Gareth Evans visits the Kilbeggan factory of Irish minibus converter EVM, where he learns about the firm’s processes and finds out the new Sprinter school bus, as well as a more general update on the business
Avisit to the Irish Midlands factory of vehicle converter EVM last week found a buoyant facility – as well as the first look at the latest addition to the firm’s product range – a 12-seater Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based school bus.
Located within sight of Kilbeggan’s famous distillery, the factory lies approximately an hour from Dublin, thanks to the M6 motorway.
We will build 300 Sprinter units this year,” enthused EVM Managing Director, Danny Mc Gee, over a welcome coffee consumed in the recently completed administration block at the front of the plant.
Also present was Production Director Ivor Jones who joined Danny in 2011. Essentially, Danny runs the UK sales operation and Ivor manages the factory operation, aided by Patrick Farnon, the company’s Financial Controller.
“Today we’re going to focus on EVM products, i.e. the 300 series which roll out of this factory this year. Coach built products will follow from here in due course – probably when the new Sprinter becomes available,” explained Danny.[wlm_nonmember][…]
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Showtime
With the trade show season almost upon us, EVM is excited about attending the two events of interest to UK and Irish operators alike – Coach & Bus UK (CBUK) at the NEC, Birmingham on October 4-5 and on October 20-25, Busworld Kortrijk, which is held just inside Belgium, conveniently a mere hour and a half from Calais by road.
In Birmingham, EVM show vehicles are set to include a 19-seat extended X-Clusive, which will be available for sale; a 16-seater VIP standard Grand Tourer for White’s of St Albans; a 16-seater X-Clusive for Anthony’s Travel; and a Low Floor Sprinter, which has a capacity of 25 split between 16 passengers, with nine standees.
Two vehicles will be displayed at Busworld Kortrijk, one of which will be a 16-seater X-Clusive for Lux Tours of Belgium.
“The other vehicle remains to be confirmed, but it’s expected to be a UK vehicle, which will work well on the stand as the doors will face inwards towards a central desk and tables,” enthused Danny.
“It’s not our first time at Busworld Kortrijk – we attended four years ago. We’re looking forward to meeting customers and suppliers from across the world.”
He conceded: “In the past, we have turned up with too many buses. As a result, this year we’re going to have only a small number – four at CBUK and two at Kortrijk.”
New model
During CBW’s visit, EVM revealed the latest addition to its range – a 12-seater Sprinter 314-based vehicle aimed at school contract and private hire segments.
Called Trend, the vehicle was developed in response to a requirement from an unnamed customer for 260 new minibuses. It comes in fully laden at 60kgs below 3.5t.
Trend is now available to the wider market. The entry level is priced at £32,000 – the specification for which includes a manual gearbox, front door entry and white paint finish. As would be expected, Trend can be specified up too. However, Danny explained: “We tested it and found an auxiliary saloon heater is not necessarily required as the saloon heats up rapidly using the powerful original Mercedes-Benz cab heater.”
Factory tour
EVM’s Kilbeggan factory currently employs 45 staff, 35 of which are dedicated to production. It includes a 4,500 square metre bodyshop. There is room for expansion too in terms of both undeveloped land and neighbouring buildings, some of which are currently let out.
As vans come in, everything is stripped and stored safely. After fitting the two new rear wheelarches, a new step and aluminium side tracking which the seats will eventually be fitted to, a vehicle then goes for its initial electrical work.
The production of fibreglass components and CNC metalwork are outsourced to third parties. However, the laser cut metalwork is assembled in-house by EVM’s fabricators – the wheelarch subassemblies being an example. Folding, guillotining and welding can be done on-site at Kilbeggan.
“The drop well boot is made from fibreglass, which prevents rust in an otherwise vulnerable area. There’s no weight penalty for the enlarged boot and it certainly increases the vehicle’s attractiveness to operators,” enthused Ivor.
