Co Antrim bus manufacturer Wrightbus has won the biggest deal of its history worth up to £0.5bn.
The company, which was rescued from administration five years ago this month, is to supply more than 1,000 buses to operators Go-Ahead over the next three years.
In the biggest deal across its 78-year history, it will build hundreds of Go-Ahead buses every year for the next three years at its Ballymena headquarters. The deal will safeguard 500 jobs and creating multiple training and up-skilling opportunities.
The contract also supports an additional 1,500 jobs across the UK supply chain.
More than 5,500 jobs in the supply chain are already supported by the growth of Wrightbus, which has worked with over 1,000 suppliers across the UK since 2019.
It was bought over by industrialist Jo Bamford in October 2019, weeks after going into administration.
A training and apprenticeships fund has been established as part of the partnership, which will see the development of a learning academy for Go-Ahead and Wrightbus employees.
A spokesman said that with 90% of the order for zero-emission buses “it represents a huge boost to the UK’s net zero goals and the Government’s Decarbonisation Transport Plan, which is committed to supplying 4,000 new zero-emission buses in the UK”. Wrightbus CEO, Jean-Marc Gales, said the deal was “momentous” not just for Wrightbus and Ballymena, but the UK as a whole.
“It represents a huge boost to the UK’s economy and it will support homegrown manufacturing, jobs and skills for the next three years and beyond.
“We’ve always been proud to support the UK’s supply chain and have already spent more than a billion pounds with UK firms. Our Go-Ahead partnership will ensure even more money can be spent supporting good green jobs. We’re incredibly excited about the training opportunities the partnership will bring as we help to create a highly-skilled workforce for the future.
“It’s a momentous occasion and one we’re delighted to be sharing with our partners Go-Ahead.”
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Matt Carney, CEO of Go-Ahead Bus, said: “This multi-million-pound investment and partnership with Wrightbus will accelerate the transition to zero-emission fleet across the UK.
“We are proud to be working in partnership with the UK Government and local authorities to deliver transformational environmental change for communities, while supporting UK jobs and the growth of the country’s supply chain.”
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “The number one mission of this Government is growing the economy. The half a billion pounds Go Ahead is announcing today shows the confidence industry has in investing in the UK.
“This announcement will see communities across the country benefit from brand new, state of the art green buses – which will deliver cleaner air and better journeys.
“We’re creating the right conditions for businesses to flourish, so we can support jobs and accelerate towards decarbonising the transport sector.
“Under this Government, Britain is open for business.”
As part of the deal, Go-Ahead will become official partners with the only research centre in the world dedicated to zero emission buses – W-Tech. Backed by Wrightbus and Queen’s University Belfast, W-Tech will work alongside Go-Ahead to help with its mission to decarbonise its fleet and business operations.
The deal comes on the back of a successful year for Wrightbus, which was recently named as fastest growing bus manufacturer in the UK and Europe.