Volgren
| Private | |
| Industry | Bus manufacturing |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Dandenong |
|
Number of locations
|
Dandenong Malaga Eagle Farm |
|
Key people
|
Peter Dale (Managing Director) |
| Revenue | $207.1 million (June 2011) |
|
Number of employees
|
560 (June 2011) |
| Parent | Marcopolo |
| Website | www.volgren.com.au |
Volgren is an Australian bus bodybuilder.
History
Volgren was formed in 1977 by Melbourne bus operator Grenda Corporation in Dandenong, Victoria.[1] Because Grenda held the Volvo Buses dealership in Victoria, only chassis from this manufacturer were bodied until 1989 when the dealership was relinquished.[2]
The name is a portmanteau of the two original investors, Volvo and Grenda.
In 1981 a plant was established in Acacia Ridge, Queensland by Grenda Corporation, Hornibrook Bus Lines's Geoff Mountjoy, Greyhound Northern and Stateliner. It bodied some Volvo B59 and B10Rs for Hornibrook Bus Lines and Surfside Buslines before concentrating on Twin and Double Deck Volvo B10M coaches.[3][4] This closed in the late 1980s.
In December 2011 Volgren was sold to Brazilian bus manufacturer Marcopolo.[5]
Manufacturing facilities
Current factories:
- Dandenong, Victoria (VG) completed Volgren's first bus in October 1979[6]
- Malaga, Western Australia (VP) opened in April 1999 to fulfill a contract to body Mercedes-Benz O405NHs for Transperth[7][8]
- Eagle Farm, Queensland (VQ) opened in February 2010[9]
Former factories:
- Tomago, New South Wales (VT) opened in March 2010, closed July 2012[10][11]
Asian operators
Volgren have bodied a number of buses for Asian operators:
- Hong Kong
- Kowloon Motor Bus operate 21 Volvo Super Olympians, 17 MAN 24.310 HOCLNR-NLs and 1 Volvo B9TL
- Citybus operate MAN 24.350 HOCLNR-NLs and Scania K94UBs
- Singapore
- SBS Transit operate 51 Volvo Super Olympians, 1 Volvo B10BLE, 1 Scania L94UB, 12 Volvo B10BLE CNGs and 1 Volvo B5RLEH
- SMRT Buses operate Mercedes Benz O405, O405G's, Hino HS3KRKK's and HS3KRKA, and 2 Dennis Lances
- Malaysia, a substantial number of buses were fitted with the Volgren bodywork as well. Examples can be found in the capital Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, state capital of Selangor and Johor Bahru, state capital of Johor.
-
Volgren Hideck Coach.JPG
1985 built Volgren Queensland Twin Deck Volvo B10M converted to a motorhome
-
KT4404@98C.jpg
Kowloon Motor Bus Volvo Super Olympian in Hong Kong
-
Sgvso.JPG
SBS Transit Volvo Super Olympian in Singapore
-
2007 Brisbane Transport MAN 18.310 with CR228L body
-
2012 Transperth Volvo B7RLE with CR228L body
-
2014 Transperth Volvo B7RLE with Volgren Optimus bodywork
-
Bus Scania L94.JPG
Adelaide Metro Scania L94UB with CR224L bodywork
-
Westrans Coach Service - Volgren C221TX boded Scania K113TR - 6745 AO.jpg
1997 Westrans Scania K113TR with C221TX body
-
Busabout - Volgren bodied Volvo B7R - 4019 MO.jpg
-
McHarrys Buslines 78.jpg
1998 McHarry's Buslines Volvo B10M with CR221 body
References
- ↑ Victorian Government Manufacturing Hall of Fame Volgren Australia Pty Ltd - 2006 Inductee Greater Dandenong
- ↑ "Industry News" Australian Bus Panorama 4/6 May 1989 page 5
- ↑ Geoff Mountjoy National Road Transport Hall of Fame
- ↑ Volgren Queensland (Acacia Ridge) Production Volvodemort
- ↑ Volgren Press Release Volgren 13 December 2011
- ↑ Grenda Corporation - Heritage Fleet Bus Australia Fleet Lists
- ↑ "Volgren, Malaga" Fleetline May 1999 page 76
- ↑ Volgren Australia's bus assembly plant opens at Malaga Government of Western Australia 21 April 1999
- ↑ First bus rolls off Brisbane production line Volgren 3 February 2010
- ↑ Job creating bus building factory opens Volgren 15 March 2010
- ↑ Volgren Bus company to shut, 60 jobs to go Newcastle Herald 23 July 2012
External links
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons- Bus Australia gallery
