MASA was a Mexican manufacturer of buses, coaches, and trolleybuses that became part of Volvo Buses in 1998.
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Overview
MASA, formally Mexicana de Autobuses, S.A., was a major Mexican bus and coach manufacturer established in 1959. It originated when the state-owned investment bank Sociedad Mexicana de Crédito Industrial, commonly known as SOMEX, acquired Sheppard Hnos., or Sheppard Brothers, on 10 September 1959. The company became an important participant in Mexico's public-transport manufacturing sector, producing urban buses, suburban buses, intercity coaches, and electric trolleybuses. The company operated under substantial state influence during its early decades. SOMEX remained a major shareholder, and many MASA vehicles carried SOMEX nameplates. In 1972, MASA opened a new manufacturing facility in Tultitlán, in the State of Mexico. The plant was expanded in 1980 and later became the principal industrial base associated with the company. Its location gave MASA access to Mexico City's large public-transport market and to the country's wider vehicle-manufacturing infrastructure. MASA became particularly significant as a trolleybus supplier. Beginning in the late 1970s, it worked with Toshiba to develop trolleybuses using Toshiba electrical propulsion systems. The first MASA-Toshiba prototype for Mexico City's Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos del Distrito Federal was completed in 1979. Over time, MASA supplied more than 700 trolleybuses to the Mexico City system and approximately 100 to Guadalajara's trolleybus system. Later vehicles used electrical equipment from suppliers including Melco/Mitsubishi and Kiepe. The company also produced articulated trolleybuses and articulated diesel buses, although production totals for the diesel-articulated models are not documented in the available reference material. MASA's corporate history became unsettled during Mexico's privatization period. The Mexican government sold the company to private investors on 17 October 1988, but the initial buyer defaulted on debt payments. Some transport-industry accounts described MASA as having ceased operations or gone out of business during 1988. The business was nevertheless resold to an industrial group in November 1989 and underwent restructuring in 1993. Production continued during this period, as demonstrated by the delivery of 30 new MASA trolleybuses to Mexico City's transport authority in 1991. At the time of its eventual acquisition, MASA was described as Mexico's second-largest bus manufacturer. Volvo Buses purchased the company in September 1998 for US$74 million and renamed it Volvo Buses de México, S.A. Volvo stated that it intended to invest a further US$80 million over two years to modernize the approximately 153,000-square-foot Tultitlán plant and add automobile production beginning in 1999. The acquisition also provided Volvo with a manufacturing base in the North American Free Trade Agreement region. MASA's owners immediately before the transaction included Mexican bus manufacturer DINA S.A., Brazilian bus-body producer Carrocerias Nielson, known as Busscar, and individual members of MASA's board. Following the transaction, MASA ceased to exist as an independent corporate brand and its factory continued under Volvo's Mexican bus operations. Its historical importance rests chiefly on its role in Mexico's bus-manufacturing industry and its extensive contribution to the country's trolleybus fleets.
History
Mexicana de Autobuses, S.A., known as MASA, was created on 10 September 1959 after Mexico's state-owned industrial credit institution, Sociedad Mexicana de Crédito Industrial (SOMEX), acquired Sheppard Hnos. The new company entered a Mexican vehicle-manufacturing market in which public authorities were major purchasers of buses for urban and regional transportation. SOMEX remained an important shareholder for much of MASA's state-controlled period, and the company's vehicles frequently displayed SOMEX branding alongside the MASA name. A major infrastructure development occurred in 1972, when MASA built a factory in Tultitlán, State of Mexico. The facility was expanded in 1980 and later served as the company's main production site. MASA manufactured several categories of road vehicles, including city buses, suburban buses, intercity coaches, trolleybuses, and articulated buses. Its most distinctive contribution was to electric urban transit. In 1978, MASA entered into a technical partnership with Toshiba for trolleybus electrical systems. Their first prototype was completed in 1979 for Mexico City's Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos del Distrito Federal, generally abbreviated STE. MASA became the principal supplier of new trolleybuses for Mexico's two trolleybus systems. It ultimately built more than 700 vehicles for Mexico City and about 100 for Guadalajara, where the system was then operated by Sistecozome. Although Toshiba supplied the electrical equipment for the earliest vehicles, trolleybuses produced after 1987 could use systems from Melco/Mitsubishi or Kiepe. In 1985, MASA produced an all-new articulated trolleybus prototype for STE. After comparing it with another articulated prototype assembled by Moyada from existing MASA vehicles, STE ordered 67 articulated trolleybuses using the rear sections of existing two-axle trolleybuses and new front body sections fabricated and assembled by MASA. These vehicles were delivered in 1986 and 1987. With the prototype included, MASA produced 68 articulated trolleybuses; most other MASA trolleybuses were two-axle vehicles. The company entered a difficult phase during Mexico's privatization program. The government sold MASA to private investors on 17 October 1988. The first buyer failed to meet debt payments, and some contemporary transport accounts treated the company as having stopped production or gone out of business in 1988. The business was resold to an industrial group in November 1989 and was restructured in 1993. Despite the instability, manufacturing continued. One documented example is the delivery of 30 new MASA trolleybuses to Mexico City's STE in 1991. MASA's final trolleybus order was placed by STE in December 1996 for 200 twelve-metre vehicles. At least 50 were delivered in 1997. Funding delays at the transport authority meant that the last 75 vehicles were not built, or at least not delivered, until 1999, after the Volvo transaction. The available account does not specify the complete delivery total for this order. By the late 1990s, MASA was described as Mexico's second-largest bus manufacturer. Volvo Buses acquired the company in September 1998 for US$74 million. Volvo renamed it Volvo Buses de México, S.A., while retaining the Tultitlán manufacturing base. Volvo also announced an intended additional investment of US$80 million over two years to modify the plant and add automobile production from 1999, partly to establish manufacturing access to the NAFTA region. The plant was then reported to cover approximately 153,000 square feet. Immediately before the acquisition, ownership was associated with DINA S.A., Brazilian bus-body manufacturer Carrocerias Nielson (Busscar), and individual members of MASA's board. The acquisition ended MASA's independent corporate existence. Its manufacturing site continued under Volvo's Mexican operations, but MASA itself is best treated as a defunct historical manufacturer rather than an active consumer brand.
