Belgium – Between 7-12 October, bus and coach manufacturers and their component suppliers descended on Brussels for the first exhibition held by Busworld since the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was Busworld’s second to take place in the imposing Art Deco halls of the Brussels Expo, which hosted over 500 exhibitors and more than 40,000 visitors from around the world. 

79 of the exhibitors represented German companies, a reflection of their home country’s central place in the European automotive industry. However, they were outstripped in numbers by Turkey, which was represented by 96 companies. Coming a close third was China with 61 companies. That two of the top three countries exhibiting at Busworld Europe are Asian is symptomatic of a wider industry trend which has been in development for several decades. While European OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers showcased some impressive products, the companies capable of bringing mass volume were overwhelmingly Chinese and Turkish. Whereas electric buses and coaches made by the Europeans are selling in modest volumes, the Chinese are already producing and delivering their vehicles on massive scales. And the mass manufacturers of staple products – seats, window frames, dashboards – hail almost exclusively from a single Turkish city: Bursa.