Alexander Dennis proposes new Scottish manufacturing strategy to safeguard jobs

Bus and coach manufacturer Alexander Dennis is consulting on a new approach aimed at securing Scottish manufacturing operations and safeguarding jobs.

Under the consultation, Alexander Dennis said it would convert its Larbert manufacturing facility to a chassis manufacturing site, supporting all of its low-emission and zero-emission bus products.

The company said it would also close its Falkirk facility, aligning with its long-standing plans to exit that site.

According to Alexander Dennis, the proposal would safeguard around 200 skilled manufacturing and support jobs previously at risk of redundancy and would retain approximately 350 roles within Scotland.

In total, up to 115 roles would be placed at risk of potential redundancy. However, Alexander Dennis said it would retain the flexibility to reintroduce bus body manufacturing to its Larbert facility at a later date.

The company previously proposed closing both of its Scottish manufacturing sites in Falkirk and Larbert with up to 400 jobs at risk of redundancy.

Last September Alexander Dennis and the Scottish Government agreed a furlough scheme aimed at protecting jobs and long-term manufacturing capacity in Scotland, which has enabled the company to propose a different outcome for its Scottish manufacturing colleagues.

Paul Davies, Alexander Dennis president and managing director, said the new approach would enable the company to “better align with the current market whilst improving our efficiency”.

The UK domestic bus manufacturing sector has lost significant market share in 2025, with 51 per cent of all zero-emission buses purchased in the UK sourced from overseas manufacturers – an increase of around 25 per cent from the year before.