TRIBUTES have been paid to Ballymena businessman Sir William Wright, who has died at 94.
Taking over the coachbuilding business founded by his father in 1946, Sir William went on to build Wrightbus into a major manufacturing operation throughout the 1990s, famously supplying hundreds of buses to Transport for London, including the New Routemaster, often styled the ‘Boris Bus’.
He was knighted in 2018 for his services to the economy and the bus industry.
The Wright family ultimately lost control of the business after it collapsed into administration in September 2019.
Sir William also mixed a career in business with politics. He was first elected in 1975 on the Vanguard Unionist Progressive ticket and went on to join the Ulster Unionist Party, sitting on Ballymena Borough Council throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
He later left the party, standing in the 1998 assembly election against an official UUP candidate in North Antrim and went on to sit on on Ballymena Borough Council as an independent. His political involvement continued into 2016, when he backed the Vote Leave Brexit campaign and he helped found and chair Ulster Human Rights Watch, which supports victims of terrorism.
DUP MP Ian Paisley Junior, who has known the Wright family for decades, described him as "one of the last true captains of industry and commerce" and a man who left his mark globally.
"Everywhere there is engineering or manufacturing or sales of busses his genius will be remembered,” said the North Antrim MP.
“He was both a political and business leader. He cared passionately about the employment and skills training of local people. When in his presence you knew you were with someone remarkable.”
Ulster Unionist North Antrim MLA Robin Swann described the passing of Sir William as a tremendous loss to his family circle, unionism, the business community, Loyal Orders and the Christian church.
"Sir William Wright will rank as one of north Antrim's most legendary figures. He built Wrightbus into a global brand and his dedication to unionism was also known throughout the globe, especially in his past role as a Ballymena councillor," Mr Swann said.
TUV leader Jim Allister said it was “a sad and seminal moment for the town”.
He said: “A freeman of the borough, few have left such an indelible legacy in terms of lasting jobs and contribution to economic, engineering and manufacturing success in the area.”
Alliance MLA Patricia O’Lynn also expressed her condolences to the Wright family.
“A major aspect of his legacy will be the industrial advancement of electric and hydrogen-powered buses," she added.
At the time of Wrightbus’ collapse into administration, the Wright family blamed "global changes from diesel to electric in bus technology”, which they said “caused a sharp decline in demand for buses in the UK”.
It later emerged that parent company of Wrightbus, the Cornerstone Group, paid £16 million over a five-year period to the Green Pastures church founded by Sir William’s son Jeff Wright.
The bus manufacturing business, which was bought out of administration by Jo Bamford, has restored most of the 1,200 jobs lost in September 2019, with the group now focused on electric and hydrogen technology.
A service of thanksgiving for Sir William will be held in Green Pastures Church, Ballymena on Wednesday.
