Northern Ireland Office Minister Steve Baker has visited Wrightbus to hear about the company’s plans for the future. The Minister met with Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales at the company’s Ballymena headquarters and was given a tour of the factory to see the its production line for battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses. He spoke to the team about business opportunities in the UK and overseas, recruitment and the development of hydrogen as a clean energy source.
The Minister commented: “I am always inspired by the innovative spirit here in Northern Ireland. The UK Government is committed to helping businesses like Wrightbus excel in their UK operations through the UK Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, which aims to support the commercial deployment of new low carbon hydrogen production projects during this decade.
“This is a fantastic company that has taken its zero-emission buses to the global market and has achieved international success.”
Jean-Marc added: “We were delighted to welcome the Minister to Ballymena and share with him our vision for the future and what this means for Northern Ireland and the wider United Kingdom. Decarbonising public transport is a vital piece of the jigsaw when it comes to the UK’s net zero ambitions. Not only is our work helping the communities served by our buses, but we are also creating quality jobs in Northern Ireland and boosting the UK supply chain.”
