SPECIAL FEATURE: Refurbishment

If you’re looking for someone to give your coach or bus a thorough make-over, you’ve come to the right place. We spoke to most of the major refitters to find out what’s new in 2024

As new and used buses and coaches remain a rarity on the market, more operators are refurbishing older vehicles to ensure they remain as comfortable as ever. For those looking to breathe new life into their fleet, B&CB has spoken to some of the industry’s best refurbishment specialists and suppliers to hear what they believe are the signs of quality an operator should look out for. They also give us an update on their latest work and other developments.

Efficiency – OXC Trimmers

A rising name in the world of bus and coach interior refurbishment is Sunny Guy, the man behind OXC Trimmers in Oxfordshire.

Despite his company being relatively new, Sunny is well versed in the trade, having cut his teeth at Duoflex, with a lot of his staff bringing mountains of experience to the business from the now defunct trimmers. His business takes care of all forms of bus and coach interior refurbishment, including walling, flooring and seats.

There is no shortage of work coming OXC Trimmers way. The company moved to a new facility last year as it grows, which has allowed it to work on a lot more vehicles at once. Its staff numbers have also grown.

Efficiency is key for Sunny when it comes to providing high quality work for customers and the set-up it now has at its new site means it has been able to even further enhance its efficiency. It is now able to separate the two sides of its business, the trim-shop and the body-building side.

During a recent B&CB visit, Sunny said: “We’re one of the few companies, if not the only one, that can do high-capacity conversions and has a trim shop. Sometimes an operator may want a used set of seats for their vehicle that we can retrim for them. That can save the operator probably up to 50% as opposed to using a new set of seats.”

Importance of experience – Cogent

When looking for a quality operator to handle seating and interior refurbishment, operators should focus on several key signs to ensure the work is done to a high standard, according to Rhys Kotschy, MD at Cogent Seating.

He said: “Experience is very important, take some time to look at the supplier’s recent projects on their website or ask for recently completed works. From this you can see their attention to detail and the range of services they offer; make sure they are using high quality materials from reliable suppliers.

“A good supplier will always stand by their products or services, a supplier who offers warranty and aftercare is evidently more reliable than those that don’t.”

Cogent Seating has been extremely busy with Coach refurbishments this year, according to Rhys. He said: “Coach conversions are becoming more difficult as newer vehicles which don’t lend themselves well to the up-seat market present new challenges. However, customers want to invest more in these refurbishments and are now opting for a more luxurious trim and for full floors to have new lino, changing from a single colour to a wooden floor.

“PSVAR conversions are still being carried out at Cogent, with more and more OEM door kits available, the finished vehicle looks far more like a factory fit.”

Back on time – Blackpool Bus and Coach Trim

Getting a vehicle refurbished and back on time is a big part of doing the job right, according to Dan Sims, Director at Blackpool Bus and Coach Trim, who focuses heavily on efficient turnaround times. “And it’s about the actual quality of the work,” he said. “Making sure it’s not slap dash. Check on how comfy the seats are after a refurbishment; have they had the foam changed?”

A recent refurbishment job Blackpool Bus and Coach Trim has worked on is a Yutong coach bought new by Anthony’s Travel, which it has retrimmed ready for it to have a kitchen installed by AD Coach Systems. It will be used as a team coach and Dan’s company has refurbished it to a high standard.

Another recent project is the interior refurbishment of a former megabus coach into a ‘tea bus’. The vehicle is to be used as a mobile cafe while it provides a sightseeing tour of Liverpool. Blackpool Bus and Coach Trim is breathing new life into the interior, including new seating and flooring. Its quirky interior has been designed to look like an old English house, Dan explains.

Blackpool Bus and Coach Trim has also been busied by a lot of bus refurbishment work. “We are the busiest we have ever been,” Dan is pleased to say.

High-quality craftsmanship – West Coast Trim

Look out for high-quality craftsmanship and materials being used for refurbishment projects, according to West Coast Trim. The team there suggest operators ask about the time served in the industry, as experience in the trade is important. They also suggest operators ask to view a portfolio of previous work carried out to get a good impression of what to expect. “Another good question would be how they’ll approach the project from strip down to end product,2 says the team.

Keeping the West Coast Trim team busy lately is a full retrim of a Plaxton coach, with a full set of seats, a retrim of the centre roof and luggage racks and a new gangway carpet. Other recent projects include a double-decker heritage tram, numerous 70-seater school busses and some interior work for a custom school library bus.

A record year – AK Carpets

It has been a record year for growth at coach carpet supplier AK Carpets, with volumes at an all-time high.

(L to R) Alison Ayers has now joined her husband Richard in running AK Carpets

The company has now expanded its workforce and again is a husband-and-wife team, with Director Richard Ayers now assisted by his wife, Alison. Alison has been a teacher for the last 28 years and brings a wealth of inter-personal skills to the business.

The company is working on a new website, upgraded corporate look and an increased social media presence. Going forward, it will be looking at refreshing its product range to reflect the challenges of the market as it grows and changes.

“With the exponential growth within the second-hand market and the increased market presence of Pelican Yutong, things are looking very buoyant for the future,” said Richard.

Attention to detail – Cobra Trim

Hampshire-based Cobra Trim refurbishes a variety of vehicles, adding kitchen units, electrical appliances, tables, new seats and an array of features to vehicles. Regarding what makes for a good refurbishment, the team says attention to detail. It is not just about delivering a high standard of work, but also about the degree of aftercare provided.

The company aims to give its customers’ vehicles an exquisite new look and has a particular focus on high-end refurbishments.

Cobra Trim is currently working on a Mercedes-Benz Setra S 531 DT, which is being converted into a 16-sleeper tour bus for the music industry.

Consider specifications carefully – Camira

When it comes to selecting the right material for a refurbishment, Regional Business Manager at Camira, Nigel Vickers, said: “Operators should firstly consider all the specifications required for the interior fabric and seating. This will usually include flammability, durability, as well as comfort and design. Fabric manufacturers should then be able to provide certifications to evidence that their textiles will perform to these standards.

“There is a myriad of different fabric treatments which can enhance performance to make fabrics work even harder. Some of the most popular treatments provide added stain repellency, anti-microbial properties or enhanced flame retardancy. It’s also useful to look at guarantees. Camira fabrics have a five-year guarantee.

“Camira’s wool moquettes are renowned for their longevity and aesthetics – more than 200 years of experience in the transport industry reassures operators that we know exactly what we’re doing when it comes to fabrics for interiors.”

Buses burnished- Birmingham Busworks

One of the recent entrants to the refurb market is Birmingham Busworks, run by Ian Mack and his team, specialising in seatbelting, removing centre doors, and open-top conversions. But if you want more, they can get it done, including paint at RGI Bus & Coach and trim at the National Express trimshop nearby.

The company occupies the old Travel de Courcey yard, from where it not only works on buses but sells them. It’s getting all of its seatbelt retrofits pull-tested, model by model, with ‘deckers a popular target for schools.

It’s a fast-growing business with plans for a major refit of the workshop and a sales operation which already has a finance option. Stock turnover is very rapid.

Above all, says Ian, the team can guarantee a fast response to any query or demand.

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