BALLYMENA bus builder Wright Group has secured a breakthrough order in Mexico thought to be worth around £5 million.
The company's international division has secured an order for five of its innovative StreetDeck double deck vehicles which have entered service in Monterrey city, in the state of Nuevo Leon.
The buses - designed to deliver outstanding fuel economy and emissions through a combination of low weight, efficient driveline configuration and technology advances that reduce auxiliary power consumption - have been operating on a busy Bus Rapid Transit corridor in downtown Monterrey since last October.
And their appearance marks the first phase in an ambitious Wrightbus plan for Latin America, which will include cities in Mexico and Chile.
The company, which joined an Invest NI trade mission to Mexico last year ahead of signing off on the deal, refused to put a monetary value on the sale but described the deal as "strategically important".
It comes as a timely boost for the company, which in February opened consultation process which could affect 95 staff.
At the time Wrightbus chairman Mark Nodder said the company was "facing some very difficult conditions in its domestic market at present, with current order intake for new vehicles at relatively low levels".
Of the latest deal, Wrightbus International managing director John McLeister said: “We are absolutely delighted to secure this Mexico order and are proud to be the first manufacturer of Euro 6 low emissions buses for Latin America.
"This reflects a huge effort from the Wrightbus team and is significant step for the company."
He added: "We're confident our Micro-Hybrid driveline, which is the best of its type in Europe, will begin to make a real difference to operating costs and air quality in Mexico, and we hope to see more Wrightbus products in service across the country.”
The double deckers, each10.6 metres in length with 63 seats, are equipped with Wrightbus micro-hybrid technology, USB ports and wifi.
A State of Nuevo Leon government spokesman said: “We've been impressed with the Wrightbus product range and are excited to see the first Euro 6 double decker buses in operation in our city, which is an important milestone for Mexico.
"The commitment Wrightbus has already demonstrated to support its product locally has given us confidence about the future.”
Wrightbus, which employs more than 1,500 people, is currently preparing to move some of its production to the former JTI Gallaher site in Ballymena, where it plans to build a 200,000 sq ft industrial complex, 600-space car park and 75 two-storey residential houses.
