Delivering the vision - Develop Global Export Markets
Government, industry and academia in zero emissions mobility in Scotland should work to develop global export markets for products and intellectual property created in Scotland. This should include strengthening existing trade opportunities and developing new markets, as well as collaboration between Scottish businesses to take advantage of existing international supply chains to access new markets.
Case Study - Alexander Dennis
ADL is the UK’s largest bus and coach builder with a history dating back to 1895, and a major employer in Scotland’s central belt, innovating and investing in developing the market’s widest range of low, ultra-low and zero emission buses. ADL is pleased to have partnered with other organisations, academia and the public sector as part of Transport Scotland’s Industry Advisory Group to help achieve their vision of a decarbonised automotive sector in which Scotland achieves economic benefit.
The Scottish Government has led the way in supporting bus operators’ commitment to invest in cleaner, greener buses with two highly successful rounds of funding from SULEBS and the forthcoming ScotZEB scheme. Its investment in locally manufactured zero emission buses such as ADL’s electric and hydrogen buses manufactured in Falkirk with the associated extensive supply chain, will underpin Scottish, skilled jobs and apprenticeships that are vital for the transition to net zero.
A strong domestic market is also required for continuous investment in new product development, for the UK and international markets. Without this foundational bedrock
to ADL’s business from designing, engineering and manufacturing zero emission buses in the UK, the company would not have been able
to expand its range to include battery electric buses for North America, New Zealand and Hong Kong, which is a particular achievement, being in such close proximity to the global heartland of battery electric bus manufacture in China.
Priorities
Industry should continue to work with Scottish Government and SDI to identify the potential to work on export opportunities with existing technologies and markets, as well as new ones.
More could be done by industry and the Scottish Government to develop existing international networks to connect with international centres of expertise and to share learning.
Government and industry could work together to strengthen links to key export markets to allow business to understand and adapt to specific market requirements as part of their product and service development plans.
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