Bus Market Slows, Coachbuilder Targets Mining and Electric Vehicles

Technical Director of PT Laksana Bus Manufaktur, Stefan Arman, stated that 2024 saw a surge in demand for the coachbuilding business. However, geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East in 2026 has eroded demand for buses, impacting the coachbuilding industry. Furthermore, the weakening of the Rupiah has increased the cost of imported raw materials, while declining purchasing power makes it difficult for companies to raise prices for vehicle body modifications. Facing these conditions, efficiency has become a necessary strategy for the coachbuilding business to maintain profitability. Additionally, PT Laksana Bus Manufaktur is diversifying its business, moving beyond intercity buses, tourism coaches, institutional buses, and electric city buses to include vehicles for transporting mine workers, specifically main holer buses, and is preparing to expand into electric vehicles.