Australian coach and bus manufacturer Custom Denning has set out its stall for operations in the UK and Europe with the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer for the territory and acquisition of property in the East Midlands to service as headquarters for the continent.
Antony Goozee took up the role of Chief Executive Officer, Europe, from 1 July. He joins from National Express, where he most recently headed the group’s bus operations in the UK.
Mr Goozee’s arrival “marks a pivotal milestone in Custom Denning’s strategic push to establish the company’s Element electric bus range as a leading choice for UK and European operators,” the business says.
It notes publication by the Department for Transport earlier this year of a 10-year zero-emission bus order pipeline as central to its aspirations. That projects demand for up to 21,500 new zero-emission buses in the UK to 2035 as an indicator of the scale of fleet transformation ahead.
Mr Goozee brings 30 years’ experience in the UK coach and bus sector to Custom Denning. That track record captures operational management, commercial strategy, fleet procurement, business development, and operator engagement.
Although he had been with National Express for eight years until recently, appointment of Mr Goozee by Custom Denning reunites him with its Managing Director Scott Dunn. They formerly worked together at family coach and bus operation Dunn-Line in Nottingham.
UK and Europe CEO charged with building regional operation
As CEO, Europe, Mr Goozee will lead Custom Denning’s regional operations, build its customer base here, and oversee continued rollout of the established Element battery-electric bus range to operators, local transport authorities, and procurement frameworks.
Speaking about his appointment, Mr Goozee says: “Custom Denning has built something genuinely impressive in Australia – a bus that operators trust, backed by a manufacturer that understands the realities of running a fleet.
“My ambition is to replicate that reputation here in the UK and across Europe.
“The Element is a compelling product, and the timing – with the government’s 10-year zero emission bus order pipeline signalling up to 21,500 new zero-emission bus orders over the next decade – could not be better. I am excited to be leading this chapter of the company’s story.”
The Element is already in use here with Rotala. Custom Denning says that the type is available to order now and is a high-quality, competitively priced model that “brings zero-emission technology to a market where reliability, whole-life cost and passenger capacity are paramount.”
Energy efficiency is key to the Element, the builder continues. It suits opportunity charging as well as depot plug-in replenishment and has been designed to meet UK homologation and accessibility requirements, Customer Denning says.
Beyond the bus field, Custom Denning will introduce a battery-electric coach model in 2027. That product will extend the Element’s driveline technology to longer-distance and interurban operations, it says.
The East Midlands premises are part of what the manufacturer adds is long-term commitment to European markets. The facilities will house regional management and commercial functions, and a purpose-build nine-bay engineering centre for pre-delivery inspection and service work.
Such provision will ensure “that every Element delivered to a UK or European operator meets the highest standards of preparation and that operators have access to expert aftersales support close to home,” the business says.
UK manufacturing an aspiration for Custom Denning
In a notable move for the longer-term, Custom Denning says that as its UK customer base develops, it intends to explore establishing a manufacturing facility here. That step will depend on securing the sustainable, long-term order volumes “needed to justify significant investment in capital and people,” it adds.
Initial work on the East Midlands regional headquarters “further demonstrates Custom Denning’s determination to build a genuine, sustainable presence in the UK – not simply to supply vehicles, but to be a committed long-term partner to the operators and authorities driving the country’s zero-emission bus revolution,” the business continues.
Speaking about the plans, Mr Dunn says: “The UK electric bus market is at an inflection point, and Custom Denning is ready to play a major role in shaping it.
“Antony brings exactly the depth of sector knowledge, operator relationships and commercial acumen that this expansion demands. While I have lived in Australia for the past 12 years, I am very proud to be British, and I take enormous satisfaction from seeing buses I helped to design running on the streets of England.
“My ambition is to grow the UK business to a sustainable level and, in time, open a new manufacturing plant here. We are committed to the UK for the long term.”