“Each vehicle has its own file, detailing all work carried out on it – and every employee gets paid a fixed number of hours, so there’s no slacking. They’ve got to do it right first time – problems are corrected in their own time. This system is all agreed with the workforce.”
To the side of the main factory beneath a mezzanine floor where components such as driver seats are stored, are two bays. One bay is used for assembling the luggage racks and the other makes the timber parts.
“We don’t use much timber these days. We only use it in the floor and small interior side panels,” explained Ivor.
Turning to the seats, Ivor said: “The driver’s new seat covering is ordered with the passenger seats from Brusa. The original driver’s seat covering is removed and its replacement, which matches the passenger seats, is fitted here.”
There is no moving production line – vehicles come in and out of a bay for a given set of processes.
On that note, asked about EVM’s process for extending rear ends, Danny replied: “We cut from behind the rear wheel and add one complete panel on each side between there and the rear corner pillars. It’s pressed so as to match the original panel. We use our own kit of parts. The process isn’t actually that complex – but it does take 120 additional hours.
“It’s a proper job, with steel – not just a bit stuck on the back. If a customer wanted them, we could fit the original Sprinter doors on the rear. We can offer flexibility.
“An extended rear adds a little weight, but not as much as one might think – just 40kg. The original Sprinter doors are robust, heavily-built, so a coach built back actually saves weight.
“An extended version provides 19 seats vs. 16 on a standard, non-extended Sprinter, but we mostly build 16-seaters.”
Further wiring is then carried out, including fitting items such as a reversing camera, along with full fitting out, including flooring and seats.
EVM has invested over £100k in diagnostic software, which essentially tells PSM (Mercedes-Benz’s own interface for bodybuilders) what it is required to do.
Ivor took up the story: “We have a standard programme we upload to each vehicle’s ECU (Electronic Control Unit). This bespoke board and programme not only allows us to manage all the minibus’ electronic features, it allows our electronic components to communicate with the vehicle’s ECU to obtain electronic feeds and other outputs which our programme then uses to manage the minibus electronic requirements. It includes engine buzzers and controlling the power door so it doesn’t open when in motion. It uses the original Mercedes-Benz parts, including the radio head on the dash, where we can feed our reversing camera into that. It also means no separate key is required to open the boot – it’s already integrated on the original fob.
“Through the use of the vehicle’s ECU, we are able to benefit from diagnostic tools such as Mercedes-Benz’s Star diagnostics system too – and the wiring is far less complex and hence easier to modify or repair if required in future.”
The next step is painting. Fittings, including door handles for example, are removed to help give an optimum finish. It’s often said that preparation is key – and that certainly appears to be something EVM embraces when it comes to painting its vehicles.
Danny said: “Some people say we’re expensive. You can’t just paint over the original plastic bumpers – if you do, the paint will fall off. We transform the textured satin finish to match the body gloss finish. My father, who ran a paintshop, always said that a customer will criticise a poor finish, but will omit to mention they got what they paid for.”
The paint cabin has two bays. One bay is six metres long, the other measures 10m.
“We can run them together as one, meaning we can accommodate larger vehicles,” explained Ivor. “We can and have painted full-size coaches, as well as articulated lorries. Under normal circumstances however, one bay is used for painting a vehicle and other for components.
“Excluding preparation, the actual painting takes two hours, and then a vehicle is baked for 35 minutes at 65 degrees centigrade. There are no step ladders here – we use a mechanical gantry.”
Depending on where in the UK or Ireland a used vehicle comes from, it may be sent to Kilbeggan for preparation prior to onward sale.
Outside, separated from the main factory across the metalled parking area are two bays for quality control and cleaning prior to despatch.
Once a finished vehicle has been checked and polished after certification, it is ready for despatch. Danny said: “We never drive a bus to the UK. We use a transporter. A vehicle will leave here on a Monday afternoon and arrive in Crawley later the following day.”
During CBW’s visit, vehicles present at the factory included those for two respected coach operators – Plants Luxury Travel and Anthony’s Travel.
