Iveco Bus to begin production in Turkey. An agreement with Otokar

Iveco Bus has signed a production agreement with bus manufacturer Otokar, under which Iveco branded buses will be produced in the Turkish factories in Sakarya. This contractual partnership covers existing models in the Iveco Bus portfolio for international distribution, as well as the production of a model specifically catered for markets in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

The models to be produced in Turkey will be powered by engines from sister brand FPT Industrial. First vehicles are going to roll out from Sakarya production lines within 2021.

In late January 2020 Iveco France announced the merge of Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus sales teams.

Iveco Bus with Otokar to expand manufacturing capabilities

Through this agreement, «Iveco Bus seeks to expand its manufacturing capabilities, and confirms that it is maintaining all regular activities at its existing manufacturing sites where its current and future model generations will continue to be designed and manufactured», the brand points out in a statement.

“We are very excited to embark on this new partnership, which paves the way for many opportunities in our businesses,” said Sylvain Blaise, Head of the Global Bus Division at CNH Industrial. “Thanks to this cooperation we will be able to increase our manufacturing capabilities in order torespond to current and future market demand to support our continued growth, as well as giving us the opportunity to work jointly on future portfolio expansion. With close to 60 years of experience, Otokar’s well-regarded expertise in bus manufacturing and engineering, together with Iveco Bus’s service network and connected services, which are key pillars of the Iveco DNA, ensure that our customers will continue to receive industry-leading sustainable transport solutions with best in class performance, quality and Total Cost of Ownership. Furthermore, this partnership will benefit from future powertrain technologies under development at FPT Industrial.”

Otokar: a first step in a long-term cooperation with Iveco Bus

“We are delighted to be introducing the production of Iveco Bus models at our Sakarya plant, in addition to Otokar branded buses. It is with great pride that Otokar’s technology, engineering and manufacturing capabilities are recognized by this renowned brand in the mass passenger transport sector,” said Serdar Görgüç, Otokar General Manager. “Utilizing our existing facilities to manufacture Iveco Bus models will enable our plant to operate even more efficiently and effectively. While we will continue to market our buses and expand globally, we consider this manufacturing and supply agreement to be a very important and strategic first step in a long-term cooperation.”