Dutch "VDL" and Serbian "Neobus" together in EU market - contract signed for export of intercity buses

Dutch company "VDL Bus & Coach" and Serbian "Neobus" signed the partnership contract today (November 18, 2009) in Belgrade, which anticipates 30m EUR worth of production and export and intercity buses of make "lexio" to European market.

The Minister of Economy and Regional Development, Mlađan Dinkić, said: "the plan is that 450 buses be produced within the next three years and exported to the markets of France, Italy and Germany".

According to his words, this contract will lead to employment of another 26 people, so that the Novi Sad "Neobus" will have total of 240 workers.

Dinkić pointed out that the Government of Serbia had recognized the importance of the partnership for "Neobus", which was the reason why the company had been granted the favorable loan of 1.5m EUR by the Republic Development Fund for permanent capital funds for purchase of semi-finished materials for commencement of production.

Approval of additional 1.2m EUR worth of loan for modernization of equipment is also in the pipeline.

- "Neobus" has proved itself as a company that is capable of organizing production of buses whose quality meet the strictest criteria of European market - Dinkić estimated.

The partnership between "Neobus" and Dutch "VDL" is "the first in the series of good news for Serbian automotive industry in the weeks to come", said Dinkić and added that he hoped it was also the first in the series of goods news concerning the relations between Serbia and Netherlands.

He estimated that the contract was also important because local collaborators would make profit since they would get the jobs to supply parts for production of buses.

The CEO of "Neobus", Radenko Kostić, specified that the assembly-line production would commence the next week and added that 150 buses, of which value in the market ranged between 160,000 and 180,000 EUR, would be delivered every year.

According to his words, "lexio" buses will be produced in two versions - the first one, 12 meters long, will have 53 seats, while the second one, 13 meters long, will have 63 seats.

- The job of "Neobus" will be to superstructure the frameworks of the buses that will be delivered from Netherlands - said Kostić, adding that 90% of production would be intended for export.

The Ambassador of Netherlands to Serbia, Ron van Dartel, expressed satisfaction with the signed contract and estimated that it would improve Serbian export. He said that the joint business would show that Serbia can be highly competitive.