SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. (Sept. 18, 2007) — Collins Industries Inc. announced today it will cease manufacturing of its Mid Bus Type A school bus line at its Bluffton, Ohio, facility and will move production to the Collins Bus Corporation plant.

The transition was scheduled to take place on Nov. 9.

Randall Swift, president and CEO of Collins Industries, a subsidiary of BNS Holding Inc., said the decision to close the doors at Bluffton was a difficult one. Mid Bus employees in Bluffton were notified of the decision yesterday and were given “first consideration” of any employment openings they’ll be qualified for at the South Hutchinson facility.

Swift cited under-utilized manufacturing capacity at the Collins Bus plant along with recent manufacturing initiatives as demonstrated reasons that it could absorb the excess volume of Mid Bus while alleviating a costly duplication of resources.

Kent Tyler, president of Collins Bus, said the manufacturing efficiencies in South Huthinson have led to an increase in production by more than 4,000 units annually.

“It is incumbent upon us to continue to look for ways to provide our dealers and customers with the safest and best quality buses in the industry,” he said. “We believe these types of (manufacturing) changes will allow us to not only sustain our leading position in the Type-A market but expand our market share and customer base in coming years.”