Wrightbus celebrates double award success after landmark year

Ballymena-based zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus has been recognised with two prestigious awards in just two days, marking another milestone in its record-breaking year.

The pioneering manufacturer was named Sustainable Company of the Year (Medium-Large) at the 2025 Business Eye Sustainability & ESG Awards, held at the Culloden Estate & Spa. The black-tie event drew more than 300 influential figures from across the business world.

The following day, Wrightbus collected the Manufacturer of the Year (Over £25m) award at the InsiderMedia Made in Northern Ireland Awards at Titanic Belfast. The accolade recognises outstanding industrial and commercial achievements in Northern Ireland, and Wrightbus will now go on to represent the region at the national UK finals in June.

The InsiderMedia judging panel cited Wrightbus’s landmark £500 million bus deal with Go-Ahead—one of the largest in the UK public transport sector—as a key factor in their decision.

The deal involves the delivery of up to 1,000 zero-emission buses, further strengthening Wrightbus’s reputation as Europe’s foremost innovator in green public transport.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Wrightbus, praised the company’s workforce and underscored the significance of both awards.

“For Wrightbus to be recognised with not just one but two awards in two days is a fantastic reflection on the business and our staff,” he said.

“Our landmark deal with Go-Ahead was a great boost not only to our business, but to the wider UK manufacturing economy and the InsiderMedia Made In Northern Ireland award reflects this.

“As Europe’s leading zero-emission bus manufacturer, it was particularly pleasing to be recognised as the Sustainable Company of the Year in our category.

“Our vehicles have prevented more than 85,180 tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere over approximately 5,490,000 miles from the roads and, as a business, we are committed to achieving our own net-zero targets by 2050 – and preferably earlier – by reducing our energy consumption and maximising efficiencies throughout our manufacturing processes.”

Founded in Ballymena, Wrightbus has grown into a leading name in zero-emission transport and was recently recognised as Europe’s fastest-growing bus manufacturer. The company now employs over 2,300 staff and is on track to produce a record 1,200 buses in 2025. By 2027, it expects to support more than 7,200 jobs across the UK supply chain.

Wrightbus’s continued investment in sustainable innovation and its contribution to the UK’s decarbonisation efforts position it as a flagship manufacturer for a green economy.