Abu Dhabi-based Hafilat Industries has commenced shipping its first export batch of European buses to Australia from its 15,000 sqaure metre factory in ICAD-1, Mussafah, which opened earlier this year. The shipment to Australia will be part of the company's contract to supply the City of Melbourne with ‘Low Floor' city-buses on Mercedes Benz chassis. This contract reverses the usual paradigm in the UAE of importing vehicles to manufacturing and exporting vehicles. The establishment of Hafilat's factory is a ground-breaking move to establish a local manufacturing industry that serves the region and other global markets, supporting the UAE's move toward economic diversification. Hafilat Director Obaid Sughair Khalaf Al Qubaisi, said: “The UAE is the first country in the GCC to build European quality buses. With the fast-developing nature of the region, and increasing environmental awareness, demand for high quality, safe public transport vehicles is set to grow exponentially. Accordingly, there are major business opportunities for a local bus manufacturer in this region.” “One of the advantages of building buses in the UAE for both the local and export market is the boost it provides to the UAE economy. For example, we are sourcing some of the aluminium needed from a factory in Abu Dhabi. Our policy of ‘buying local' wherever possible will support home-grown companies and reduce our carbon footprint in the long
