out in front SOR Libchavy

out iN froNt

SOR Libchavy, a leading Czech bus manufacturer, has been a key player in its sector for over 25 years. Most of its buses are sold in the Czech and Slovak markets, but the company has a much wider, international reach. Focus on innovation, a ‘green’ operation and passenger safety and comfort are only a few of the attributes that have driven SOR’s success and growth.

SOR Libchavy is the second largest manufacturer of buses and coaches in the Czech Republic with a long tradition of engineering production. In 1995 the company started to develop and make buses, launching its flagship urban low-entry buses in 2008. A year later, SOR won the biggest public tender for standard and articulated buses for the largest city bus operator in the Czech Republic, the Prague Municipal Transport company. Other prime customers soon followed, including the Arriva Group Czech and Slovak Republics, ČSAD Invest Group and Municipal Transport Bratislava.

By the end of 2017, SOR Libchavy had produced almost 7700 vehicles, more than half of which were destined for the Czech Republic, and employed more than 650 people, making it one of the biggest employers in the region.

eco friendly and efficient

The company’s management pursues a long-term strategy of developing and manufacturing buses that are safe, eco-friendly and cost-effective. This is achieved primarily by the light vehicle

structure with maximum unification across all bus models. SOR operates a state-of-the-art plant equipped with the latest technology including polyurethane bonding, laser cutting and robotic welding. The company has been a holder of the 9001 ISO Quality Certificate since 2001. The SOR buses are continuously upgraded in terms of function and design, reflecting not just customers’ requirements but also rising safety standards and the need to improve passenger comfort.

Currently SOR Libchavy manufactures buses of 8.5m, 9.5m, 10,5m, 12 m, 12.5m and 18m in length, designed for urban, intercity and long distance transport. They are equipped with engines meeting the EURO VI standards. The customer may select the type of drive – either compressed natural gas (CNG) or electric. Both automatic and mechanical gearboxes are available, as well as independent axles, retarders, disk brakes, air-conditioning and other features. The company has also developed two experimental hybrid buses.

The key advantages of SOR buses include low unladen weight, low average fuel consumption (14.5 per cent lower than that of other vehicles on the market throughout the vehicle’s service life), higher specific output and effectively designed vehicle interior, including the driver’s cabin.

All SOR buses are equipped with disk brakes on all axles. The lower part of the chassis structure is made from stainless steel profiles, and the body shell is made from plastic materials. Stainless steel materials are used for the bottom part of the bus at places most prone to corrosion (underneath the vehicle floor, step plates,

area around wheels, etc.). Parts subject to external stress are supplied by manufacturers guaranteeing long service life, including in harsh conditions.

Steering forward

About 40 per cent of the company’s total sales are generated in the export markets, particularly in Slovakia. Other key markets include Poland, Estonia, Russia, Denmark and other European countries. SOR has several distribution and service subsidiaries in Poland, Bulgaria and Slovakia.

Last year, the company achieved another significant success abroad when it was awarded its biggest contract to date in the Bulgarian market, for the delivery of 27 new diesel buses for the town of Sliven within the ‘Integrated Municipal Transport Project’. The contract, worth €5.5 million, covers 21 40-seat buses and six 60-seat buses. SOR was the only company whose bid met all the tender requirements. Further afield, SOR also signed a contract for 400 buses to be delivered to Iran.

The company’s local (i.e. Czech and Slovak) markets are also booming: early this year, the first four of 18 electric buses were delivered to Bratislava, with another 14 coming by mid-year, where they will replace diesel buses. More recently, the company delivered the first 20 NS12 electric buses to the Municipal Transport Company of Hradec Králové (Czech Republic) featuring full-body air conditioning, five-pole pantograph, WiFi and USB sockets.

Given the trend in Europe towards smaller buses, particularly in the peripheries, it is a safe bet to say that SOR Libchavy is on its way to achieving its strategic goal of becoming a leading bus manufacturer in Europe, renowned for quality, reliability and customer friendliness. n