Leading UK bus manufacturer Wrightbus has set its sights on expansion across Germany, Italy, Frace, Spain and beyond with the appointment of a new European Chief Commercial Officer.
The company - which was responsible for producing the world’s first hydrogen double deck bus, the Hydroliner - has bought Jean-Luc Deflandre on board.
Mr Deflandre brings more than 15 years of experience working in the European electric and hydrogen bus market. His appointment signals the growing ambition of Wrightbus, less than two years since launching the Hydroliner and less than three years since the company was bought out of administration by leading green entrepreneur, Jo Bamford .
Jean-Luc is a former Advisor to the Board of BYD, former Chief Commercial Officer of Ebusco and speaks four languages - French, Dutch, German and English. He is the founder and owner of a consulting company and guest speaker at the World Economic Forum and Energy Tech Summit.
He said: “I am delighted and excited to be joining Wrightbus at an incredibly important period for the company and for passenger transport as a whole. Wrightbus is leading the way in zero-emissions vehicles in this field and I am eager to bring my experience to bear across mainland Europe.
“I’m already in high level discussions in several major European cities who are keen to have the very best zero emission buses on their streets.”
Wrightbus has big ambitions for Europe with the development of left-hand drive hydrogen-fuelled vehicles already under way. This year the company will double output at its factory in Northern Ireland, as well as increasing production of zero emissions electric and hydrogen buses to around 70 per cent of its total output - up from just 30 per cent last year.
Buta Atwal, Wrightbus CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jean-Luc to our team to support our ambitions not only to decarbonise public transport across the UK and Ireland, but around the world.
“Working at scale, Wrightbus has a clear plan in place to reduce the costs of the buses to be comparable to diesel for the total cost of ownership. We believe that zero-emission buses, manufactured in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, can and should be used and powered across the world.
“We already have a strong network of suppliers across Europe and we’re looking forward to building an equally strong customer base for our world-class buses.”
Wrightbus has a proud 75 year history of manufacturing buses, but when it was bought out of administration by green entrepreneur Jo Bamford in October 2019, only 56 staff remained in the business.
Just over two years on, and largely thanks to its new zero emission products, Wrightbus is now on track to employ more than 900 staff this year once its latest recruitment drive is complete.
Thanks to a flurry of orders, the company is doubling production compared to 2021, and will see a significant switch in output from 70 per cent diesel buses in 2021 to around 70 per cent zero-emission buses in 2022.
Wrightbus currently has the largest fleet of hydrogen buses in Europe and second largest in the world, with 90 in operation across the UK and Ireland.
Zero-emission hydrogen buses produced by Wrightbus have almost travelled an incredible 1 million miles since first entering passenger service in 2021 - the equivalent of driving around the world 40 times.
The reduction in emissions is the equivalent of taking almost 400 cars off the roads for a whole year.
The Wrightbus Streetdeck Hydroliner was launched in Aberdeen in 2020, with the fleet entering passenger service in January 2021. The Hydroliner bus emits only water from its tailpipe, with no harmful emissions.
In addition to the Aberdeen fleet, the company’s zero emission hydrogen buses are currently in operation in London, Birmingham, Dublin and Belfast, with several other towns and cities looking to introduce them to improve local air quality.
Read more
Wrightbus helps Irish city to become one of the first to deploy fully electric bus service
Read onFirst Bus launches all-electric fleet depot after investing in Wrightbus’s ZE buses
Read onWrightbus sichert sich neuen Auftrag für 28 Wasserstoffbusse
Read onWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero-emission buses to London
Read onShadow Northern Ireland Secretary hails green innovation at Wrightbus
Read onOxford continues charge to net zero with launch of Wrightbus’s fully electric buses
Read onWrightbus secures further orders with transport operator Abellio
Read onNorthern Ireland Minister hails green innovation at Wrightbus
Read onWrightbus’s zero-emission vehicles set to hit the streets of Norwich
Read onWrightbus lands significant order for hydrogen-powered buses from Germany
Read onPreparations gather pace for roll out of Wrightbus’s zero-emission buses in Oxford
Read onWrightbus’s first ever double-deck electric ‘low bridge’ buses launched in Leicester
Read onWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero emission buses to London
Read onUniversity students on the fast track to success thanks to Wrightbus racing car sponsorship
Read onArriva London makes further commitment to delivering a sustainable bus network across London.
Read onFunding Award For Ballymena Hydrogen Production Facility at Wrightbus Site
Read onWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero emission buses to Leicester
Read on£25 million to boost roll-out of British-made green buses around the country
Read onRecruitment Evening Encourages More Women Into The Workplace
Read onTransport Secretary hails hydrogen bus production at Wrightbus
Read onPlans announced for state-of-the-art green hydrogen project at Wrightbus Ballymena
Read onFostering is next stop for Norman after 30 years at Wrightbus
Read onMetroline places order with Wrightbus for zero-emissions buses
Read onGLASGOW OPEN TOP BUSES WILL SOON BE ONE OF THE GREENEST TOURS IN THE WORLD
Read onTranslink signs contract with Wrightbus for 100 new Zero Emission buses
Read onWrightbus showcasing benefits of Hydrogen at Labour & Conservative Conferences
Read onWrightbus to supply hydrogen cell technology to leading Australian bus operator
Read onFirst Bus places one of UK’s largest ever EV bus orders with Wrightbus
Read onWrightbus staff form Guard of Honour in tribute to founder Sir William Wright
Read onWrightbus announced as Ballymena United sponsors for next two football seasons
Read onNew Sales Director for Parts & Services joins the Wrightbus team
Read onNTA Announces Historic Agreement for 800 Battery-Electric Double-Deck Buses
Read onWrightbus signs landmark deal with Australia’s leading bus body manufacturer Volgren
Read onWrightbus Electroliner Officially World’s Most Efficient Double Deck Battery-Electric Bus
Read onThe first Wrightbus Electroliners set to enter passenger service in Belfast
Read onRecruitment drive continues at leading bus manufacturer Wrightbus
Read onHydrogen-powered buses on the streets of the West Midlands for the first time.
Read onMallon unveils the first in Ireland Battery Electric Double Decker Bus for Public Transport
Read onFortescue Future Industries joins hand with JCB and Ryze Hydrogen
Read onWrightbus prevents one million kgs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere
Read onThe UK Hydrogen Roadshow shines spotlight on low carbon hydrogen innovation
Read onWrightbus creates hundreds of permanent jobs as bus orders flood in
Read onMinister Poots visits Wrightbus to discuss its plans for green hydrogen economy
Read on