NFI subsidiary Alexander Dennis repurposes Larbert facility to increase zero-emission manufacturing capability

NFI’s Alexander Dennis facility at Larbert (1)

LARBERT, United Kingdom, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (TSX: NFI, OTC: NFYEF, TSX: NFI.DB) NFI Group Inc. (“NFI” or the “Company”), a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in electric mass mobility solutions, subsidiary Alexander Dennis Limited (“Alexander Dennis”) today announced plans to expand its Larbert head office and facility into a manufacturing site for the future.

The Larbert site will focus on the production of the new Enviro400EV zero-emission bus from August 2023, assembling the next-generation body on the new Alexander Dennis battery-electric chassis. The decision follows a successful pilot program to build Enviro400FCEV hydrogen fuel cell buses in Larbert.

The Larbert expansion, which converts existing warehouse space into production lines, supports the company’s 690+ green manufacturing jobs in Scotland. The Enviro400EV double deck that will be assembled at Larbert is the crowd-shifter, a core member of the next generation of battery-electric buses from Alexander Dennis. The double deck bus has been designed to move large numbers of people on busy urban corridors and interurban expresses with a total capacity of up to 96 passengers and an operational range of up to 260 miles on a single charge.

The Alexander Dennis head office remains at Larbert and work has already been completed to revamp the site’s office space to equip it for its future as a flexible environment that brings together key business teams and maximizes utilization under the hybrid working arrangements that are now standard across Alexander Dennis. The changes in Larbert are part of a company-wide modernization journey that started with the opening of the new Farnborough facility in 2022 and which will continue in coming years as further members of the next generation of zero-emission buses are added to the Alexander Dennis portfolio.

Alexander Dennis has led the introduction of zero-emission mobility in the UK and Ireland since 2016 with the BYD–Alexander Dennis partnership, with close to 1,500 zero-emission vehicles delivered to date.

Alexander Dennis President & Managing Director Paul Davies said: “Over the past couple of years we have been laser focused on a modernization agenda, underpinned by significant investment in our people, our products and our facilities. We not only need to future-proof our manufacturing capabilities for the ZEvolution™ but we also need to ensure that we create the best possible working environment in which our people can excel. This is another step on our Alexander Dennis journey to build a sustainable company for the future, with zero-emission buses being at the core of the repurposed and upgraded Larbert site.

“This marks another exciting milestone in our progress and development as a business and continues to define the Alexander Dennis zero-emission range as a serious catalyst for change in the UK bus industry.”

Pat Rafferty, Unite Scottish Secretary, said: “Unite warmly welcomes the announcement by Alexander Dennis to manufacture the next-generation Enviro400EV zero-emission buses and for the Larbert site to be upgraded to enable this exciting expansion. It is a great vote of confidence in Alexander Dennis’ world-class workforce and it helps to sustain hundreds of jobs in the local economy. Unite is pleased to play our full role in helping to firmly establish the company as a market leader in the manufacturing of green buses and to assisting with increasing global demand in order to meet the challenges associated with the decarbonization of public transport.”

Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council, said: “Alexander Dennis is a world class leader in bus production and this announcement reinforces their position as a key employer in the Falkirk area. Their modernization and adaptation to changing markets shows how they are at the forefront of their industry, and we are proud to have them based in our area providing employment and investment opportunities in the coming years.”

NFI is a leader in low- and zero-emission mobility, with vehicles operating in 13 countries, moving millions of people every day. NFI offers the widest range of vehicles including clean diesel, compressed natural gas, diesel electric hybrids, and zero-emission battery- and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches.

High resolution images are available for download from the Alexander Dennis website at alexander-dennis.com/media/news.

About NFI

Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world. With zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today’s urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation.

With 7,700 team members in nine countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New Flyer^® (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI^® (motor coaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single- and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motor coaches), ARBOC^® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts™. NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid, and clean diesel. In total, NFI supports its installed base of over 100,000 buses and coaches around the world. NFI’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) under the symbol NFI and its convertible unsecured debentures trade on the TSX under the symbol NFI.DB. News and information is available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com, www.mcicoach.com, www.nfi.parts, www.alexander-dennis.com, www.arbocsv.com, and www.carfaircomposites.com.

About Alexander Dennis

Alexander Dennis Limited (“Alexander Dennis”) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of double deck buses and is also the UK’s largest bus and coach manufacturer. Alexander Dennis offers single and double deck vehicles under the brands of Alexander Dennis and Plaxton, and has over 31,000 vehicles in service in the UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Further information is available at www.alexander-dennis.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Debbie McCreath, +44 1324 574479
Stefan Baguette, +44 1324 678047
press@alexander-dennis.com

For inquiries, please contact:
Stephen King
P: 204.792.1300
Stephen.King@nfigroup.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2763349-7fb6-4ea2-9afb-96c85d516fd6