DAF took a majority stake in this merger, while Bova remained as an operating subsidiary, with plans for further expansion across Europe at the offset.
United Bus expanded further in June 1990 with the acquisition and merger of Dutch coach body manufacturer Den Oudsten into the group, resulting in United Bus' western European market share increasing to 6%; Den Oudsten's North American New Flyer company was not involved in this merger.
[7] This was later followed by 40% of controlled shares in Danish Automobile Building (DAB) being acquired by United Bus, later increased to 70% by September 1992.
[5] Some members of the group managed to survive independently;[5] Optare was bought back by its management soon after the bankruptcy,[9] expanding to body a range of different chassis before eventually developing the popular integral Optare Solo midibus in 1998, while DAF Bus was purchased by the VDL Groep following the bankruptcy and renamed to VDL Bus in 2003.
[citation needed] Den Oudsten, after having been bought back by its namesake family 1993, was declared bankrupt in 2001 after a failed takeover by the Mayflower Group, resulting in the loss of 257 jobs at its Woerden headquarters.