Buses that combine tradition and modernity Autosan

BUSES THAT COMBINE

TRADITION AND MODERNITY

Autosan, a company from Sanok, is Poland’s leading bus manufacturer. “Our business idea is to keep up with the latest customer’s needs; we offer state of the art technical and technological solutions; we care for people and the environment; our key values are experience, dynamism, reliability and economy”, says Mr. Eugeniusz Szymonik, the company’s CEO.

Mr. Eugeniusz Szymonik, CEO of Autosan

The name of Autosan has been well known to many generations of Poles, since Autosan is one of the country’s longest-running companies. “Autosan limited liability company is the heir to the 187-year tradition. Moreover, it is the only Polish automotive factory that survived the political, social and economic changes that took place in our country in the early 1990s. It is worth remembering that before 1989, there were 20 automotive factories in Poland, which placed the country among leading European automotive producers”, points out Mr. Szymonik.

Long tradition

The story of the bus factory in Sanok, a town located in the southeastern Poland, started in 1832, when a small boiler plant was founded by two local entrepreneurs: Mr. Walenty Lipinski and Mr. Mateusz Beksinski. Soon the workshop expanded for locksmith and blacksmith services and eventually transformed into a large factory. At the end of the 19th century the company was the biggest manufacturer of rail-coaches, freight and tram cars in Poland. In the late 1920’s Autosan launched its first buses with wooden skeletons on the Lancia chassis; in 1949 it made its first trams after the end of the second World War, designed for Warsaw.

In 1957, a new tourist bus was designed by Mr. Zdzislaw Beksinski, a famous Polish painter, sculptor, photographer and illustrator. Not many people know that for 10 years of his professional life the artist had been associated with Autosan bus factory. It was his great-grandfather Mateusz who was one of the founders of the boilers workshop, which was the forerunner of the later factory for wagons and buses.

In 1973, its market debut had the company’s iconic bus model, Autosan H9. Its technical solutions were a major advance in the development of the structure and matched world standards of that time. Autosan H9 had been produced for 30 the years. More than 58,000 vehicles of this type left the factory’s gates.

The following years saw the expansion of the company; however, the political and economic transformations that took place in Poland at the end of the 20th century placed Autosan in very difficult conditions. As a result, in September 2013, the then management board of the company submitted a bankruptcy application. Next month, the court appointed a bankruptcy trustee for Autosan, thus enabling the company to continue its economic activity.

In 2016, Autosan was taken over by a consortium consisting of PIT-RADWAR and Huta Stalowa Wola, both members of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (the Polish Armaments Group), a leading supplier of army equipment, which brings together more than 60 companies. Thus, Autosan is backed by the PGZ economic potential (the group’s annual sales are estimated as PLN 4.5 billion, which is more than EUR 1 billion) and its know-how. The company recommenced its activities under the name of Autosan sp. z o.o. (limited liability company).

Tezana

Tezana has been operating on the market since 1996 and is a representative of global manufacturers of drivetrains and powertrains for applications in automotive industry. For bus applications Tezana offers a full range of FPT On-Road engines, Allison automatic transmissions, Eaton manual gearboxes, Meritor axles and other components (ie. axles & bridges). In order to bring to OEMs better Powertrain integrated product solutions Tezana offers also a complete drivetrains - a coupled engine + transmission unit customized to the individual customer needs - to provide best performance and economy bringing single order benefits – just one warranty for all package – more competitive pricing, maximum flexibility trough a wider scope of supply.

Back on the road

“In 2016, Autosan was reborn and in the following years, we had to sort out many things, including our technical facilities and infrastructure. Now the company is again the competent, friendly and trustworthy business partner you can rely on”, says Mr. Szymonik.

Autosan’s current range of products includes a wide range of modern buses, designed for cities, suburban areas and intercity passenger traffic, as well as special application buses. “We manufacture all types of buses except for tourist buses”, adds Mr. Szymonik.

There are two production lines in the Autosan factory in Sanok, including the one prepared for the manufacturing of electrical and hydrogen-powered buses. The company’s plan for 2019 is to manufacture 200 buses, while for 2020, production is set to grow to 300-350 vehicles. The annual production capacity of Autosan is approximately 2,000 buses, although, as Mr. Szymonik admits, it is currently possible to produce between 700 and 800 vehicles.

The company is currently focused on the Polish market, although it is closely monitoring the foreign markets. Recently, it sold first electric bus to Germany. “In my opinion our export chances are significant, because being a strong player in the very demanding Polish market, where we compete daily with leading international bus manufacturers, we are ready to meet the high expectations of foreign customers”, points out Mr. Szymonik.

What makes Autosan stand out from most bus companies is the fact that its buses are made of stainless steel, and therefore corrosion-free. In Europe only three manufacturers use this method, including Autosan. The company’s buses are painted with the best paints on the market, their engines meet the Euro 6 standard and come from such recognised producers as Cummins and IVECO, while components and solutions are purchased from international manufacturers, such as Allison, ZIEHL-ABEGG, ZF, VOITH, to name but a few. Over the next 2-3 years, the company is going to introduce the entirely new, modern design of its buses.

Not just buses

The company’s business profile also includes the production of military equipment (for instance: special truck bodies, cabins for electronic devices of mobile special objects, cabins for communication and radiolocation equipment) and rail stock components (complex steel welded structures such as the entire rail vehicle sections, components as cabins, roofs, walls, handrails, tunnels, portals, etc). Sales from these both departments account for about 20-25 percent of the company’s total sales. n

For more information, visit: www.autosan.pl