Optare’s Royal visit

Optare’s successful contribution to the UK bus industry has been recognised by an official visit to its Sherburn in Elmet factory near Leeds by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO.

The Royal visit included a tour of the factory where His Royal Highness met staff and saw several buses in production, including Optare’s latest hybrid and electric models. The Optare factory was officially commissioned on a visit by Transport Minister, Norman Baker in 2011 and now employs over 400 people.

CEO, Optare PLC, Enrico Vassallo, said, ‘We were very honoured to welcome His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester, and to escort him on a tour of our facilities at Sherburn in Elmet. He seemed to have a genuine interest in the success of our business in both UK and international markets and our contribution to the local and UK economy. It was a memorable day for all our staff, and underlines what Optare has achieved in recent years.’