Bus firm Alexander Dennis wins New Zealand order

The New Zealand order is for the company's best-selling single-deck Enviro200 midi buses.

The Falkirk bus maker Alexander Dennis has won a £25m order to supply 120 vehicles to New Zealand.

The buses will be built in Falkirk and sent in kit form to New Zealand where they will be assembled by a partner company.

Alexander Dennis described the contract as a "major breakthrough" and said the order could well treble in size.

The order is for the company's best-selling single-deck Enviro200 midi buses.

The first will be delivered next summer, while the rest will be progressively introduced over the following 12 months.

Alexander Dennis which employs 2,000 people in the UK, 1,000 of them in Falkirk, beat competition from nearly 30 other manufacturers to win the order.

Colin Robertson, chief executive of Alexander Dennis said: "In truth, this is much more than just an important contract.

"It is the start of a significant business relationship that has the potential to see us deliver a further 200 - 300 buses into New Zealand in the next three to four years - and to use the location as a springboard into other territories, notably Australia."