Where others saw buses and timetables, Thore Brynielsson saw opportunities.
As a student at Chalmers University of Technology in 1969, he chose to write his thesis on express bus transport. For many, it would have ended with a report. For Thore, it was the beginning of a lifelong passion – developing technology that makes travel easier, safer and more attractive.

For five years, he worked as a research leader at Chalmers’ Department of Public Transport Research. His work resulted in several research reports and a doctoral thesis: “Step-by-step development towards attractive public transport”. He then moved on to Volvo, where he was responsible for the development of public transport systems and later also for product planning and production control in the bus sector.
But his vision grew beyond the large company.

In 1979, Thore founded his own company – Thoreb – based in Tryggestad on Öland, Sweden’s second largest island. There, in the family’s old brewery building, the journey took off.
As the Gothenburg office has become the everyday workplace for many of the employees, the farm on Öland has always remained the heart of the company.
International customers have travelled here with their families, and long-term relationships have developed through personal meetings.

Over the years, Thoreb has developed systems that have made a clear mark on public transport. In the 1990s, the company’s electrical system and C90 vehicle computer became standard in the Nordic region. At the same time, real-time systems were developed that improved passenger information and laid the foundation for today’s solutions. Innovations such as the patented ITradio technology made Thoreb a pioneer in the field.

Today, Thoreb is a global player with subsidiaries in Australia, Brazil, Romania, Austria and Estonia. The company has equipped over 650 battery buses in Romania and supplies IT systems to transport authorities and operators in countries such as India, Singapore, Egypt, Spain and Mexico.  The company has 80 highly skilled employees – but still the same entrepreneurial spirit as when it started.

‘I often say that Thoreb is like a bumblebee – too heavy to fly, but it flies anyway. We have always been persistent, close to our customers and ready to find new ways when obstacles arise,’ says Thore himself.

Even after more than five decades in the industry, his commitment remains intact. ‘I still think I have the best job in the world. My journey is far from over – it continues every day at Thoreb, together with my employees, our customers and our partners. With the same curiosity and drive as when I started.’