This year marks eleven years since the manufacturer from near Poznań sold its first buses to Germany, where it is currently the largest exporter, with a market share of over 10 percent. The award, granted for a special contribution to the development of Polish-German economic cooperation, was presented by: Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik – Deputy Minister of Economy, Jerzy Tutaj – member of the Board of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, and Jarosław Kurzawa – one of the initiators and animators of the Lower Silesian Economic Forum. The statuette for Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. was accepted by Jan Olszewski, Director of Corporate Development.
The Award Committee, which also includes winners from previous years, evaluated companies by considering not only financial results, employment, and market position, but also investments in innovation as well as pro-social and environmental activities of the company.
The first Solaris buses sold in Germany were delivered to the Berlin carrier ABUS. These were two 12-meter low-floor Solaris Urbino first-generation buses. Currently, the company is already producing the third generation of this model, and the number of all vehicles with the green dachshund emblem operating in Germany has recently exceeded 1,500 units. They are present in 94 German cities.