Wrightbus has purchased Midlands-based RGI Bus and Coach Refurbishment in a deal that the buyer says is “pivotal” in its ongoing push into bus refurbishment and repair.
The sale will enable Wrightbus and its battery-electric repower business NewPower to deliver a complete suite of refurbishment options from upholstery to metalwork alongside powertrain conversion.
RGI was founded in 2016 by Managing Director Ross Cleaver (pictured, left), and he joins Wrightbus as Head of Repair and Refurbishment UK. Included in the sale is RGI’s base in Southam, which is close to the NewPower facility in Bicester. 13 other staff also transfer.
Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales (pictured, right) says that the deal forms part of wider expansion by the buyer, which also has a hydrogen fuel cell-electric coach in the works.
“We are already selling buses across the UK and into Germany and Asia, and we want to ensure that we have services to maintain the entire lifecycle of the bus,” adds Mr Gales.
“We extend a very warm welcome to Ross and his team, and we know that their experience will be enormously valuable to us and our customers. While zero-emission buses clearly offer instant decarbonisation, the continued use and reuse of existing fleets is equally important for the circular economy.”
Mr Cleaver says he has been following the Wrightbus story under owner Jo Bamford with interest. “It is clear that this is only the beginning. I wanted to be a part of that continued success and so this deal was a no-brainer.
“Ever since I started RGI, our customers have been paramount. These same ethics and approach are shared by Wrightbus, and I am delighted to be involved in taking this to the next level.”
