The company from the Canary Islands has opted for vehicles with VIP equipment in the expansion of its fleet.
The number plate of a Buick is the name of Grupo 1844. The great-grandfather of the current owners of this company, Antonio Díaz, used to distribute milk around Las Palmas in this iconic vehicle, assembled in the oldest car company in the United States. The passenger compartment of that American car was full of milk jugs on the roads of the Canary Islands. What the intrepid great-grandfather could not have imagined was that the four digits on the identification plate, those of that Buick, would be so important for his descendants, the fourth generation of this family manages the most powerful business group in the Canary Islands dedicated to transport.
Today, Grupo 1844 has more than 1,000 employees and a fleet of 600 vehicles in its transport divisions, some of the most recognised brands in Canary Island transport are Canarybus, Teide Tours or Betancuria Tours. Since 2006, the group has relied on Integralia as the supplier of its fleet of minibuses, since then they have acquired different products from the Navarrese coachbuilder, especially vehicles adapted for wheelchair users, minibuses whose main function is that of shuttles and vehicles with few seats with luxury equipment. The last four minibuses that Grupo 1844 has acquired from Integralia have been from the latter segment, specifically the T-ONE S model, customised for the company Autolujo.
Four VIP minibuses in 2022
The 1844 Group subsidiary that has placed this order is focused on the transfer of passengers in luxury minibuses. The brand-new T-ONE S, which they recently took delivery of, are equipped in every detail and can be summed up in one word: comfort. Extra-wide seats upholstered in leather, a refrigerator cabinet for serving drinks during the journey, special floors for comfort on contact, upholstered coverings, a complete multimedia system, specific lighting in each seat… everything to make the minibus journey worthwhile. This is the philosophy with which Autolujo was created in **2016**, when they acquired their first 4 TONE S units, a DNA that Integralia interprets to perfection.
A solid and long-lasting relationship
Integralia and Grupo 1844 have been working hand in hand for more than a decade, when the first vehicle left Pamplona for the Canary Islands. Over the years, the relationship between the two has grown stronger and trust has deepened, to the point that another of the group’s brands, Taller los Ríos, provides the official maintenance service for Integralia in the Canary Islands…
“Integralia perfectly interprets the philosophy of Grupo 1844. Their minibuses have unrivalled quality within their product range”, explains Óscar Diaz, CEO of 1844, “The innovative spirit with which they tackle projects is very much in line with our vision of anticipating the future, they have a great team and they have the capacity to find solutions where other coachbuilders see problems. The Navarrese company is a safe bet that provides us with vehicles with characteristics and possibilities that are very difficult to find in the current market”, he adds.
Grupo 1844 is looking forward to this financial year, in which they foresee a recovery in activity after two years weighed down by COVID-19. Wherever he is, great-grandfather Antonio will be proud of everything that the fourth generation of his family is doing with his legacy.