New Flyer marks $50 million in total investments with Anniston ribbon cutting; celebrates 750 jobs and advanced battery-electric bus manufacturing in Alabama

St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA – November 30, 2018: (TSX: NFI) New Flyer of America Inc. (“New Flyer”), a U.S. subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), the largest transit bus and motor coach manufacturer in North America, today cut the ribbon on a USD $25 million renovation and expansion of its Anniston, Alabama advanced manufacturing facility.

The ribbon cutting opens an additional 76,000-square feet of space, bringing the total campus to nearly 400,000-square feet of advanced manufacturing capacity and completing site readiness for production of battery-electric transit buses. The expansion insources transit bus part fabrication, centralizes the welding process, expands workspace for the administration team, and adds Calhoun County’s first and only dine-in cafeteria amongst all manufacturers. Continuous improvements were also completed throughout the existing plant to improve quality and supply management, and to increase American-sourced components for New Flyer’s transit buses.

“The investment in our Anniston facility furthers New Flyer’s commitment to American jobs and manufacturing, and reiterates our ability to build and deliver safe, reliable, and technologically advanced transit buses,” said Wayne Joseph, President of New Flyer of America. “Our world-class facility and outstanding people have allowed us to lead the industry in producing zero-emission, battery-electric buses. We are committed to providing efficient, connected, and sustainable mobility solutions to cities across America, and to supporting clean energy transit solutions with manufacturing excellence.”

New Flyer’s Xcelsior CHARGE™ zero-emission, battery electric demonstration transit bus, also built in Anniston, was onsite for the occasion. The event follows New Flyer’s late 2017 announcement to invest USD $25 million into the manufacturing facility, which preceded the opening of its Vehicle Innovation Center (“VIC”) in Anniston in October 2017. The VIC is America’s first and only innovation lab dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology in the electric and autonomous space. Since opening, the VIC has welcomed over 1,000 industry visitors, including transit properties, regulator, media, suppliers, utility companies, and investors, and New Flyer further invested $5 million to develop electric bus programming and production capacity.

Joining New Flyer of America President Wayne Joseph in lending remarks were U.S. Senator Doug Jones, Anniston Mayor Jack Draper, and Calhoun County Economic Development Council Executive Director Don Hopper.

“New Flyer is a leader in innovative transportation options and I congratulate the company on completing this $25 million project at its Anniston campus,” said Senator Jones. “Particularly exciting is the expansion’s Vehicle Innovation Center, which will serve as a laboratory for ideas that could transform the way we travel every day. There’s no better place to start or expand a cutting-edge business than Alabama and I am thrilled that New Flyer chose to continue investing in our state’s exceptional workforce.”

The expansion builds on New Flyer’s commitment to investing in American infrastructure, manufacturing, innovation, and jobs. Over the past year, jobs at its Anniston facility have grown by nearly 30% to over 750 people. New Flyer proudly employs more American workers than any bus manufacturer in North America.

The New Flyer of America Anniston campus, formerly North American Bus Industries, was acquired by New Flyer in 2013 and consists of five buildings on 36 acres. It manufactures transit buses from part fabrication to high-strength frame welding and final assembly. In 2015, New Flyer invested USD $20 million to transform the campus to a world-class LEAN manufacturing site capable of producing New Flyer’s Xcelsior® heavy-duty bus platform.

Combined with the $20 million invested in 2015 and $5 million spent on electric bus production upgrades and programming over the past year, the expansion marks a total $50 million invested in Anniston.

NFI has over 50 years of experience in manufacturing zero-emission buses (ZEBs), with more electric buses on the road than any other manufacturer. It is the only provider of full suite bus solutions in North America, offering transit, motor coach, and low-floor cutaway buses.

About NFI Group

With over 6,000 team members, operating from 31 facilities across Canada and the United States, NFI is North America’s largest bus manufacturer providing a comprehensive suite of mass transportation solutions under brands: New Flyer® (heavy-duty transit buses), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), MCI® (motor coaches), and NFI Parts™ (parts, support, and service). NFI buses incorporate the widest range of drive systems available including: clean diesel, natural gas, diesel-electric hybrid, and zero-emission electric (trolley, battery, and fuel cell) on proven bus platforms. In total, NFI supports over 74,000 buses and coaches currently in service across North America. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, NFI posted revenues of US $2.4 billion. NFI common shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI. News and information are available at www.nfigroup.com.

About New Flyer

New Flyer is North America’s heavy-duty transit bus leader and offers the most advanced product line under the Xcelsior® and Xcelsior CHARGE™ brands. New Flyer actively supports over 41,000 heavy-duty transit buses (New Flyer, NABI, and Orion) currently in service, of which 7,300 are powered by electric motors and battery propulsion and 1,600 are zero-emission. Further information is available at www.www.newflyer.com.

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