues to surprise its customers and grow with the latest technological developments.
“Volgren will keep a high focus on innovation. The business environment has changed; it has become more competitive than ever. Still, we are confident that we will keep our market leader position by providing innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers and business partners”, he says.
“A lot of investment is going into research and development so we can continue to engineer new and better solutions”, Deiro says.
“We’re working on ways to increase our product efficiency even more, knowing that this is a key attribute in the Zero-Emission transport segment.”
The future looks promising for new products too.
“Our other focus is diversification. We’re looking into bringing new products to Australia. We’re the main player on the city bus segment, but we see a lot of opportunity on the school bus, charter and coach markets”, Volgren’s CCO, Yuri Tessari, says.
“We are currently working with Marcopolo’s Head Office to bring our new coach generation – called G8 – to Australia. The G8 is a market leader product in Brazil and mainly all Latin American markets. This Bus will be a game changer to Australian operators and is set to arrive in early 2025”.
Besides celebrating 45 years, Volgren is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of Volgren WA (Perth) and the 15th anniversary of Volgren QLD (Brisbane), reinforcing the company’s legacy and commitment to local employment, the circular economy, and Australian manufacturing.
For many people, an anniversary celebration would involve some type of cake or present. Volgren however will be celebrating with the launch of three new products at the Bus Expo in September in Brisbane and other major milestones.
The Volgren team will be showing three brand new Zero Emission buses, that have been in development for the last few months and will amplify Volgren`s ZEB portfolio even more. New partnerships will be also launched at the Bus Expo.
“We will continue to put our best foot forward and strive to keep innovating and providing the best solutions for operators in Australia”, Tessari says.
Volgren is also celebrating the amazing milestone of producing and delivering its 10,000th bus later this year. “Through our three manufacturing facilities in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, we are delivering more than 600 buses in 2024, one of them being our 10,000th bus, which is an extremely proud moment for all of us at Volgren,” Deiro says.
When asked about the future, Deiro highlights the continuous focus on enhancing Volgren’s local content levels and the investment in expanding Volgren’s operations across the country.
“Our teams are actively working to expand Volgren’s footprint across Australia and increase our capacity even more, giving our customers and government authorities the certainty that Volgren, as the main bus manufacturer in Australia, will produce and deliver buses according to the high expected volumes of Zero Emission buses in demand for the coming years.”
Contemplating on the evolution of Volgren’s products, Geoff Grenda observed, “I get to travel on buses we made 25 years ago and on the electric buses that are currently being rolled out of the factory. The changes in technology are amazing, and I think that’s where Volgren has always been ahead of the field and where it continues to lead today.”
Reflecting on the path forward, Thiago Deiro articulates a clear vision: “As we celebrate our 45th anniversary, I envision a future for Volgren defined by continued growth, innovation, and sustainability. We will build upon our rich legacy of excellence by embracing emerging technologies, fostering strategic partnerships, and investing in our people and processes. Our commitment to delivering superior products and exceeding customer expectations will remain unwavering as we navigate new opportunities and challenges in the dynamic landscape of bus manufacturing. With a focus on innovation, customer satisfaction, and sustainability, I am confident that Volgren will continue to lead the way in shaping the future of public transportation in Australia and beyond.”