AZ Crobus signs an export contract worth more than HRK 2 billion
Zagreb, 9 July 2013 – Today, AZ Crobus signed a ten-year bus supply contract with Iraqi investors worth more than two billion kunas. A total of 2000 buses will be delivered in the first five years of the contract. The occasion included a formal opening of the factory in Sesvetski Kraljevec.
The factory was formally opened by Mr. Branko Grčić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds of the Republic of Croatia. The opening ceremony was also attended by other representatives of the Croatian Government: Ms. Anka Mrak-Taritaš, Minister of Construction and Physical Planning of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Ivan Vrdoljak, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Gordan Maras, Minister of Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Evelin Tonković, Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Jerko Vukas, Croatian Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq, Ms. Vedrana Gujić, advisor to the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Mr. Dražen Margeta, Manager of the Bilateral Affairs Office, and Mr. Milan Bandić, Mayor of the City of Zagreb.
“We are truly proud of this deal, much more so because it was awarded to us in competition with renowned global companies. The delivery of intercity buses of high and higher classes is only the beginning of cooperation. We are using extra efforts to develop our minibus and urban bus, and the Iraqi market will later be offered a tourist bus and a bus for persons with disabilities, which the experts at Crobus have already developed for the European market. On the whole, we believe the ten year contract will by far exceed the 2000 figure and that several other forms of cooperation will be developed with our friends in Iraq.” – said Mr. Pavo Zubak at execution of the contract. This comment was supported by the representatives of the Iraqi investor – Mr. Kadhim Talib Ghazi Al-Sammary, Director of Djebel-Co., Mr. Jasim Daher, Manager of the Croatian House of Economy in Iraq, and Mr. Adnan Ahmed Razzen, Automotive Industry General Director at the Ministry of Industry and Minerals of the Republic of Iraq, and Mr. Adeeb Shakir Shamkhi, Marketing Director at the Automotive Industry Directorate within the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals.
We have so far invested HRK 180 million in the factory and development and plan to continue to invest. 60 persons will be employed initially and we plan to have 180 in the next two years. As we plan to develop as many components as possible with local contractors, 100 more persons will be provided with jobs.
AZ Crobus began to operate in 2006 as part of Zubak Group. Their core activity is designing and manufacturing buses. A high-class intercity bus was designed and manufactured with SCANIA Group’s drivetrain. The project was implemented completely autonomously and is a result of efforts put in by Croatian experts. After being successfully tested and obtaining all European certificates and homologation, the prototype was presented to the public in 2010. The factory was built to the highest environmental standards, which includes a completed environmental impact study and regular measurements of air quality and noise. The results of all such measurements are far below the limits defined by the relevant EU standards. In addition to the intercity bus with 51 or 49 seats, we should mention the prototype of a bus designed to carry persons with disabilities. This product features a right-hand side steering wheel and is for the time being intended for the English market.
Contact details:
Goran Marinov, PR Project Coordinator
e-mail: goran.marinov@oryx-grupa.hr
Phone: 00 385 1 2030 245
