Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus plans to create hundreds of new jobs in the latest of a series of expansions. The company has grown exponentially since being bought out of administration by British hydrogen-focused investor Jo Bamford in 2019.
At that stage, its employee total had dwindled to 56 amid a messy collapse, while it now employs more than 1,200 and is seeking to raise this by “hundreds”.Since the buyout, Wrightbus has focused on the production of hydrogen and electric-powered buses at its Antrim base. It launched its first zero-emission bus in 2020 in Aberdeen.
Wrightbus HR director Nicola McCloskey said the business is actively seeking 160 support staff and is budgeting for 50 more next year. It also wants to fill about 100 production positions and 50 apprenticeships by the end of 2023.