Asiatiska busstillverkare på framryckning…

[Bjarne-W]

Två nya avtal öppnar för en expansion för asiatiska busstillverkare i Europa. Indiska Ashok Leyland har ökat sitt ägande i brittiska Optare till 75,1 procent. Samtidigt har buss- och tågoperatören Arriva och den kinesiska busstillverkaren King Long ingått ett strategiskt samarbetsavtal som omfattar hela Europa. Båda affärerna kan få betydelse för den svenska bussmarknaden.
Läs mer här:
http://www.busstidningen.se/2011/12/22/asiatiska-busstillverkare-pa-framryckning-i-europa-%E2%80%93%C2%A0arriva-i-samarbete-med-king-long/

[Citybus]

Två nya avtal öppnar för en expansion för asiatiska busstillverkare i Europa. Indiska Ashok Leyland har ökat sitt ägande i brittiska Optare till 75,1 procent. Samtidigt har buss- och tågoperatören Arriva och den kinesiska busstillverkaren King Long ingått ett strategiskt samarbetsavtal som omfattar hela Europa. Båda affärerna kan få betydelse för den svenska bussmarknaden.
Läs mer här:
http://www.busstidningen.se/2011/12/22/asiatiska-busstillverkare-pa-framryckning-i-europa-%E2%80%93%C2%A0arriva-i-samarbete-med-king-long/

Also the Chinese are coming . . . . .


Arriva/King Long cooperation agreement

A cooperation agreement has been formed that will see King Long develop prototype vehicles for trial within Arriva's UK and European bus operations. The two companies recently worked together through the provision of 174 new King Long XMQ6127J and XMQ6900J vehicles to Arriva Malta. The agreement should see some of the Chinese manufacturer's prototypes tested within Arriva's European operations by
the middle of 2012, with a further King Long trial vehicle due to be introduced into an Arriva operation in the UK by the end of next year.

Arriva's Group Engineering Director, Mark Bowd, said, 'This new agreement with King Long once again underlines our commitment to bringing the latest technology and ideas to the UK and European public transport markets. Introducing new technology and using state-of-the-art
vehicles are two vital ways to encourage greater use of public transport and we continue to play our part in achieving that goal.'

Engineering Director for Arriva Mainland Europe, Kevin O'Leary, said, 'King Long has a vast and respected experience in developing alternative fuel technologies for the bus industry. We have worked closely with them to introduce new vehicles into our Maltese operations and I am
certain that understanding and knowledge will assist us both into the future as we explore what new technology can offer us at home
and abroad.'

MD of King Long Europe, Chris Cassar, said, 'We have a young engineering team and they are listening carefully to the market demand. I hope that with this new cooperation agreement, we will deliver benefits for ourselves and Arriva.'



Lucky Europe . . . .

Paul

[Mikael Ringmarck]

Hmm....ja designen är det verkligen inget fel på. Slår många andra tillverkare på fingrarna 

http://www.king-long.com.cn/en/p_detail.asp?pr_class=2&id=99

[Citybus]

Hmm....ja designen är det verkligen inget fel på. Slår många andra tillverkare på fingrarna 

http://www.king-long.com.cn/en/p_detail.asp?pr_class=2&id=99

And a development with the Indian takeover of Optare



ADL may make cash bid for Optare

Alexander Dennis is considering an offer for the entire issued share capital of Optare plc and has formally requested financial information from Optare chairman John Fickling. The move comes in the wake of last week's announcement that Ashok Leyland aims to take control of Optare, increasing its shareholding from 26 per cent to 75.1 per cent, in return for facilitating bank credit to support Optare's current order book.

Ashok will invest £4million in the group through a placing of new shares which have been priced at an 80 per cent discount to the market price of 1.375p on 19 December. By 23 December the share price had fallen to 0.45p. Under the Takeover Code, a bid such as that from Ashok for 75.1 per cent of the shares would have required it to make an offer for the whole company, but the group has received a waiver from this requirement as a result of support from the independent directors of the group. 

Optare's statement on 21 December acknowledged that the group was not able to increase its banking facilities to meet the needs of its strong order book which currently stands at £59million, including a recent export order from South Africa worth up to £18million. The stakes are clearly high as acknowledged in the Optare board statement: "Shareholders should be aware that, if the Resolutions are not approved at the General Meeting, the Company will be unable to complete the Placing. If the Placing does not proceed, the Company does not have, at this stage, alternative means with which to finance its ongoing operations and thus will not be able to continue to trade".

Optare's board said that it has already received irrevocable guarantees to vote in support of the Ashok offer from holders of 34.74 per cent of the existing ordinary shares.

ADL's intervention is backed by a commitment that if an offer is made, it will be in cash, something that could entice Optare's existing shareholders to think again before committing to the Ashok takeover.

Optare's general meeting to approve the Ashok takeover takes place on 6 January 2012. Under stock exchange rules, ADL has to confirm its intention to make an offer by 25 January 2012.