Bus builder motors back into Labert for global HQ

BUS builder Alexander Dennis is buying extra land in Larbert to fuel its expansion, just days after moving its head office back to the town.

Last week the manufacturer revealed that it had bought an 85,200sq ft building on the Central Business Park, occupied by former owner TransBus International a decade ago.

The group yesterday unveiled a deal to buy a neighbouring 1.59-acre site to secure land for further growth.

Financial terms were not disclosed for either deal, but the Falkirk Herald – one of The Scotsman’s sister newspapers – said Falkirk Council had bought the lease on the Central Business Park site for a reported £690,000 earlier this year.

Alexander Dennis is relocating its head office from its Glasgow road manufacturing site at Camelon in Falkirk to Larbert, about three miles away.

Business development, finance and other central functions will shift to the new office, along with a research and development centre and an assembly line for chassis kits for export.

The Larbert building – about a quarter of the size of the Glasgow road site – was previously the head office for TransBus International, the joint venture set up in 2000 by Alexander Dennis-owner Mayflower and Henlys’ Plaxton unit.

TransBus went bust in 2004, with Alexander Dennis being bought for £90 million by Ann Gloag, Sir Angus Grossart, Sir Brian Souter and Sir David Murray. The Larbert site was not included in the 2004 rescue deal.

Bill Simpson, corporate affairs director at Alexander Dennis, said: “The site will give us room to breath.

“over the past six or seven years, turnover has grown from £170m to more than £500m and we are bursting at the seams at Glasgow road.”