SOR Libchavy
SOR Libchavy (Sdružení Opravárenství a Rozvoje) is a Czech manufacturer of buses for urban, intercity and tourist traffic and trolleybuses. It was established in Libchavy in 1991.
 | |
 SOR factory in Libchavy | |
| Founded | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Libchavy, Czech Republic |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Jaroslav Trnka |
| Products | Buses, trolleybuses |
| Revenue | 3,373,656,000 Czech koruna (2020)  |
| 211,590,000 Czech koruna (2020) | |
| 164,712,000 Czech koruna (2020) | |
| Total assets | 2,191,793,000 Czech koruna (2020) |
| Owner | J&T |
Number of employees | 739 (2020) |
| Website | www |
History
Until 1990, the company produced and repaired agricultural machinery.[1] Then privatization took place and the new company was registered on 6 December 1991. The manufacturer was established with business intent to focus on the design, production, sale and service of buses. The company management decided for the design of a 7.5 m long bus which would use both the body and chassis of own design and engine-gearbox assembly from prominent world manufacturers.
The production of buses was introduced here by Jaroslav Trnka, the former director of Karosa Vysoké Mýto, and his team.[2] Design works were initiated at the end of 1992 and already at the end of 1993, first buses with Perkins motor and Voith gearbox were sold in 1994 to Kadaň. The company produced a wide range of different sizes of buses (8.5 m, 9.5 m, 10.5 m, 12 m, 13.5 m and 18 m long).
Company SOR Libchavy is currently producing about 750 vehicles per year and is the second largest manufacturer of buses in the Czech Republic, behind Iveco-Karosa. About one third is delivered abroad. The company have offices in the Baltics, Slovakia, Poland, Romania or Russia. Their buses run for example in the Czech capital Prague, or Slovak capital Bratislava. Also, more than 100 electric buses were delivered in Romania. They are operating in the following cities : Brașov (60 buses delivered between 2020 and 2021, 52 ENS12 and 8 EBN8), Turda (20 buses since 2019, 10 EBN11 and 10 EBN9.5), Zalău ( 20 buses since 2020, 10 ENS12 and 10 EBN9.5), Slatina (8 ENS12 buses since 2022), Ploiești (9 ENS12 buses since 2023), Bistrița (10 EBN9.5 buses delivered in 2022, waiting to enter operation, for the moment in testing), Alba Iulia (13 ENS12 buses since 2023), Drobeta Turnu-Severin ( 6 EBN11 Buses delivered in 2023, waiting to enter in operation), Rovinari ( 3 EBN8 buses in 2022, waiting to enter operation, for the moment in testing).
In Ruse, Bulgaria, about 20 electric buses EBN9.5 are in operation, and 15 trolleybuses based on NS12 are to be delivered.
It manufactures medium-class buses with occupation rate from 25 to 51 sitting and total occupation rate up to 161 passengers. These buses are manufactured on the basis of the company own design. As a matter of course, they provide service, repairs and sale of spare parts.
In 2015, SOR Libchavy recorded an increase of production by 31% and revenues increased by 42%.[1] The company currently sells (2022) city (SOR NS, NSG, IBN, IBNG), intercity (SOR IC, ICN, ICNG, LH) and electric buses (SOR EBN, NS) and trolleybuses (SOR TNS).
Low-floor articulated city bus SOR NBH 18.jpg.webp)
City bus SOR BN 12
Intercity bus SOR CN 10,5
City bus SOR NS 12 in Brno on bus line 44
Trolleybus SOR TNB 18
References
- "Tržby čtyři miliardy, 751 prodaných autobusů. SOR Libchavy hlásí rekordy". iDNES.cz. 14 August 2016.
- Harák, Martin (2017). Autobusy SOR: historie, vývoj, technika, modifikace. Grada Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 8027199050.