The bus manufacturer Van Hool, responsible for delivering electric buses for the future Tzen4 and Tzen 5 lines in Île-de-France, is heading towards bankruptcy.
An extraordinary works council was held this Monday, without reaching an agreement within this heavily indebted Belgian family business.
According to Belgian Radio Television (RTBF), the bankruptcy should be followed by a potential restart of activity, as management suggested during a press conference.
Do these serious difficulties jeopardize the launch of Tzen 4, scheduled for the fall?
This high level of service line (BHNS) will replace the 402 bus network, linking Viry-Châtillon to Corbeil-Essonnes.
The Van Hool - Alstom - Kiepe Electric consortium was chosen by Ile-de-France Mobilités to supply XXL electric buses, 24 meters long, capable of transporting more than 140 passengers.
“The schedule will be respected”
“VanHool, builder of the group in financial difficulties, plans to cut jobs, notes IDFM”.
And added: “The production of Tzen4 does not present any risk.
The 30 24 m bi-articulated buses are all in production, and will all be delivered by the end of June, in accordance with the group's commitments for the Tzen 4 project.
VanHool “has provided Île-de-France Mobilités with the assurance that the schedule will be respected and deliveries have continued in recent weeks”.
The authority “remains vigilant on the proper fulfillment of this commitment and on the quality of the rolling stock delivered by the solidarity group VanHool, Alstom, Kiepe Electric”.
For the president of the Essonne departmental council, François Durovray (LR), there will be no harmful consequences for Tzen4.
“Six vehicles have already been delivered and the others are also finished.
The family company will be bought.
They will lose the property but that does not call into question the company's production.
In any case, no worries,” he believes.
What about the future Tzen 5, between Paris and Val-de-Marne?
The same consortium won the call for tenders for the Tzen5 buses, which will connect the François-Mitterrand Library (Paris, 13th century) to Choisy-le-Roi (Val-de-Marne), by 2025. “Île-de-France Mobilités is in contractual discussions with the contract holders so that the schedule is respected (VanHool, Alstom and Kiepe Electric).
Île-de-France Mobilités remains very attentive to the situation of VanHool and the decisions that will be taken by the managers to ensure the sustainability of the company's activity.
Van Hool also supplies vehicles on the bus networks of Metz (Moselle) and Martinique, as well as Pau (Pyrenees), for hydrogen buses.