Custom Denning
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bus manufacturing |
| Founded | 1935 |
| Founder | Stanley Hillsdon |
| Headquarters | St Marys, New South Wales , Australia |
| Products | Bus bodies, electric buses (Element) |
Custom Denning—previously known as Custom Bus and Custom Coaches—is a bus body manufacturing company located in St Marys, New South Wales, Australia.
Cycle Components Manufacturing Company
The Cycle Components Manufacturing Company (CCMC) was established in 1935 by Stanley Hillsdon in Guildford, New South Wales, building on his experience in bicycle production dating back to 1911. In 1946, CCMC secured a contract to produce reversible seating for Sydney’s tram network.
By 1955, CCMC had been awarded a contract to construct the bodies for 125 single-deck Leyland Royal Tiger Worldmaster buses commissioned by the NSW Department of Government Transport. In May 1956, Jack Violet—Hillsdon’s nephew by marriage—joined the firm as Bus Divisional Manager to direct operations. The company completed its first bus body for a private operator in April 1958, crafting a Leyland Comet for Rowes Bus Service.
Following the completion of the Leyland Worldmaster project, CCMC devoted 37 years primarily to serving private operators, with limited exceptions such as six MAN SL200 and SG192 buses built for ACTION during 1982/83 after acquiring Smithfield Bus & Coach Works, as well as 19 Scania K112TR coaches supplied to the State Rail Authority between 1985 and 1986.
Custom Coaches Manufacturing Company
In 1962, leadership of CCMC transitioned from Hillsdon to Violet, who renamed the company Custom Coaches Manufacturing Company to maintain the CCMC abbreviation—a suggestion credited to Kathleen Metcalfe. The business expanded in May 1981 by acquiring Smithfield Bus & Coach Works from the Bosnjak family, continuing its emphasis on private-sector bus body construction. Starting in 1967, CCMC collaborated with Melbourne-based WA Newnham & Sons to provide frames and components and also supplied parts to Brisbane’s Watt Brothers and Perth’s Howard Porter.
CCMC acquired WA Newnham & Sons in 1988, rebranding it as Newnham Custom. A new facility was opened at Arundel on Queensland’s Gold Coast in 1995; however, Newnham Custom ceased operations in 2001 with manufacturing relocated to Adelaide.
In 1997, Custom Coaches partnered with Mercedes-Benz to win a New South Wales Government contract for supplying 300 ultra-low-floor compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to the State Transit Authority (STA). Beginning in 1998, Custom Coaches built bodies on Mercedes-Benz O405NH CNG chassis, known within the company as Citaro bodies. By April 2013, more than 1,280 buses had been completed for STA.
The year 2000 saw CCMC acquire Australian Bus Manufacturing (ABM) based in Adelaide—originally formed in 1999 following its purchase of PMC Australia after Clifford Corporation’s collapse. ABM was rebranded as Custom Coaches in 2004. Late in 2001, the company launched Custom Care dedicated to bus refurbishment services.
Mark Burgess was appointed CEO in 2002; along with his brother Paul and business partner Chris Absalom, he purchased the company from Jack Violet in 2005.
In July 2008, ComfortDelGro Cabcharge (CDC), a New South Wales operator, intended to acquire Custom Coaches but withdrew by August due to impacts from the global financial crisis. Instead, CDC concentrated on its core businesses while placing substantial orders with Custom Coaches.
By 2008, annual production surpassed 400 bus bodies; by 2009, total output exceeded 15,000 units. The Sydney facility relocated to Villawood in May 2010. In June 2012, ownership transferred to British manufacturer Alexander Dennis.
Custom Coaches entered administration in May 2014. Subsequently, in August of that year, Mark Burgess and Allegro Funds reacquired the enterprise and rebranded it as Custom Bus. The Royal Park plant located in South Australia was closed in September 2014.
Dunn ownership
In February 2018, Custom Bus once again entered administration, resulting in the termination of 122 employees. The subsequent month saw the Dunn Group acquire Custom Bus, relocating its manufacturing facility to St Marys, New South Wales by May 2018. Under Dunn’s stewardship, Custom Bus reached a milestone by producing its 100th vehicle in June 2019. In September of the same year, Custom Bus expanded by purchasing Denning Manufacturing, while preserving Denning's brand identity and operational structure. February 2021 marked the commencement of production for Custom Denning’s inaugural electric bus model, the Element.
CB20/CB30
The Custom CB20 was crafted with a minivan-inspired design and was exclusively built on the Mercedes-Benz 815DL chassis. Two units were operated by Busabout Sydney before being phased out.
