Saab to build cars in Russia: Antonov
Published: 29 Mar 10 16:30 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/25806/20100329/
Spyker adviser Vladimir Antonov has said Saab is planning to build a new plant in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, where it will produce 10,000 cars a year.
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But on Monday Antonov claimed that a memorandum of understanding would be signed within the next month paving the way for the manufacture of Saab cars in Kaliningrad, a small Russian enclave lodged between Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic Sea coast.
"Yes, it's true that an agreement is in the works," Antonov told Swedish news agency TT, refusing to elaborate further.
Designated as a special economic zone by Moscow, Kaliningrad offers lucrative tax incentives for manufacturers and is already home to Hummer and BMW production facilities.
Vladimir Antonov revealed at the beginning of March that he was working to clear his name and persuade General Motors that the allegations of money laundering and organised crime which have circulated around his business empire are unfounded.
Swedish media have reported that the Saab-Spyker deal was delayed in late 2009 as an investigation ordered by the Swedish government into the workings of Spyker and its Russian investors landed on the desk of the FBI and put a temporary stop to the takeover.
Though forced to step aside as a condition of the deal, Antonov said his banks had financed the first downpayment to GM.
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vovlo=china
Looks like the real loser is sweden, but hey you always have welfare.
GM and the Swedish govt. were obviously very suspicious,yet eventually partly due to public pressure and lack of alternative solutions, were dumb enough to accept the buyers word that Russia would not be involved.
Jobs,together with EU funds and taxpayers money all heading East,courtesy of a simple Russian con trick.
Trust the Ruskies?
I'd sooner trust my balls to a Barracuda.
I hate the lefties, hope they go and work in the Chinease and Russian factories.
Right guys?
Well in fact it's because sweden and all the lefties still don't understand that distribution of wealth and punishing businesses is NOT the way forward.
It's time for China and Russia to hemorrhaging money for massive loss, it is their turn! They have lots cash to burn.
Or they can make SAAB and Volvo competitive to German and Japanese car makers... ?
Does anyone remember the sign from the Trollhattan protest "Save us from Gangsta Motors"? Who ever made that sign was soothsayer.
lazy socialist sweden is what I call it..and then they have a winge too !!!
Unfortunately too many Swedes prefer to dream on in their own little world of fantasy,....however I dont think reality lies too far ahead.
Yes bye bye SAAB.
But SAAB is only part of their world wide run on the Auto Industry their cousins in the US are running their high profile scam on Toyota. Just look at who was in charge of the US government hearing on the Toyota "problem" Ray Lahood Lebanese (American?), Darrel Issa Lebeanese (American?) born in Cleveland Ohio the heart of darkness and Ed Towns D-Brooklyn (trained by the orthodox cousins ) all working hard to force down Toyota's market share.
Carlos Ghosen another Lebanese something Running Nissan/Renault is another one working with this group of high level organised criminals
A factory in Kaliningrad will lower the costs of SAAB, while leaving it in the same luxury range. No problem whatsoever.
On a contrary - less costs will decrease overhead per car. Plus it seems that the russian mafia guy will promote Saab in eastern europe and increase volumes sold. All of this will make the Trollhattan factory profitable and perhaps
take SAAB out of the constant losses.
Kalingrad as a secondary production unit for Eastern Europe, does not suprise me.
Commenting that this is bad for SAAB is pointlessly stupid and people mouthing of, who have no idea of business.
if you have verifyable evidence this is bad for SAAB, produce it or shut up.
At present no one really knows what the long term plans of SAAB are. Only the people running it actually know.
The only thing that is really known is that SAAB has started to take back on some workers in Trollhättan and that they are in negotiations regarding building a new factory in Kalingrad.
That reads more as an expansion of capacity, than anything else.
Literally that is the only available facts. The rest is hyperbole and speculation by people who do not have a clue as to what is actually happening on the ground in SAAB.
If they expand SAAB into Eastern Europe and secure Trollhättan for western area production, then good.
Other car companies have more than one facility for production. Should GM or Ford close all there factories and only produce in one facility? I think not.
Just because it is not now American, does not mean it is bad.
Europeans have and do run sucessful business's.
I mean how many opterations have to leave sweden for people to realize that this far left acid trip does NOT work. it just dampens the blow because only the middle class and small/medium business feel it right now.
the Wealthy and the large businesses leave - so it's easy for them.
the lower income and lazy people just turn a blind eye to the fact that there government dictated "rights are not sustainable
Wrong. Trollhättan is increasing capacity.