- 1999
Final vehicles from the 1996 order are delivered or completed
[1]Funding delays meant that the final portion of the STE trolleybus order was not built or delivered until 1999.
- 1998
Volvo Buses acquires MASA
[1]Volvo Buses purchased MASA and renamed it Volvo Buses de México, S.A.
- 1996
STE places MASA's final trolleybus order
[1]Mexico City's STE ordered 200 twelve-metre trolleybuses in December 1996.
- 1993
MASA undergoes restructuring
[1]The company was reorganized during its post-privatization recovery.
- 1991
MASA delivers 30 trolleybuses to Mexico City
[1]Production continued after privatization and restructuring, including delivery of 30 trolleybuses to STE.
- 1989
MASA is resold after the first buyer defaults
[1]The company was resold to an industrial group in November 1989 after the original buyer failed to service its debt.
- 1988
MASA is privatized
[1]The Mexican government sold MASA to private investors on 17 October 1988.
- 1986
Articulated trolleybus deliveries begin
[1]MASA began delivering articulated trolleybuses assembled from new front sections and existing vehicle rear sections.
- 1985
MASA builds an articulated trolleybus prototype
[1]MASA produced an all-new articulated trolleybus prototype for evaluation by Mexico City's STE.
- 1980
Tultitlán plant is expanded
[1]The company's principal facility received an expansion as MASA's manufacturing activities developed.
Products and positioning
A Mexican public-transport vehicle manufacturer serving municipal transit agencies and intercity operators, with particular strength in trolleybuses and conventional buses.
Motor buses
Urban and suburban buses
MASA manufactured conventional buses for city and suburban transportation. These vehicles formed part of the company's broader public-transit portfolio and were supplied to Mexican operators and authorities. The available reference material does not identify individual model names or production totals for the conventional bus range.
Coaches
Intercity coaches
The company produced intercity buses, also described as coaches, for longer-distance passenger service. Specific model designations, technical specifications, and delivery volumes are not identified in the supplied reference material.
Electric buses · 1979
MASA trolleybuses
Trolleybuses were MASA's most documented product category. The company supplied more than 700 vehicles to Mexico City's STE and around 100 to Guadalajara's trolleybus system. Early vehicles used Toshiba propulsion equipment, while later examples incorporated equipment from Melco/Mitsubishi and Kiepe.
Articulated electric buses · 1985
Articulated trolleybuses
MASA developed an articulated trolleybus prototype in 1985 and subsequently built 67 articulated vehicles for Mexico City's STE using new front sections combined with rear sections from existing two-axle trolleybuses. Including the prototype, 68 articulated trolleybuses are identified in the available account.
Articulated motor buses
Articulated diesel buses
MASA also manufactured articulated diesel buses. The available historical material confirms their production but does not provide reliable model names or quantities.
Brand decisions
1998
Volvo Buses acquires MASAM&ABackground
MASA was Mexico's second-largest bus manufacturer and operated a substantial Tultitlán facility with access to the NAFTA region.
Action taken
Volvo Buses acquired MASA for US$74 million, renamed it Volvo Buses de México, and announced plans for an additional US$80 million investment over two years.
Aftermath
MASA ceased to operate as an independent company, while manufacturing continued under Volvo's Mexican bus operations.
Acquisition price. US$74 million (September 1998)
1988
Privatization of MASAStrategyBackground
The Mexican government was transferring state-owned industrial assets to private ownership.
Action taken
The government sold MASA to private investors on 17 October 1988.
Aftermath
The first buyer defaulted on debt payments. MASA was resold in November 1989 and later restructured in 1993, while production continued.
1978
Adoption of Toshiba trolleybus technologyProduct launchBackground
Mexican trolleybus operators required locally manufactured electric vehicles and propulsion systems.
Action taken
MASA partnered with Toshiba to supply electrical propulsion systems for its trolleybuses.
Aftermath
The partnership led to a prototype in 1979 and supported MASA's later role as Mexico's leading trolleybus supplier.
1959
Creation through state acquisitionStrategyBackground
Mexico's state-owned industrial credit bank acquired Sheppard Hnos. to create a substantial domestic bus manufacturer.
Action taken
SOMEX established Mexicana de Autobuses, S.A., later known as MASA.
Aftermath
The new company became an important Mexican supplier of buses and trolleybuses under significant state influence.
Recent events
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