The Ballymena firm has a full order book

Ballymena coach-building firm Wrightbus has landed an order for almost 500 bus chassis.

The contract is worth �66.5m and the buses will be built over the next two years.

Wrightbus makes bus bodies for customers around the world.

Company vice-president Patrick Hurst said: "We have been working on this particular deal over the last six months.

"Over the last four to five years we have been expanding our export business, so today exports are worth about 25% of our total turnover.

"At the moment, where we are primarily selling into is Hong Kong, where we manufacture our double-decker for KMB.

"We sell bus kits into America, which are built under licence and we have sold left-hand drives into Holland.

"We are absolutely delighted and it is a great endorsement for the business, and we believe reflects the quality of the product that's built in Ballymena."

In January, Wrightbus secured a �6m export order for 50 new generation buses from a Hong Kong-based company.

The Kowloon Motor Bus Company, which is one of the world's biggest transport companies, has ordered the vehicles from the Ballymena firm, Wrightbus.

It was the second 50-bus order to be won by the company from Kowloon.