Stories

Volvo Bus Australia and Volgren celebrate more than 40 years of partnership

2021-09-07

Marking the milestone of 50 years in Australia, Volvo Bus reflect on the long-term partnerships that have delivered decades of customer success. In particular, Volvo Bus Australia (VBA) and Volgren have a working relationship dating back to the late-70s. And, as VBA prepares for the launch of the Volvo BZL electric chassis in September, the first four units will be fitted with Volgren bodies.

1st Volvo B58 w Volgren - PC Charlie Suriano

Soon after entering the Australian market in 1971, and establishing itself as a reliable Swedish chassis manufacturer, Volvo Bus approached Ken Grenda in 1977, the principal of Grenda Corporation in Dandenong, Victoria, to discuss becoming a chassis distributor. Whilst historically they had deployed American and British buses, Grenda recognised the potential of Volvo’s reliable European chassis, and consequently, Grenda and Volvo Bus marked the beginning of their partnership.

This partnership saw the birth of Volgren – an amalgamation of the words Volvo and Grenda. The new partnership also saw the beginning of a new link with Hess, a Swiss company that specialised in building extruded aluminium bus bodies, and Volgren would use Hess materials to fit bodies on Volvo chassis.

With key relationships established, VBA would release its first complete bus with Volgren in 1979, a B58 mid-engine Volvo chassis with a sturdy Hess aluminium body, built by Volgren.

This B58 marked the first of many complete Volvo buses with Volgren bodies that would enter Australia’s fleets. Ever since, these buses have had their bodies built locally across the country in Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Dandenong, Victoria and Malaga, Perth, as part of Volvo and Volgren’s commitment to supporting local manufacturing.

With key relationships established, VBA would release its first complete bus with Volgren in 1979, a B58 mid-engine Volvo chassis with a sturdy Hess aluminium body, built by Volgren.

“As we reflect on our 50 years in Australia, VBA is grateful to have had Volgren play such a big part in our journey,” says Mitch Peden, General Manager Volvo Bus Australia.

“As a trusted business partner since the late-70s, we couldn’t be more thrilled to have our first four Volvo BZL electric chassis units fitted with Volgren bodies. It is the joint dedication of the people at VBA and Volgren to delivering safe, reliable and sustainable solutions to our customers, that has enabled successful ongoing partnership over the past 44 years and we look forward to seeing what we can further achieve together in the future,” states Peden.

Since the beginning, Volvo and Volgren have shared similar values and principles, with Volvo’s values of quality, safety and environmental care running parallel to the mission of Volgren which has enabled them to remain trusted and reliable business partners, dedicated to delivering customer success.

The shared dedication to these values has also allowed Volvo and Volgren to collectively achieve positive business outcomes, in supporting various large government fleets over the years, including The Public Transport Authority of Western Australia, Brisbane City Council, State Transit Authority of New South Wales and a large number of private operators nationally.

Thiago Deiro, CEO of Volgren said he was exceptionally proud of the partnership with Volvo, which is one of the longest and most productive in the history of the Australian bus industry.

“It’s a partnership built on mutual respect and trust. We have been prime contractors for each other on massive projects – some of the biggest and most important supply contracts in Australia. We know that we can count on Volvo and they can count on us.”

Thiago said it’s also a partnership defined by its openness. “We are companies eager to learn from one another. The Volvo and Volgren engineering teams, for example, liaise with each other on a daily basis – I know they have certainly met with that kind of frequency during the Volvo BZL Electric – e-bus project.

“When you work with Volvo you work with a team that is responsive to discussion. They are a company open to different options, to alternatives and changes that make the end product better. We believe we offer the same to them.”