FORT VALLEY, Ga. — After two years of planning and construction, Blue Bird's president and CEO, Phil Horlock, cut the ribbon for the company's newly expanded Fort Valley facility alongside Blue Bird employees.
The 60,000 square foot paint facility has a new robot-controlled paint system that can paint a 40-foot long bus in under four minutes. Before, it took workers 14 minutes to paint school buses by hand.
"It basically brings our ability to paint a school bus into the 21st century," said Senior Vice President Trey Jenkins.
In addition to being more efficient, the new paint facility is also more environmentally conscious. According to Jenkins, excess paint used to go to landfills. Now, leftover paint is taken to a local power generator where it is incinerated to create more energy.
"It's a step in the right direction and a great place to be," said Jenkins.
Former painters are now being trained in robotics and as technicians, so they can continue to work within the company.
Blue Bird built it's first school bus in Fort Valley in 1927. It's current facility has been manufacturing buses for the country since 1947.
"This is our biggest investment in the last 60 or 70 years and it's very exciting," said Horlock. "As we've built this plant and expanded and gotten bigger, it's natural to stay here. We love being here."
As for the future, Horlock says the Fort Valley facility will continue to upgrade with improved equipment and a brighter environment for employees.