Jo Bamford completes Wrightbus takeover.

[Volvodart]

The company that provides body parts (not sure how much though) was not bought by Bamford and is owned by someone else, so not sure how this will work.

 

[xc170]

So what is the overall plan for Wrightbus?

 

[JL1]

Is it known yet when the new StreetLites will be arriving at Hemel Hempstead?

 

[Robertj21a]

Is it known yet when the new StreetLites will be arriving at Hemel Hempstead?

As far as I know, they haven't produced anything yet. I'm not sure that they even have production staff recruited yet.

 

[317 forever]

As far as I know, they haven't produced anything yet. I'm not sure that they even have production staff recruited yet.

Furthermore, I understand that the production is currently restricted to integral products StreetDecks and StreetLites. No Gemini or Eclipse bodies for other chassis eg Volvo for the time being.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Furthermore, I understand that the production is currently restricted to integral products StreetDecks and StreetLites. No Gemini or Eclipse bodies for other chassis eg Volvo for the time being.

To be fair sales of the Volvo products were thin prior to them going in to Admin anyway. So besides the masses of London B5LHs it's not really that big of a factor, not compared to 5-10 years ago anyway. Not to mention the fact Wright can make more money off integrals.

 

[317 forever]

To be fair sales of the Volvo products were thin prior to them going in to Admin anyway. So besides the masses of London B5LHs it's not really that big of a factor, not compared to 5-10 years ago anyway. Not to mention the fact Wright can make more money off integrals.

Actually yes, Arriva were no longer ordering VDL - Wrightbus Pulsars nor First Volvo B7/8RLE - Wrightbus Eclipses. Meanwhile, Lothian and Metroline had switched their Volvo B5 bodywork to ADL and MCV respectively.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Actually yes, Arriva were no longer ordering VDL - Wrightbus Pulsars nor First Volvo B7/8RLE - Wrightbus Eclipses. Meanwhile, Lothian and Metroline had switched their Volvo B5 bodywork to ADL and MCV respectively.

The VDL offering was replaced by the integrals. Lothian haven't ordered any B5s since 2018, and even then it was only a small number, there's been very few B5TL sales in the UK in the last two years.

 

[cnjb8]

The VDL offering was replaced by the integrals. Lothian haven't ordered any B5s since 2018, and even then it was only a small number, there's been very few B5TL sales in the UK in the last two years.

Redline Coaches ordered two B5TLs, ready for delivery soon.

 

[Mikey C]

Actually yes, Arriva were no longer ordering VDL - Wrightbus Pulsars nor First Volvo B7/8RLE - Wrightbus Eclipses. Meanwhile, Lothian and Metroline had switched their Volvo B5 bodywork to ADL and MCV respectively.

The MCV bodywork has taken loads of the B5 work in recent years, I'm sure the loss of this work has been a major reason for Wright's financial woes, as sales of the Wright integrals have been minimal in London

 

[Jordan Adam]

Redline Coaches ordered two B5TLs, ready for delivery soon.

Interesting, however in the bigger picture that's a tiny order. The point still stands that Wright Bodied B5TL/B8RLE sales have been very few and far between post-2017.

 

[317 forever]

The VDL offering was replaced by the integrals. Lothian haven't ordered any B5s since 2018, and even then it was only a small number, there's been very few B5TL sales in the UK in the last two years.

True enough about Lothian, although I meant to refer to Volvo double-decks in general, as these have mainly been B8Ls recently.

 

[Robertj21a]

Has Bamford (Wright) actually produced any new buses yet ? - not just finishing off what was already part complete, but actually new ?

 

[F Great Eastern]

To be fair sales of the Volvo products were thin prior to them going in to Admin anyway. So besides the masses of London B5LHs it's not really that big of a factor, not compared to 5-10 years ago anyway. Not to mention the fact Wright can make more money off integrals.

They've been selling hundreds a year to the Republic of Ireland for almost the last 10 years or more.

Be interesting to see if ADL now offer a Enviro based Volvo option to take that chunk of the market.

If that happens, Wright will be in even bigger trouble since they can only make more money off integrals if people buy them, in Ireland the support network of Volvo trumps everything else.

 

[Volvodart]

Has Bamford (Wright) actually produced any new buses yet ? - not just finishing off what was already part complete, but actually new ?

I mentioned on another thread that the balance of the current batch of the First Leeds order was months away from delivery. I assume that these are the ones to replace the rejected ones.

 

[Jordan Adam]

They've been selling hundreds a year to the Republic of Ireland for almost the last 10 years or more.

Be interesting to see if ADL now offer a Enviro based Volvo option to take that chunk of the market.

If that happens, Wright will be in even bigger trouble since they can only make more money off integrals if people buy them, in Ireland the support network of Volvo trumps everything else.

Look at the previous posts quoted (#38 & #39), I was referring to the UK market...

