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Former parent 'not interested' in Volvo Cars

Published: 17 Aug 09 17:29 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21520/20090817/

Volvo Cars' one-time parent company Volvo Group has thrown cold water on claims that it is mulling membership of a consortium working to bring the auto maker back to Sweden.

Volvo Group on Monday rejected reports that the company, led by CEO Leif Johansson, was preparing to put its weight behind the Jakob AB investment project, a consortium reportedly set up on the initiative of the engineering trade union at Volvo Cars.

"We're not interested in investing in Volvo Cars," said Volvo Group spokesman Mårten Wikforss.

Ten years have passed since truck maker Volvo Group sold its car division to US auto giant Ford. Nevertheless, Volvo Group said it continued to follow the current sale process closely.

"Of course we are following the whole thing from the perspective that we own half the trademark. But we have no interest in investing in the company," said Wikforss.

Jakob AB, named after one of the original Volvo cars, is a company that has been formed with the intention of attracting investors to Volvo Cars. Several parties have expressed concern about the likelihood of Volvo Cars ending up in Chinese hands, with a consortium led by Geely rumoured to be closing in on a bid.

"We're trying to find an alternative to Chinese ownership. We're worried about production and product development leaving Sweden," Sören Carlsson, head of the Unionen labour group at Volvo Cars, told news agency TT.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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18:09 August 17, 2009 by vento
As i said... Volvo will be chinese... Sweden is in decline... nothing to do, arrogance doesn't bring so far.
08:10 August 18, 2009 by ooh456
Wow vento... most trolls are at least coherent. Thanks for bucking the trend.
11:16 August 18, 2009 by Nemesis
It is unfortunate that Volvo Group is not interested in Volvo cars. They would make perfect owners.

Volvo cars has been underinvested and stripped out. It will take a lot to build the company up again.

I really do hope a Scandinavian or North European consortium can be put together to purchase Volvo and keep it as a going concern.
16:52 August 18, 2009 by Kevgio
yeah real smart. bring and already expnsive to make car back home to make where it is now even more expensive and will be to make. huge profit gains to be made here!

who gets these ideas?

manufacturing is dead in western europe for most things, the only things that will survive the chop in places like scandinavia, france, germany, italy etc is niche products that cannot be made in cheaper places.

a volvo is just a car, its not a handmade piece of expensive jewellery.
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