Solaris has ended its 2011 financial year with a new record result. For the first time in its history, Solaris sold over 1,200 buses. Additionally, volume deliveries of Solaris Tramino low-floor trams began. Solaris once again was in top position in the Polish bus market, while in Germany the company’s position as biggest importer was strengthened.
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2011 was another successful year for Solaris, with a further rise in sales continuing the company’s sustainable growth. With an 8 percent year-on-year increase, 1,205 new buses were sold to customers across Europe (2010: 1,120 buses). At the same time, volume deliveries of state-of-the-art Solaris Tramino low-floor trams started.
Turnover of Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. rose by 17 percent to a new record high of 370 million EUR (2010: 316 million EUR).1
Undisputed Market Leadership in Poland - Biggest Importer in Germany
On the Polish home market, Solaris remains unchallenged as market leader in both the total bus market and the key city bus segment. Amid an overall positive market development, Solaris increased its sales significantly by 27 percent to reach 518 units (2010: 407 units), giving it a 42 percent share of the total Polish market for buses above 8 tons gross vehicle weight. 516 of these buses were city buses (2010: 405 buses); accordingly, Solaris’s share of the city bus market reached 54 percent.
Germany remains the most important international market for Solaris and the company continues to be the largest importer of buses there. 248 new Solaris were registered in Germany, an increase of 31 percent (2010: 190 buses). This gave Solaris a 6 percent share of the total German bus market. As 232 buses were city buses (2010: 190 buses), the company’s share of this key segment was 10 percent. This makes Solaris the only significant supplier of city buses in Germany beside the two domestic corporations.
Further significant markets were France with 149 new Solaris buses (2010: 54 buses) and Scandinavia with 140 buses (2010: 304 buses).
Electric Buses, Hybrid Buses and Trolleybuses: Eco-friendly Electric Mobility
Eco-friendly electric mobility already is routine for Solaris. Offering the world’s largest range of diesel-electric hybrid buses, the company continues to set trends for sustainable mobility. In 2011, Solaris sold 63 Urbino family hybrid buses. 5 percent of all new Solaris buses used this climate-friendly technology, which enables fuel savings of up to 25 percent and reduces harmful emissions by up to 78 percent.
Another constant success is the Solaris Trollino family of trolleybuses, 65 of which were sold in 2011. With a 40 percent share of all new trolleybuses delivered in the EU and EFTA, Solaris is the leading supplier of these eco-friendly vehicles.
The new Solaris Urbino electric also is emission-free at the point of operation. This innovative addition to the Solaris product range was unveiled in autumn 2011 and immediately elicited strong interest from operators: Solaris is in talks with companies from a number of European countries.
Continuously Reliable: Solaris on Rails
A milestone of the past year was the start of volume deliveries of low-floor trams, part of Solaris’s entry into rail vehicle manufacturing. Poznań City Transport has ordered 45 Solaris Tramino, the first 23 of which had entered service by the end of 2011. With technical availability running at a level of 99 percent, Poznań’s Tramino are remarkable reliable not just for new trams. Delivery of the remaining vehicles continues and will be concluded by the end of May 2012.
In the meantime, Solaris trams have found favour beyond the country’s borders. The first international order was signed in July 2011 with Jenaer Nahverkehr GmbH of Jena (Germany), whose five Solaris Tramino will be delivered by mid-2013. This will be the first time a Polish manufacturer delivers trams to a German operator.
Award-winning Spirit of Innovation
In 2011, Solaris was awarded the Economic Prize of the President of the Republic of Poland for a second time. President Bronisław Komorowski presented Solaris founders Krzysztof and Solange Olszewski with the award in recognition of the company’s dynamic spirit of innovation. Solaris had previously been honoured in 2005 as a leading exporter.
1 Converted from reporting currency PLN according to Polish National Bank 2011 annual median exchange rate.
Information Solaris
Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o. is one of the leading producers of city and intercity buses in Europe. It focuses in particular on the development of zero-emission vehicles, i. e. electric and hydrogen buses as well as trolleybuses. This has resulted in the widest zero-emission product range in the European market and a leading position in this segment with a market share of 15.2%. Nearly 25,000 Solaris vehicles have been delivered so far and they ply the streets in 850 towns and cities across 33 countries located throughout Europe as well as beyond it. Solaris is part of the Spanish CAF Group (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) S.A. From conception, to the design and manufacturing phases, all Solaris buses are produced in Poland. Moreover, all activities undertaken by the manufacturer are in line with the brand’s mission, which is reflected in the motto “We are changing the image of public transport”. Solaris also actively partners with public transport operators and provides them with comprehensive support in their transition to zero-emission mobility.
Additional information
Mateusz Figaszewski
E-mobility Development & Market Intelligence Director
mateusz.figaszewski@solarisbus.com
