Wrights Group opens bus body plant in India

Wrights Group, the Ballymena-headquartered bus manufacturer, has opened its first bus body plant in India, a move which it says will "help sustain employment" for its workforce in Northern Ireland.

Its new operation in Chennai is part of the Wrightbus International division and at the opening of the plant on Thursday the group unveiled a range of buses designed and manufactured specifically for the Indian market.

The research and development for this new range was carried out at Wrights Group headquarters in Northern Ireland.The company, which employs more than 1,000 people, is one of the North’s largest manufacturing firms.

Its new plant in India has the capacity to produce 1,500 vehicles a year for the local market. It will initially employ 140 people in Chennai but Wrightbus International expects this number to “increase rapidly” as bus production begins.

Mark Nodder, chairman and chief executive of Wrights Group said India was an emerging market which offered massive potential.

Mr Nodder said: “Having a presence on the ground in the territory and a bus range design specifically for the Indian market, will help sustain employment for the current workforce of 130 Wrightbus International employees based at group headquarters in Northern Ireland.

“The opening of this assembly plant is a proactive step towards international expansion that will impact positively on Wrights Group performance and the local economy.”

Wrightbus International has an established track of delivering vehicles and buses throughout the world – both built in Northern Ireland or shipped in kit form for local assembly.

Its vehicles are currently in service from the United States to Hong Kong and it has opened a permanent office at Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, to further is business ambitions in the region.