Ballymena-based Wrightbus has secured £32.5m in financing to fuel its global growth and ramp up production of its market-leading zero-emission buses.
The funding forms part of a wider £150m facility aimed at supporting the company’s ambitious scale-up plans, as it positions itself at the forefront of the global transition to low-carbon public transport. The new investment will bolster working capital and enable Wrightbus to accelerate manufacturing across its operations, which already produce around 1,200 buses annually — 95% of which are zero-emissions.
Founded in Northern Ireland and rescued from administration in 2019 by green entrepreneur Jo Bamford, Wrightbus has undergone a dramatic transformation. The company now employs more than 2,300 people and is a key player in the push for cleaner transport systems worldwide, with customers spanning from Ballymena to Brisbane.
The £32.5m financing package — agreed with Ulster Bank — includes a revolving credit facility (RCF), a flexible tool to manage the long build-cycles typical of bus manufacturing. This will allow the company to efficiently scale up output in line with rising demand for zero-emission public transport.
CEO Jean-Marc Gales said the facility supports the company’s vision of becoming a global mobility leader: “We have big ambitions and this arrangement enables us to build on our momentum. We’re proud that our 2,300-strong workforce supports a further 7,500 jobs in the supply chain, and this funding allows us to invest in that wider economic impact — right here in Northern Ireland.”
The financing underlines confidence in Wrightbus’s strategy and market potential as countries commit to decarbonising public transport networks. With its hydrogen and battery-electric bus models already operating in major cities across the UK and internationally, Wrightbus is now set to significantly expand its reach.
Damien Long, Corporate Banking Relationship Director at Ulster Bank, added: “Wrightbus is leading the way in clean transport innovation. We’re proud to support a business that is not only delivering sustainable solutions globally but also creating jobs and driving economic value locally.”
The arrangement was structured by HYCAP, the clean hydrogen investment platform backed by Jo Bamford, with Ulster Bank joining a syndicate of lenders committed to the company’s green growth trajectory.
With this latest funding in place, Wrightbus is gearing up to scale production and innovation — helping decarbonise public transport fleets worldwide while reinforcing Northern Ireland’s reputation as a hub for advanced manufacturing and green technology.
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