Spartan Specialty Chassis and Vehicles, a business unit of Spartan Motors Inc., has entered into an exclusive U.S.-based assembly agreement with Grande West Transportation Group Inc., a Canadian bus manufacturer.
Under terms of the contract, Spartan will manufacture Grande West’s Vicinity model buses, which will continue to satisfy the Federal Transit Administration’s Buy America requirements and reduce potential tariff exposures, says Spartan. Grande West’s heavy-duty Vicinity transit bus is available in 27.5-, 30- and 35-foot models powered by diesel or compressed natural gas (CNG).
“This contract is a tremendous opportunity for Spartan to utilize our highly talented team and best-in-class facilities and processes to enter into a new sector of vehicle manufacturing,” says Steve Guillaume, president of Spartan Specialty Vehicles. “This partnership is a great fit for both companies, as it leverages Spartan’s efficient and high-quality American manufacturing capability to support Grande West’s continued U.S. growth.”
“We are proud to partner with Spartan, the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing and assembly,” notes Jean-Marc Landry, CEO of Grande West. “Through this agreement, we now have the production capacity and partnerships in place to accelerate our U.S. and Canadian market growth initiatives. The combination of Spartan’s well-established and skilled manufacturing team, along with its competitive production cost profile, enables us to streamline our assembly processes and leverage purchasing efficiencies.”
