busnews.com.au October 2017 ABC^29else. How the team works,
how the team has conversations,
and how the team feel about
each other is actually very,
very important.
“While this importance being
placed on employee feelings
may seem unusual, we have
found that paying attention to
everyone in this way makes a
huge difference. Most employers
care more about the bottom line,
but we have found that if we
care more about our employees,
the bottom line is substantially
better and the workplace is a
more positive environment.”
PRODUCT PRIDE
Smith talks about the
grati¾ cation his team gets from
producing buses of high calibre,
incorporating multiple advanced
features out the factory door
on time every time, all while
remaining focused on safety.
“We have a constantly
improving safety record for
the operators, which is very
satisfying for Volgren. How the
parts and components we use
come together, the con¾ dence we
have in knowing when one of our
buses goes on the road it is going
to last no matter what happens
to it ... I could go on for years
about our buses.”
“Volgren has gone through
an evolution of how we build
buses and we are very proud of
the results.“We think we are one of the
best companies in Australia
for meeting our customers’
deadlines – we set a schedule, we
say what we are going to do, and
we take great pride in meeting
those promises.”
The Australian bus
manufacturing industry has
been supported by operators
who insist on a quality build and
comprehensive, ongoing local
support after delivery. That’s
something that’s not likely to
change anytime soon.Above L to R:
Volgren is
embracing lean
manufacturing
throughout its
plants; a bus in
the fi nal stages of
construction
Below: The
framework is
all laid out and
ready to go