Hinduja group flagship Ashok Leyland has bagged an order for supplying 1,400 school buses in UAE. Interestingly, this is the company’s largest ever supply of school buses in UAE, a press release from the CV maker said.
The whole fleet deal for the buses has been bagged by Ashok Leyland’s UAE distribution partners, Swaidan Trading - Al Naboodah Group and most of the supplies will be made to Emirates Transport and STS Group.
Ashok Leyland noted that the 55-seater Falcon bus and the 32-seater Oyster bus will be supplied from its $ 50 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, the only certified local bus-making facility in the entire GCC. Notably, the Ras Al Khaimah plant has an installed capacity of 4,000 buses a year.
Dheeraj Hinduja, Executive Chairman, Ashok Leyland, noted that the product concepts originate in the UAE; the designs are done by our engineers in UAE and are assembled in the factory in UAE, with more than 55% of parts sourced in UAE. “It will be apt to call it ‘The Emirati Bus’- Made in UAE, for the GCC,” he said.
He added that the company’s new electric vehicle company, Switch Mobility, based out of the UK, will help it fulfil its aspiration of zero carbon emission transportation.
“We see huge opportunities for growth through Switch’s expansion in UAE and the GCC and look forward to launch our electric vehicles in these markets soon,” he noted.
Building on the patronage of its customers, the company has expanded the portfolio and launched light commercial vehicles, “Partner Truck” and 'Gazl Buses,' in UAE, and the plant also exports buses to African countries, the release said.
Amandeep Singh, Head- International Operations, Ashok Leyland UAE, said, “We are excited with the growth we are seeing in the UAE economy and the opportunity it provides. We have aggressive plans to further enhance our portfolio in light commercial vehicle space.”
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