The UK’s three domestic bus manufacturers — Alexander Dennis, Wrightbus and Optare — all appear unlikely to exhibit in their own right at the Coach & Bus UK show in Birmingham in October.
None figures in an initial announcement of exhibitors from organiser Diversified UK, although most major players in the coach market have confirmed that they will attend the two-day show at the National Exhibition Centre on 4/5 October.
Wrightbus has concentrated its efforts for some time on taking stand space only at the larger Euro Bus Expo show at the National Exhibition Centre on even numbered years. Alexander Dennis is focusing its efforts on North American and European export markets this year, exhibiting later the following week at the APTA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia and the week after that at Busworld in Kortrijk, Belgium where it will have its own indoor stand for the first time.
Rather than exhibit vehicles at the NEC, Optare is sponsoring the technology category in an awards presentation on the evening of the first day of the show.
Rental and leasing specialists Mistral and Dawsonrentals, which both supply UK-built buses, are both among the 200 companies exhibiting at the show, which aims to attract 6,000 visitors over the two days.
So too are Volvo, EvoBus (Mercedes-Benz), Irizar UK, Yutong, Salvador Caetano, Ayats, as well as dealers Arriva Bus & Coach, BASE and Moseley PCV, and small vehicle specialists EVM, Minis to Midis and Swansea Coachworks.
