Traditionally, bus and coach manufacturers have tended to use traditional materials, such as extruded aluminium profiles, rather than composite profiles, due to the lower upfront cost of the former and out of habit. However, with global fuel prices soaring in recent months, composites could offer bus operators considerable savings due to higher integrated design possibilities and lower lifetime maintenance costs. Patrick Loock, head of the Specialty Composites Manufacturers practice, discusses the key advantages of using composite profiles over aluminium profiles in the manufacture of buses and coaches.