 

[Robertj21a]

I mentioned on another thread that the balance of the current batch of the First Leeds order was months away from delivery. I assume that these are the ones to replace the rejected ones.

Thanks. As far as I can tell, the 'New Wrights' business hasn't really started on building anything new, from scratch, at all yet - unless anyone knows differently.........

 

[cnjb8]

Interesting, however in the bigger picture that's a tiny order. The point still stands that Wright Bodied B5TL/B8RLE sales have been very few and far between post-2017.

Actually, added to BLOTW are two B5TL bodied MCVs for Bath Bus Company

 

[Jordan Adam]

Actually, added to BLOTW are two B5TL bodied MCVs for Bath Bus Company

In the last 16 months only 2 B5TLs have been built for the UK mainland (4 if you include the Redline examples but they're yet to be delivered), no matter how you look at it the sales (In the UK) have thinned out to next to nothing.

Likewise with the B8RLE/Wright Eclipse 3 (Stealth) they've only sold 1 outside of the Lothian batch.

As far as the UK market is concerned they could theoretically drop both products without replacements and it probably wouldn't hit their revenue all that much.

 

[Volvodart]

As I mentioned before, Wrightbus are going to be building the 13 replacement buses that were due to be built for First Leeds to replace the rejected ones, but there has been no mention of the around 90-100 left outstanding to complete the full number of new buses First Leeds were due to be getting before 31 December 2020.

 

[Robertj21a]

Presumably, there must be a large Rotala order still outstanding too.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Presumably, there must be a large Rotala order still outstanding too.

Correct me if i'm wrong but i believe there were 70+ vehicles outstanding for them too.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Still a good few Volvo B5TL / Eclipse Gemini 3s for the Irish National Transport Authority outstanding.

Believe it's
20 classic fronted for Dublin Bus
16 new fronted for Bus EIreann.

Whole bunch of deckers for Translink too but apparently some of them are about to be completed.

 

[Mikey C]

Still a good few Volvo B5TL / Eclipse Gemini 3s for the Irish National Transport Authority outstanding.

Believe it's
20 classic fronted for Dublin Bus
16 new fronted for Bus EIreann.

Whole bunch of deckers for Translink too but apparently some of them are about to be completed.

They're still making the classic front version? I wish the London operators had bought that instead!

 

[Jordan Adam]

They're still making the classic front version? I wish the London operators had bought that instead!

Yes, but if the Eclipse 3 is anything to go by they probably charge a premium for it!

 

[Robertj21a]

I've still not seen any confirmation that Wrights have restarted production from scratch. Everything leaving the factory so far appears to have been part completed when the problems hit.

 

[JL1]

Any word on the StreetLites for Hemel Hempstead yet?

 

[randyrippley]

I've still not seen any confirmation that Wrights have restarted production from scratch. Everything leaving the factory so far appears to have been part completed when the problems hit.

I doubt you ever will: restarting production of a failed business rarely works. At the moment they can generate cash by selling off the stock and spares they have in hand, but restarting full production is unlikely to make money, especially as the key component suppliers will play hardball over prices and credit. I don't believe you'll see a restart of building the Wrights products.
More likely that Bamford will bide his time, create a new range of products and eventually build those. It could take a few years to design, test and bullet-proof his new hydrogen cell technology. If the company sells undeveloped products then they'll kill the market. They won't deliver new production until they have a working, proven reliable product - and a new production line to build on.
If you want a business model for how to do it, think "new" Triumph motorcycles, took them nearly ten years before they felt confident enough to sell machines to customers. And look at them now, the wait was worth it

 

[Jordan Adam]

I doubt you ever will: restarting production of a failed business rarely works. At the moment they can generate cash by selling off the stock and spares they have in hand, but restarting full production is unlikely to make money, especially as the key component suppliers will play hardball over prices and credit. I don't believe you'll see a restart of building the Wrights products.
More likely that Bamford will bide his time, create a new range of products and eventually build those. It could take a few years to design, test and bullet-proof his new hydrogen cell technology. If the company sells undeveloped products then they'll kill the market. They won't deliver new production until they have a working, proven reliable product - and a new production line to build on.
If you want a business model for how to do it, think "new" Triumph motorcycles, took them nearly ten years before they felt confident enough to sell machines to customers. And look at them now, the wait was worth it

I disagree, It seems fairly likely that production will start up again soon, especially given that Aberdeen are now expecting the first 7 of their 15 Hydrogens to start arriving in March and are in talks with Bamford about potentially extending the order to 30 with them all being delivered by the end of the year.

 

[randyrippley]

I disagree, It seems fairly likely that production will start up again soon, especially given that Aberdeen are now expecting the first 7 of their 15 Hydrogens to start arriving in March and are in talks with Bamford about potentially extending the order to 30 with them all being delivered by the end of the year.

I hope you're right and I'm wrong. But what you describe with the low volumes sounds like an R&D batch. Even if they do sell low numbers I can't see them gearing up for full scale production until this batch have the bugs ironed out