It is reported that Bogdan Corporation and one of the leading European bus manufacturers Germany’s MAN firm have signed a memorandum on the organization of production of large tourist buses at Bogdan Corporation’s facilities in Lutsk.

Mr Serhiy Krasulia the corporation's spokesman said that according to the memo, the corporation would start assembling MAN buses using SKD method in 2011. The buses would be sold on the Ukrainian market under the MAN-Bogdan brand.

He said that cooperation between Bogdan and MAN includes two stages buses from automobile knots supplied from Germany would be assembled in Lutsk and at the second stage a full scale production would be started with gradual localization expansion.

Mr Krasulia said that with the transfer to the full scale production the corporation would have a chance to export buses. He said that “This is a very promising project for the corporation, as the large bus fleet became obsolete by 90%.”

He added that “Expanding the range of models made by the corporation with the said buses, we would become the only Ukrainian producer that would offer large Euro-4 and Euro-5 vehicles.”

He also added that as a part of the contract, which would be signed in the near term, it is expected to produce 2,000 tourist buses from MAB knots in 2011-2018.

Bogdan Corporation was established in February 2005 with the aim of implementing large scale automotive projects. The first stage of the production of big, medium and small buses and trolleybuses in Lutsk was commissioned in the spring of 2006. The second stage has to be put in operation by the end of 2010.

(Sourced from Interfax)