Former Italian bodybuilder Sitcar, under Sira Industrie ownership, turns to in-house minibus production (and Higer dealership)

31 May 2023 was the turning point. It was the day the Sira Industrie Group took control of Sitcar, a historic bus bodybuilder based in the Italian Motor Valley (province of Modena), an active player in the production of minibuses, school buses and special vehicles since 1978.

Almost 16 months have passed since that day, and Sitcar is in the process of being relaunched, thanks to the entrepreneurial fervour of Valerio Gruppioni, president and CEO of Sira, flanked in this journey by former Industria Italiana Autobus’ CEO Stefano Del Rosso.

Sitcar under Sira Industrie with in-house minibuses

We had a chat with Valerio Gruppioni on the opening day of IBE Intermobility & Bus Expo and got a first-hand look at the ambition of the new course set for the bus company. It’s one of the main news at the Italian expo.

Sira Industrie was founded in Italy over 60 years ago and has a wide network of offices, production facilities, and affiliated companies around the world. It provides, among others, die-castings and molds for aluminum die-casting, intended for the mechanical and automotive industries, and heating radiators. The ownership of Sitcar opens up a truly new chapter for the company, which is new to the segment of vehicles manufacturing.

Plans of the company is as follows: in-house manufacturing of zero emission minibuses (with target of 200 units/year within 3 years) until the 8 ton, exclusive dealership of Higer buses for the segment +8 tons.

In-house products which will be manufactured in a new 70,000 square metre plant in Campogalliano, in the province of Modena.

In February 2025, Valerio Gruppioni told us, the prototype showed in Rimini will enter serial production. It’ll be a battery-powered model aiming at school and touristic market. And the focus will not be only on the Italian market…