Co Antrim manufacturer Wrightbus has received a lucrative order to manufacture 27 new buses for international transport giant Stagecoach.
The Ballymena firm is to benefit from a £70m investment in 340 vehicles by the Stagecoach Group in its regional networks in England, Scotland and Wales.
The Wrightbus order includes seven open top double deck vehicles, which are the first purpose-built buses of this type ever to be ordered by Stagecoach and will be introduced in the coming 2017-18 financial year.
Wrightbus, which specialises in the design and manufacturing of coaches and buses have said the welcome investment will "sustain existing employment".
“Wrightbus are delighted by today’s announcement from Stagecoach Group, awarding us some new business in the form of 18 integral StreetLite single deck buses and nine bus bodies on Volvo chassis (seven open top double deck and two full size single deck buses)," commercial director Sam McLaren said.
“The order is welcome news and whilst it will not create any new jobs as such, it will sustain existing employment as it contributes to the order book for the coming year. It also gives us the opportunity to further build our relationship with this internationally recognised public transport group and one of the UK’s biggest bus and coach operators," he added.
Wrightbus announced plans for a massive expansion to its Ballymena operations back in February.
The planned development includes a 200,000 sq ft industrial complex, 600-space car park and 75 two-storey residential houses next to its current facility in the Galgorm area of the town.
