Wrightbus
| Use attributes for filter ! | |
| Number of employees | 400 (2020) |
|---|---|
| Founders | Robert Wright |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Ballymena |
| United Kingdom | |
| Revenue | 181 million GBP (2017) |
| Type of business | Private |
| Date of Reg. | |
| Date of Upd. | |
| ID | 2460664 |
About Wrightbus
Wrightbus is a Northern Ireland based bus manufacturer and a pioneer of the low-floor bus. The company was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and was run by his son William Wright. On 25 September 2019, Wrightbus entered administration with the suspension of 1,300 jobs at their factory.
Wrightbus sale agreement reached 'in principle'
...A deal was reached in principle for the sale of Wrightbus...
Wrightbus fate to be known, in hours - Ian Paisley MP
...Wrightbus, went into administration last month after a period of financial difficulties The fate of Wrightbus is to be known, in hours, Ian Paisley MP has said...
Wrightbus: Protest at Green Pastures Church over donations
...Some workers have expressed concern that donations to the church weakened the business Hundreds of people have taken part in a protest outside a Ballymena church which received millions of pounds in donations from Wrightbus...
'Administration now inevitable' at bus maker
...About 1,200 Wrightbus workers have been made redundant after the company entered administration...
'Administration now inevitable' at bus maker
About 1,200 Wrightbus workers have been made redundant after The Company entered administration.
Just 50 jobs will be retained at The Firm - The Last UK-owned bus manufacturer - administrators said.
The Company had suffered Cash Flow problems and had sought investment or a new owner.
Talks with two potential buyers of The Firm , best known for building the New Routemaster, known as the "Boris Bus",
Deloitte, The Firm 's administrator, said the lack of a buyer for Wrightbus had caused the redundancies.
The Wright family, who founded Wrightbus in 1946, said "global changes from diesel to electric in bus technology have caused a sharp decline in demand for buses in the UK".
In a statement, The Family said that it moved work from its facility in Malaysia to Ballymena in a bid to secure local jobs.
"These factors have resulted in significant losses at Wrightbus which Our Family have been covering for a over a year. "
But a statement added: "It simply became impossible to sustain that level of support. "
At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, union officials called for the immediate intervention of The British government.
They said they sought meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NI Secretary Julian Smith , who they said they must "stand up for British industry".
Jackie Pollock, Unite's regional secretary, added "the government must intervene to save jobs and skills".
"The administrator will need to find someone of calibre and of real standing who has the wherewithal and the skill to take this company on," he said.
Wrightbus is best known for building the New Routemaster, or 'Boris Bus', which were ordered from The Firm by Boris Johnson , the then mayor of London Old wounds and fresh heartacheby Bbc News NI North East reporter Sara Girvin
It used to be a bustling market town - But The Years have not been kind.
The potential loss of so many jobs would be a blow to any town in Northern Ireland , But this isn't the First Time Ballymena has been hit.
The closure of big employers like JTI and Michelin in recent years have already left scars on The Town .
.
Norman Stephens has worked at Wrightbus for 30 years and said he is gutted.
"For The Last five years, management has told us that they can't give us a wage rise as they were investing it in The Company .
"Who is going to employ a 62-year-old man? I have nothing now. That's it.
"I'm off shift and due back in Tomorrow Night But I've been in since 8 o'clock hoping to find Out if I've got a Job . "
Latest accounts show that the Wrightbus group Lost £1. 7m on a turnover of £227m in 2017.
But its financial situation has deteriorated since then.
It made two rounds of redundancies last year with 95 jobs going in February and June, which it said reflected continued low levels of demand for new buses in the UK market.
The UK has traditionally been Wrightbus 's biggest market But it has been contracting for over two years.
Figures from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that in the second quarter of this year new bus and coach registrations are down 30% compared to the same period last year.
That marks the tenth quarter in a row that new registrations have declined.
Wrightbus : From driving seat to financial failureIn 2012, Wrightbus was Riding High . The Company launched the New Routemasters, which were ordered by the then mayor Boris Johnson - and so became known as Boris Buses.
It was a triumphant time for the Ballymena business, But now it's been brought low.
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Wrightbus : The Green Pastures donationsIn The Last Six Years Wrightbus has donated More Than £15m to Green Pastures, a religious charity led by The Firm 's majority shareholder Jeff Wright.
The donations helped it to develop plans for a huge church and village complex known as Project Gateway .
Green Pastures is led by Wrightbus 's majority shareholder Jeff WrightIn The Wake of The Firm 's fall into administration, questions have been asked over the use of money.
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In March 2016, Wrightbus founder
The Businessman told the Ballymena Guardian newspaper: "I Am totally in favour of Getting Out . "
ballymena, wrightbus administration, ni economy
Source of news: bbc.com