The reason I know why is my neighbour who works in a small supplier to SAAB has went from a 2 day week to four days starting on tuesday and has been told that they hope to be back on fulltime in the next 6 to 8 weeks. He has not worked five days a week for 5 years. Quite a change from American ownership.
Your ideas appear to be based in extreme ideology. My views are based in what I see on the ground. I don't give a damn about ideology, left, right or whatever. I only go with what works.
Regarding production capacity. Are you seriously suggesting that companies should close there facilities in other countries or not expand? Your communist, anti-business idea opposing business expansion is noted.
As for rights.
I live in Europe. I have rights, everyone has rights in Europe. That is part of what defines us as Europeans. If you don't like that, leave Europe, move to a country with no rights and do not come back. If you want no rights, move to Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Afghanistan or Iraq.
As for a production unit in Kalingrad being a bad thing for SAAB. I have seen no evidence of that.
Produce your verifyable evidence that it is so.
Expansion into countries with cheaper labor is often just expansion and not a replacement for the local factory. Why not? Because of the label "Made in Sweden" that adds at least 30-40% to the product net price. This is true even if a part of the range will be actually made in Sweden.
Also this expansion not only pays for itself, but also starts giving dividedends for the workers in Sweden - who in turn provide quality product. Win-win situation.
@amerikanska - corporate income tax in Sweden is 26.3% as of 2009 . This should show the capitalist tendencies of Sweden, if you know anything about taxation.
you don't have to go as far as Somalia......Americans have no rights when it comes to workplace in USA!
they can be sacked with no cause....and not even given any notice!
which means that epople actually get full time jobs after Uni. instead of short term assignments that really have no rights. (like here)
• Sweden buying SAAB back
• Chinese buying SAAB
• Indians buying SAAB
• Russians buying SAAB
I assume many will say, Sweden buying SAAB and keeping all the jobs etc. Wake up call! Sweden has no money or economic strength to bring SAAB or any other problematic company back to life. Whether you like it or not, Sweden has been losing competitive advantage as nation for more than a decade now. Large companies; built and developed in Sweden have been moving out of Sweden for quite some time now.
SAAB was saved second time, this time with Russian money and Danish entrepreneurship. Many mentioning here that moving production (partially) to Russia will destroy SAAB; are thinking with prejudice hat on them. And also there is no question of trusting or not trusting Russians, its all business. Russians have learned to run business and turn companies profitable.
If Russians can pump money into SAAB, move production to Russia, make SAAB profitable again, invest money in innovating again…then why should someone complain?
Why the production should be limited to Sweden? For reputation sake and pity for current employees are not really good business logics.
Rights are when the government stays out of things (other than law enforcement).
Nothing you said actually countered any of my points. But it's fairly evident you are a simpleton. I mean on another wall you claimed that Geely must be a great company because you had a friend that talked to a really smart engineer that worked for them.
You take very small facts and try to sound clever. it doesn't work. But then again you are a typical negative liberal that hate the idea that there are people out there that don't NEED the government.
The alternative if you remember was a shutdown of SAAB motors.
Expansion to the Russian enclave of Kalinigrad will probably help to make it profitable.........cheap workforce and a location closer to market.
Antonov is a shrewd businessman, be it with links to organised crime........and such characters emerged in America at the begining of the 20th century in the USA.....criminals became legitimate businessmen and politicians. This is a pattern repeated in Russia after 1991. Like it or not.....it,s the way it is......and in fact always has. You dont get powerful by being nice and fair. I wish SAAB all the best for the future and own a 95 combi which is the best car I,ve ever had.
Real life the Russians are the only ones willing to put money into it. Congratlations to them and success in the future.
I'm a FORD stockholder and I thought there was too much risk to put money there, so I hope for the sake of the Swedes , the Russians and Chinese can make it work. : )
10 000 is so small for Saab, there cars sholud be built only for Russia
all is OK
people like you should not be allowed to vote - just too naive.
overall tax on business and individuals in sweden is astronomical.
But i'm not surprised that you spout irrelevant facts that don't pain the whole picture.
VAT = 25%
High taxes on energy
labor regulations that make it nearly impossible to run a small or medium business.
various other barriers to entry and economic blunders - but i'm too bored of internet arguments because like you that don't know what your talking about. you pull one fact
What is your proof that "it's actually extremly hard to get fired in the US"? My wife and friends have all experienced the exact opposite. Being fired without warning with zero advance notice.