Blue Bird unveils new state-of-the-art paint facility

FORT VALLEY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Blue Bird Corporation launched its new school bus paint booth during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Fort Valley facility today.

President & CEO Phil Horlock says the new expansion improves paint quality and provides a more efficient plant operation.

“This is a fully automated paint facility, so we are bringing in new trades, new people. I think also the employee base sees us investing in Fort Valley, Georgia. We love investing our profits back into the business,” Horlock said.

Horlock also says that Blue Bird Corporation made a significant investment to build and operate the 60,000 square-foot facility. The facility uses the latest in robot technology.

“I think if you get a chance to go into that paint shop and see us painting a forty-foot bus in four minutes, then put a top coat onto a primer coat without drying in between, it’s impressive. All automated. All done by robotics,” Horlock said.

Senior Operations of Blue Bird Corporations Trey Jenkins says the new expansion will help current employees work better and create buses more efficiently.

“If you look at the employees that Bluebird employs, they all come from the Middle Georgia area like Fort Valley, Perry, Warner Robins, Bonaire, all over the place. We pride ourselves on employees. We have a lot of great people around the community,” Jenkins said.