Instead of having its own Expo stand, Webasto decided to partner with a local manufacturer to showcase examples of its battery solutions in action.
At this year’s Expo, Webasto Australia didn’t have its own stand. Instead, it joined forces with local manufacturer Aluminium Revolutionary Chassis Company (ARCC) to promote the pair’s latest venture into zero-emissions bus technology.
Webasto CS sales and service director in APAC David Byrne says the company joined with ARCC due to ARCC recognising Webasto as its preferred battery systems supplier. For Webasto, partnering with an exciting Australian company for the Expo was a no-brainer.
“It was a superb opportunity for us to release our battery systems to the market in conjunction with a key customer,” Byrne told ABC. “ARCC is a really interesting company to us because it’s a start-up that’s pushing boundaries in innovation with a great mix of experienced and young engineers.
“With our battery solutions, we have a package of products that fit with how ARCC view the market.”
Byrne says Webasto’s latest 35-kilowatt scalable high voltage battery suits companies looking to transition to zero-emissions vehicles.
“We see lots of interest from the wider industry because we have a product that meets standards globally,” Byrne says. “It means when we give someone a product, the customer knows it’ll perform to meet its requirements and will surpass all relevant safety and critical performance criteria that’s essential for operators.”
Webasto is now looking to expand into Australia. Its diverse range means it’s currently supplying MAN’s chassis with batteries. At the Nexport Expo stand, its partner Green-G electric vehicles displayed products containing Webasto products coming out of its Italian arm. Byrne says Webasto’s partnership with ARCC is most important when it comes to local involvement.
“We’re in Australia supplying German manufactured batteries and want to work with local manufacturers,” Byrne says. “ARCC fits perfectly for us as we have a global and local presence that can build up its Australian reach.”
Byrne says Webasto doesn’t have the local presence it wants in the bus industry. He’s hopeful Webasto standing with ARCC at the Expo will help validate Webasto’s product offering and provide the Australian arm with credibility in a growing market.
“We’re a local entity that has the support of a global organisation,” Byrne says. “This enables people to take Webasto’s plug and play solution that’s scalable for their needs and know it meets their highest quality standards.”
Webasto may not have had its own stand at the Expo, but it didn’t limit Byrne’s experience. The APAC sales and service director says Webasto deals in many industries, making his time at the Bus & Coach Expo valuable to forge connections in the sector.
“It’s really good to see such a concentration of positive feeling here about the direction the industry is going in,” Byrne says. “It feels very positive at this Expo, talking about where the industry could be evolving in terms of alternative energy sources for the on-highway market.
“It’s great to know that this market has a role to play in bringing Australia forward. To be part of it is an amazing opportunity.”