Announcements made from Scania (Great Britain) and Wrightbus in respect of investments in staff training and the creation of new jobs have been applauded by Imperial Engineering, one of the UK’s leading distributors of parts for PSVs, including Scania and Wrightbus vehicles.
To further improve service levels provided to its bus and coach customers nationwide, Scania and selected dealer partners are investing in 20 strategically-located service centres across its UK network. The company says this will spearhead a drive to ensure operators receive specialised bus and coach aftersales care, regardless of where they are located.
Mark Grant, Services Director for Scania (Great Britain) said: “While every one of our network points provides full service cover for every element of a vehicle’s Scania chassis and drivetrain, the diversity and complexity of body types and the equipment fitted to them calls for additional skills and, in some cases, tooling. With service centres from each of our regions and every one of our independent dealers participating in the programme, operators can rest assured of receiving the best possible service from Scania at all times and in all areas of the country.
“Staff training will form a key part of our enhanced service. As the range of powertrain technologies expands, it is paramount that our technicians are highly skilled to ensure our buses and coaches deliver the performance and uptime our customers rely on. By creating a ‘network within a network’, we believe we can meet our objectives efficiently and in a way that adds to customer convenience, by providing all services under a single roof.”
Imperial Engineering has also welcomed recent news from Northern Ireland based manufacturer, Wrightbus, that it’s creating 300 permanent new jobs after winning orders from bus operators in the UK and Ireland. Roles will include coachbuilders, electricians, welders, driveline and factory operatives.
Marking a significant reversal in the company’s fortunes, having been rescued from administration by the Bamford Bus Company almost two years ago, the jobs boost means that Wrightbus will have almost 1,000 employees by the time all positions are filled at its Ballymena-headquarters.
The business says the investment in the workforce comes after a period of ‘phenomenal growth’. Having launched the world’s first hydrogen double-decker and with the fastest charging double-deck electric bus on the market, Wrightbus is now the UK’s only bus builder with both a hydrogen and electric product on the market.
Wrightbus Chairman, Jo Bamford, commented: “Introducing two new world-leading products in the Hydroliner and the Electroliner and being able to bring the workforce up from just 56 people to more than 900 in two short years is incredibly satisfying and shows the marked determination that we all have to make sure this business is a world-leading success. I’m proud to say Wrightbus is firmly back in business, creating jobs not just in Northern Ireland but indirectly across the UK and this is only the start of the recovery.”
John Dwight, Sales Director of Imperial Engineering, which supports the parts needs of bus and coach operators across the country, said:
“We are greatly encouraged by the investments being made by Scania and Wrightbus into their respective workforces. Skills are a much-needed currency within the bus and coach sector as developments in zero-emission vehicles ramps up. These positive announcements send a clear message that there are career opportunities available for skilled engineers and technicians as the industry starts to recover from the pandemic.”