The CB30 came in two sizes: an 11-meter midibus and a larger 12.5-meter full-sized bus. CDC NSW operates a substantial fleet of MAN 12.220 midibuses fitted with CB30 bodies, while Transdev Melbourne utilized numerous full-sized CB30 buses on MAN chassis.
Manufacturing of both the CB20 and CB30 concluded around 2007, with no direct successors introduced.
CB50
Produced between 1999 and 2006, the Custom CB50 replaced both the CB30 and the Custom Coaches 550 models before being succeeded by the CB60.
This model was available in two configurations: a high-floor version ordered in limited quantities and a more widely adopted low-floor variant known as the CB50HCL. Premier Motor Service notably acquired ten units mounted on Volvo B7RLE chassis. The CB50HCL’s window design bore resemblance to that of the Bustech VST.
Early versions
Manufactured from 1999 until 2009, the CB60 replaced the Custom Coaches 550 and was eventually succeeded by the CB80. Initial batches were produced by ABM in 1999 for Torrens Transit, utilizing MAN NL202 chassis. ABM developed several variants including the CB62A, which featured a modified rear end and Mercedes-Benz Citaro-style headlights; the CB64A equipped with standard CB60 headlights; and the CB60A closely resembling the original model.
Custom Coaches also tailored versions of the CB60 for the State Transit Authority in 1999, incorporating modifications similar to ABM’s CB62A for Mercedes O405NH CNG chassis but retaining a conventional rear design.
After retiring the ABM brand, Custom Coaches introduced the articulated CB60 Combo variant, comparable to ABM’s CB64A design. State Transit procured a large number of Volvo B12BLE buses with CB60 bodies, including articulated units.
Between 2004 and 2007, Ventura in Melbourne and Busways Western Sydney received deliveries of the CB60 CMAX variant built on Scania L94UB and Scania K230UB Euro 3 chassis respectively.
Production of the original CB60 model ceased around 2008.
Evo II
The CB60 Evo II was introduced in 2005 for State Transit on Volvo B12BLE Euro 5 chassis. This updated version incorporated weight-saving measures, refreshed headlight designs, subtle rear-end alterations, and minor interior enhancements compared to its predecessor. The Evo II also featured a slightly increased height. Production ended in 2009 with the arrival of the Custom CB80, making it one of Custom’s most well-received models.
CB80
Launched in 2009 as a demonstrator on a Mercedes O500LE chassis, the Custom CB80 was supplied to State Transit as a replacement after a fire destroyed a CNG-fueled CB60 Evo II. The first production series was delivered in 2010 to Ventura (now Kinetic), featuring MAN 18.310 and 18.320 chassis deployed on smart bus routes. The demonstrator later entered service with Transdev John Holland Buses.
State Transit became the primary customer by ordering 100 units on Scania K280UB chassis in 2011; all were dual-door vehicles bearing Transport for NSW livery.
Designed using advanced 3D modelling techniques, the CB80 remains Custom’s lightest bus body to date. It incorporates lightweight plastic ducting alongside extensive composite materials. Notable innovations include wireless stop bell systems, a front wheel arch designed to optimize seating capacity, and rear engine grilles positioned to maximize advertising space.
Series 2
The CB80 Series 2 brought several upgrades, including the introduction of standard LED destination signs and enhanced stop bells to address previous reliability issues. Additional minor refinements were also implemented.
Initially delivered to State Transit in 2017, these buses were built on the Volvo B7RLE Euro 5 chassis. Production of the Series 2 ended in 2019, succeeded by the Custom Endeavour model. The last CB80 unit produced was a Volvo B8RLE for State Transit, completed in April 2020.
Element
The Custom Denning Element represents an electric bus capable of traveling up to 500 kilometres on a single full charge, accommodating 45 seated passengers. It incorporates advanced battery technology, high-intensity LED lighting, driver assistance systems, and a lightweight structural design. Its fully low-floor configuration meets European market requirements. Manufactured at the St Marys facility, it holds approval from Transport for NSW Panel 3.
Following successful trial runs, the initial six Element buses were deployed by Busways in late 2021 around Penrith. Subsequently, the State Transit Authority placed an order for 10 units to be delivered between December 2021 and March 2022 to the Waverley Bus Depot.
In 2022, Transport for NSW secured a $70 million contract for 79 Elements intended for operation by Transit Systems within Sydney’s Inner West region. The first Element vehicles outside New South Wales commenced service with Donric & Sunbury Bus Service in mid-2022. Custom Denning expanded the Element’s reach into the UK market, with Diamond East Midlands ordering six buses for Burton upon Trent as of March 2024. Plans are underway to produce left-hand drive variants targeting European markets including France and Denmark, alongside potential expansion into North America.
Moreover, Custom Denning is advancing development of a hydrogen fuel cell version known as the Element H2.