Asked about the typical lead time, Danny replied: “We would need two weeks from what we call the ‘red line day’ when the order is signed and sealed. Seats are ordered in the customer’s colours. Then the vehicle is four weeks in build.
“Availability of chassis is not normally a problem, which helps maintains lead times. We have 70 stock vans on hand at any give
n time. They’re stored by Mercedes-Benz.
“Our lead times do vary though. We always try to find a way – we don’t turn down business. It doesn’t take any longer than it has to. I always tell customers that it’s a simple fact that they don’t get their bus and we don’t get paid.”
On that note, Danny stressed the importance of relationships with suppliers: “Supplier relations are important, such that we enjoy with Bursa. A truck leaves Turkey and takes 10 days to reach the EVM factory. Bursa has a very mature, professional attitude.”
Present to the future
“To remain competitive, we maintain a lean structure, which also results in us being responsive – decisions can be made quickly and easily,” Danny explained.
Danny, who lives in the South East of England, heads up the Crawley-based EVM Direct operation, added: “EVM’s philosophy is that every customer is important. If we can, we will build it. Our belief is it’s better to build and sell our vehicles direct to end user. We are though, fortunate to have a good relationship with Mercedes-Benz dealerships.
“Outside our Crawley premises, where Sales & Marketing Manager Peter Flynn and I are based, our UK sales operation is broadly divided into two territories – North and South. Matthew Thompson covers North of Birmingham, North Wales and across to Nottingham and Lincoln – and David O’Leary covers all points South including London and the South East, South Wales and Cornwall. David, who lives near Stansted Airport, previously worked for a Mercedes-Benz dealership. East Lancashire resident Matt has worked in the minibus sector since he left school 14 years ago. They’re out on the road knocking on doors, looking after new and existing customers. We have one sales representative covering Ireland – PJ Keoghan, who is based in Kilbeggan.”
In terms of aftersales, Danny said: “We have appointed a dedicated aftersales manager, Ian Edgerton, last year and a new field service engineer is due to start at the end of the month, who will work out of a van in the Midlands.
“PSV glass stocks our range – a full set is maintained in both its UK depots. We also work with recognised brands, including Eberspächer, so spare parts are obtainable with ease. For example, the glazing in a 2010 Sprinter remains the same as in a 2017 model, which makes spares easier. Reduced downtime is essential for us and customers alike.”
Asked about the latest on the composite-bodied Metro LF (the former Plastisol product), Danny replied: “We’ve got one that was built here, which is now on demo with local authorities. No orders have been placed as yet, but feedback to date has been positive. Full low-floor, it can seat 16 passengers. It’s intended as a local authority vehicle, rather than a PSVR service bus. It weighs 3.5T unladen, 5T gross as it’s made out of composites.”
As for the cabriolet, Danny said: “It was a great idea at the time, but it’s probably not part of our longer term plan. It costs in excess of £105,000, which is a big ask, but it remains available for customers who really want one.”
Danny said the Iveco-based range is currently “on the back burner.” He added: “We’re focusing on Sprinter-based products for now.”
Like other UK and Irish manufacturers, EVM is seeing growth in its export sales. EVM currently has dealers based in the UK, Belgium, Sweden, Norway and Finland. It is looking to confirm additional dealers in France, Australia and New Zealand within the next six months.
Upbeat about the future, Danny said: “The market is evolving. Demand is increasing for minibuses in the UK. If the market continues to grow, we plan to expand our factory by moving the paint booths outwards. That will give us at least 10 extra bays in the factory.”
Asked about the next developments from EVM, Danny replied: “We’re continually evolving our products. Table-top wireless charging will be launched at the Coach & Bus UK show.”
Admitting he was excited about the new Sprinter, which is expected to be launched in late 2018, Danny said it could open up different market segments. “We’re not ruling out the MAN chassis for the future either,” he added.[/wlm_ismember]
