Volgren
Company type | Privately held company |
---|---|
Industry | Bus manufacturing |
Founded | 1977 |
Headquarters | Dandenong |
Number of locations | Dandenong Malaga Eagle Farm |
Key people | Peter Dale (managing director) |
Revenue | $207.1 million (June 2011) |
Number of employees | 560 (June 2011) |
Parent | Marcopolo |
Website | www.volgren.com.au |
Volgren is an Australian bus bodybuilder.
History
Volgren was formed in 1977 by Melbourne bus operator Grenda Corporation in Dandenong, Victoria.[1] Because Grenda held the Volvo Buses dealership in Victoria, only chassis from this manufacturer were bodied until 1989 when the dealership was relinquished.[2]
The name is a portmanteau of the two original investors, Volvo and Grenda.
In 1981 a plant was established in Acacia Ridge, Queensland by Grenda Corporation, Hornibrook Bus Lines's Geoff Mountjoy, Greyhound Northern and Stateliner. It bodied some Volvo B59 and B10Rs for Hornibrook Bus Lines and Surfside Buslines before concentrating on Twin and Double Deck Volvo B10M coaches.[3][4] This closed in the late 1980s.
In December 2011, Brazilian bus manufacturer Marcopolo acquired a 75% shareholding.[5] In April 2014 this was increased to 100%.[6]
Manufacturing facilities
Current factories:
- Dandenong, Victoria (VG) completed Volgren's first bus in October 1979[7]
- Malaga, Western Australia (VP) opened in April 1999 to fulfill a contract to body Mercedes-Benz O405NHs for Transperth[8][9]
- Eagle Farm, Queensland (VQ) opened in February 2010[10]
Former factories:
- Tomago, New South Wales (VT) opened in March 2010, closed July 2012[11][12]
Asian operators
Volgren have bodied a number of buses for Asian operators:
- Hong Kong
- Kowloon Motor Bus operates 21 Volvo Super Olympians and 1 Volvo B9TL. It formerly operated 17 MAN 24.310 HOCLNR-NLs.
- Citybus formerly operated 1 MAN 24.350 HOCLNR-NL and 1 Scania K94UB
- Singapore
- SBS Transit formerly operated 50 Volvo Super Olympians, a diesel powered Volvo B10BLE, a Scania L94UB, a Volvo Super Olympian prototype, a Mercedes-Benz O405G prototype, a Volvo B5RLEH and 12 CNG-powered Volvo B10BLEs.
- SMRT Buses formerly operated 15 Mercedes-Benz O405s, 11 Hino HS3KRKKs and a HS3KRKA, 2 Dennis Lances and 21 Mercedes-Benz O405Gs.
- Malaysia, a substantial number of buses were fitted with the Volgren bodywork as well. Examples can be found in the capital Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam and Johor Bahru, state capital of Johor.
- Japan
- Nishi-Nippon Railroad bus, Niigata Kotsu and Nara Kotsu currently operates Scania K360UA6×2/2LB with Optimus body. The body of these buses is 5 centimeters narrower than normal ones.
Gallery
-
1985 built Volgren Queensland Twin Deck Volvo B10M converted to a motorhome
-
1998 McHarry's Buslines Volvo B10M with CR221 body
-
SMRT Buses Mercedes-Benz O405G articulated bus with a Volgren CR221 body
-
SBS Transit Scania L94UB with a Volgren CR221L body
-
1999 SBS Transit Volvo Super Olympian in Singapore with Volgren CR222LD body
-
Kowloon Motor Bus MAN 24.310 with Volgren CR223LD
-
2005 Sunbury Bus Service Scania L94UB with CR224L bodywork
-
Citybus Scania K94UB with Volgren CR224LD body
-
2003 Transperth Mercedes-Benz O405NH CNG with Volgren CR225L bodywork
-
2001 Transperth Mercedes-Benz O405NH with Volgren CR226L body
-
Transdev Melbourne Scania L94UB with Volgren CR227L body in St Kilda, 2013
-
2008 Brisbane Transport MAN 18.310 with CR228L body
-
Transperth Volvo B12BLEA in Volgren CR228L body
-
2016 Transperth Volvo B8RLE with Volgren Optimus body
-
1997 Westrans Scania K113TR with C221TX body
References
- ^ Victorian Government Manufacturing Hall of Fame Volgren Australia Pty Ltd – 2006 Inductee Greater Dandenong
- ^ "Industry News" Australian Bus Panorama 4/6 May 1989 page 5
- ^ Geoff Mountjoy Archived 20 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine National Road Transport Hall of Fame
- ^ Volgren Queensland (Acacia Ridge) Production Volvodemort
- ^ Volgren Press Release Volgren 13 December 2011
- ^ Marcopolo acquires remaining stake in Volgren Australasia Bus & Coach 7 April 2017
- ^ Grenda Corporation – Heritage Fleet Archived 17 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus Australia Fleet Lists
- ^ "Volgren, Malaga" Fleetline May 1999 page 76
- ^ Volgren Australia's bus assembly plant opens at Malaga Government of Western Australia 21 April 1999
- ^ First bus rolls off Brisbane production line Volgren 3 February 2010
- ^ Job creating bus building factory opens Volgren 15 March 2010
- ^ Volgren Bus company to shut, 60 jobs to go Newcastle Herald 23 July 2012
External links
Media related to Volgren at Wikimedia Commons
- Bus Australia gallery