Orion International
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2008) |
 |
|
| Former type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bus building |
| Fate | Voluntary closure/market exit |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Defunct | 2012 |
| Headquarters | 350 Hazelhurst Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5J 4T8 |
| Area served | Canada, United States |
| Key people | Rich Ferguson (CEO) |
| Products | Transit buses |
| Owner(s) | Daimler AG (2000-2013) New Flyer Industries (2013-present) |
| Employees | 1,400 (US and Canada) |
| Parent | New Flyer Industries |
| Website | www.orionbus.com |
Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, was a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975. Privatized in 1993, Orion was acquired by Daimler Chrysler (now Daimler AG) in July 2000, and is now part of the group Daimler Buses North America.[1]
On April 25, 2012, Orion International ceased taking orders for new buses, and the Missisauga plant will close once outstanding orders are fulfilled.[2] The Oriskany plant was initially retained for aftermarket support only;[3] following the sale of that business to New Flyer Industries (which also acquired some of Orion's outstanding orders at the time of shutdown), the fate of the Oriskany location remains unclear although it is still currently performing repairs, including a retrofit program with BAE Systems for recalled hybrid-electric buses using BAE's HybriDrive system. The sales and closures are part of the closure of Daimler Buses North America; only Daimler's imported Setra buses will continue to be marketed although North American distribution will be taken over by Motor Coach Industries (MCI). Production of Daimler Buses North America's Sprinter shuttle buses will be moved to other facilities. It was announced there will be more than 530 workers will be laid off in the Mississauga and Oriskany plants which the Mississauga workers staged a wildcat work stoppage to protest in employee frustration at the slow pace of winding-down talks.[4][5]
Contents |
Product lineup[edit]
 |
This section does not cite any references or sources. (January 2011) |
Orion manufactured a number of different models of buses over its 37-year existence. A list of models is given below; each increasing number is the next generation model.
Most buses today in service are of the Orion Orion V or VII models.
| Model | Length & Width | Picture | Produced | Fuel type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orion I | 31 ft (9.45 m) • 96 in (2.44 m), 35 ft (10.67 m) • 96 in (2.44 m), 37 ft (11.28 m) • 96 in (2.44 m), 40 ft (12.19 m) • 96 in (2.44 m) |
  |
1977–1993 | |
| Orion II | 21.92 ft (6.68 m) • 96 in (2.44 m), 25.92 ft (7.90 m) • 96 in (2.44 m)[citation needed] |
  |
1983–2003[citation needed] | |
| Orion III Orion-Ikarus 286 (bodies and chassis made by Ikarus to form the Ikarus 286 model, marketed as the Orion-Ikarus)[6] |
60 ft (18.29 m) • 102 in (2.59 m) |  |
1986–1989 | |
| Orion IV |
|
 |
1985–1989[citation needed] | |
| Orion V | 32 ft (9.75 m) • 96 in (2.44 m), 35 ft (10.67 m) • 96 in (2.44 m), 35 ft (10.67 m) • 102 in (2.59 m), 40 ft (12.19 m) • 96 in (2.44 m), 40 ft (12.19 m) • 102 in (2.59 m) |
  |
1989–2009 | |
| Orion VI | 40 ft (12.19 m) • 102 in (2.59 m) |   |
1995–2004 | |
| 32.5 ft (9.91 m) • 102 in (2.59 m), 35 ft (10.67 m) • 102 in (2.59 m), 40.5 ft (12.34 m) • 102 in (2.59 m) |
  |
2001–2007 (original) | ||
| Orion VII | .jpg)  |
2007–2011 (Next Generation) | ||
 |
2010-2013 (EPA10) |
Assembly plants[edit]
- Orion buses are initially assembled in the Mississauga plant and final assembly and testing is done in Oriskany, New York.[citation needed]
- Mississauga - Chassis and body[citation needed]
- Oriskany - Seating, engine, HVAC, Final assembly and Testing[citation needed]
See also[edit]
- Crown-Ikarus 286, similar to the Orion-Ikarus III bus
References[edit]
- ^ Daimler Buses North America
- ^ "Daimler plant closing compounds Canada’s manufacturing pain" from The Globe and Mail (April 25, 2012)
- ^ Future of Orion remains unclear as Daimler gets out of bus business http://www.wktv.com/news/local/Future-of-Orion-remains-unclear-as-Damiler-gets-out-of-bus-business-148869275.html
- ^ http://www.wktv.com/news/local/Dept-of-Labor-releases-official-number-of-layoffs-for-Orion-Bus--160037935.html
- ^ http://www.mississauga.com/news/business/article/1361569--workers-off-the-job-at-bus-making-plant
- ^ Wilkins, Van (Spring 1986). "Success with a Twist" (feature article about the development and use of articulated buses in North America). Bus World magazine, pp. 7–13. ISSN 0162-9689.
External links[edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Orion International |
Hybrid buses[edit]
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
