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Volvo Buses to shut down Swedish factory

Published: 3 Oct 12 11:56 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/43590/20121003/

Volvo Buses is closing down its facility in Säffle in central Sweden and concentrate on production in Poland, the company announced on Wednesday, putting 400 jobs at risk.

“The demand for new buses in Europe has dwindled steadily over the last few years at the same time as the price has been forced down, especially on the Nordic markets,” Håkan Karlsson CEO for Volvo buses said in a statement on Wednesday.

The company is planning to concentrate their manufacturing of complete buses to their Polish facility, which means that the Säffle production line will fall silent in 2013.

The closure will affect 330 contracted workers as well as some 60 consultants. The company will retain their technical support department in Säffle, which amounts to some 50 positions.

“By concentrating the production of finished buses to one factory we can lower costs and thereby turn the negative trend around,” Karlsson said.

The company only sold 2,498 buses during the second quarter of 2012 compared to 3,127 during the same period last year. The decrease was visible in all markets, according to the company’s quarterly report. Orders have also slowed down, decreasing by 14 percent during the last quarter.

The company will start negotiations with unions about the cuts at the same time as it assesses the possibility of identifying equivalent work opportunities within Volvo, Karlsson said in a statement.

The Polish factory has four times as large a capacity as the Swedish one in Säffle and Volvo is expects that moving production there will negatively affect the company’s earnings during the fourth quarter of 2012, by some 100 million kronor ($15 million).

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16:30 October 3, 2012 by isenhand
more news to make the moderates happy. Isn't the free market a wonderful thing?
18:12 October 3, 2012 by Great Scott
The moderate party are extremely happy. They have never had it so good, all tucked up nice and warm counting your lovely money. Yes for the few life is just hunky dory, as for the suckers who voted for them, stop complaining and get on with it.

No seriously these job losses are dreadful for a country that is seeing its unemployment levels at an all-time high.

Let's blame Greece and Spain for the problem shall we, or may be Mr Bean or I know what about the Whales.

Kick out the greedy moderates NOW.
20:58 October 3, 2012 by McChatter
In today's edition of The Local, I read that Sweden is back in the nr.1 slot as most heavily taxed country. Volvo Bus' predicament couldn't possibly have anything to do with that, could it? Let's blame the Poles for being so cheap.
03:11 October 4, 2012 by Keith #5083
Well, one thing we can all do is to refuse to travel on any bus that was not built here in Sweden. But I guess that would be too inconvenient a protest for most.
23:23 October 8, 2012 by Escort
Another nail in the coffin of the Swedish motor industry. How long before Geely moves all Volvo car production out of Sweden? Will there be anything left to save by 2020?
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