Hafilat Industries, a leading manufacturer of quality aluminium buses licensed by Australia's Volgren, has won an AED 30million (US$8.2 million) contract to produce and export European-quality buses to Australia.

Production was set to start in May 2008 at the 10,000 sq.m. factory located in ICAD, Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, and will take approximately four months to complete before the buses are exported to Australia.

Hafilat Industries Director, Obaid Sughair Qubaisi said: “This agreement is a major milestone in the bus manufacturing industry of the UAE. It will also benefit the UAE’s basic industries through the purchase of locally-manufactured glass and aluminium and materials from small to medium businesses.

“We have won this contract because of our commitment to the highest standards of manufacturing, a commitment which will continue to benefit the country as the UAE develops its own intensive public bus network.”

The UAE is reported to be the first country in the GCC to be building European quality buses. Hafilat uses Swiss technology which is further enhanced by its Australian partner Volgren. Hafilat Industries is a joint venture between Specialised Investment Group, Emirates Link Group and Volgren.