British Bus manufacturer Optare confirms it has terminated the distributorship of Patico and the appointment of Shannon Taylor to coordinate interim sales and aftermarket support in Australia and New Zealand with full factory back up from Optare in the UK.
Truck and Bus News reported the termination of Patico after we sighted a letter to customers announcing the changes. at that time we reported that Taylor ‘departed the company in December’. It has been brought to our attention that the departure was actually a couple of weeks earlier in November and that Taylor was fired by Patico on the grounds of poor performance.
The former Patico employee has now turned up working for the British based company as it says it is ‘expanding its presence and brand in Australia and New Zealand, with its focus on building a comprehensive sales and after-sales network in the region as a first step’.
The statement goes on to say that ‘discussions with potential dealer partners in Australia and New Zealand have commenced following the termination of Optare’s relationship with Patico Automotive last month. Optare aims to confirm its new network within the next 3 months. Optare will provide full support for vehicles in service during the transition period’.
Optare Commercial Director, Robert Drewery, said the Optare product with its low deployment costs and fuel efficient design has been extremely well received into the Australian market.
“We look forward to seeing further growth of our brand in Australia and New Zealand in the future,” Mr Drewery said.
