Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for International Trade), Graham Stuart, has visited Yorkshire-based bus manufacturer Optare in recognition of the company’s strong export growth.
The Trade Minister said: “It’s fantastic to see the work of Optare as it looks to expand its presence abroad, after recently winning contracts in New Zealand and Dubai.
“As an international economic department, DIT is able to provide sector specialist expertise and a global network across 108 countries, which is ready to help UK companies to take advantage of the ever-growing global demand for high quality British products.”
Recent successes for Optare include a £21m order for 114 Metrocity buses for New Zealand and a £17m order for 94 Solo buses for Dubai. Two bespoke Solo buses entered service on hospital routes in Hong Kong in 2017 and the company expects orders to follow.
The Optare international team includes dealer partners in every territory. Bus Corp Oceania represents the company in Australia and New Zealand, with Swaidan Trading in Dubai and Confidence Motors joining in Hong Kong.
Richard Butler, Chief Executive of Optare, said: “This is a significant step for Optare in our international export strategy and signals the start of the exciting growth opportunities available to us in Australasia, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
“Our innovative lightweight design is delivering annual savings in fuel and operating costs, which over time are very significant benefits for businesses. With the support of the Department for International trade we look forward to continuing to expand the product reach into new international markets.”
