Van Hool Revives Macedonia’s Bus Production

In the presence of Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, the Belgian company officially opened its new factory near the capital, Skopje, in its first big investment abroad.

The plant is in fact already operational, employing some 450 workers, and produced over 100 buses for the US market this year.

“This is just the beginning, having in mind that the manufacture of a new vehicle for the European market will be launched in the final quarter of 2014, which will create 140 new jobs,” the CEO of the company, Philip Van Hool, said.

Prime Minister Gruevski said he was delighted that the tradition of making buses was returning to the country.

Macedonia’s own bus manufacturer, FAS 11 October, ended shut down most production during the 1990s following a dubious privatization process.

The new investment “represents further confirmation of the success of our reforms and of the business environment we have created for foreign and domestic investors,” Gruevski said.

Van Hool’s entry to Macedonia is expected to boost the work of local subcontractors as well.  In April, the local company Aktiva launched construction of its own new factory for the production of bus chassis near Stip after agreeing cooperation with the Belgians.

Van Hool makes some 1,700 buses and coaches and up to 5,000 other commercial vehicles annually, of which 80 per cent are made for export. The family-owned company has 65 years of experience and employs around 4,500 staff.