Volvo Buses
Global
Volvo Buses
Global
Volvo Buses has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GB Auto, a leading automotive company in the Middle East and Africa. The purpose is to strengthen the collaboration on the export of Volvo buses and coaches to the region. The agreement marks a step towards more sustainable industrial practices, with a shared focus on expanding capacity and export, investment in cutting edge industrial technology, and generating employment opportunities.
As part of the agreement, GB Auto is investing in and upgrading its bus manufacturing facility in Ain Sokhna, Egypt. Volvo Buses will support the initiative by providing technical expertise, corporate know-how, and ongoing guidance to enhance production capabilities, optimize quality, and use ethically sourced and sustainable materials.
“This partnership is about expanding our reach and doing so responsibly. It involves integrating a sustainability perspective at every stage of the value chain,” says Dan Pettersson, Senior Vice President, Business Unit Chassis, Volvo Buses. “By working together with GB Auto, we are taking strategic action to further enhance the production processes and grow exports across the Middle East and Africa.”
“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Volvo Buses to export markets, a testament of GB Auto commitment to build quality buses, meeting and exceeding the industry standards,” says Karim Gaddas, C.O.O. of GB Auto. “In 2024, we have started an investment plan, focusing on advanced technologies to upgrade our product performance in terms of design, durability and safety, while reducing our environmental impact.”
Since the start of their partnership in 1998, GB Auto has served as a regional base for exporting Volvo buses and coaches to countries including Jordan, Oman, Iraq, Cameroon and Senegal. The new MoU builds on this foundation with a clear set of joint objectives: to strengthen quality and expertise, expand export capabilities, and develop premium commercial passenger transport products built on Volvo Buses chassis.
The collaboration is part of Volvo Buses’ strategy to work with partners who can tailor production to meet the demands of both local and export markets.
“This is fully aligned with Volvo Buses’ long-term strategy to create flexible, market-adapted solutions for our customers,” says Dan Pettersson.
The importance of Egypt as a key trade hub was underscored at the signing event, attended by Benjamin Dousa, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and Egypt’s Minister of Transportation Kamel al-Wazir, along with other high-ranking officials. Both governments reaffirmed the value of strengthening bilateral trade and industrial cooperation.
“Egypt is playing an increasingly vital role as a gateway for trade between Sweden, the EU, Middle East and Africa,” says Benjamin Dousa. “This partnership between Volvo Buses and GB Auto reflects our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and regional growth.”
Gothenburg, Sweden
28th May, 2025
For further information, please contact: Joakim Kenndal, Head of Media Relations & PR, Volvo Buses, e-mail: joakim.kenndal@volvo.com , phone: +46 739-02 51 50.
Volvo Buses is one of the world’s leading providers of sustainable passenger transport solutions. Our offering includes city and intercity buses, coaches and bus chassis, as well as a wide range of services for increased productivity, uptime and safety. Volvo Buses does business in more than 70 countries and, together with Volvo Trucks, has a network of more than 2200 service and support locations. Volvo Buses is part of the Volvo Group, which helps to increase prosperity by offering transport and infrastructure solutions such as trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial motors. For more information, visit http://www.volvobuses.com
