Saab On The Road to Independence
Issued this morning in Sweden… As the reorganization of Saab Automobile’s activities around the globe is taking place, it will remain business as usual here at Saab U.S.A. and our dealer organization as far as the eye can see. Thanks for bearing with us and have a great weekend,
Jan-Willem Vester
Manager, Saab Automobile USA Corporate Communications
100 Renaissance Center
Detroit, MI 48265 USA
(+1)313-667-6601 Office
jan-willem.vester@gm.com
media website: media.saab.com
February 20, 2009
Saab On The Road to Independence
· Swedish court process to reorganize Saab into a fully independent business
· Three new models ready to be launched over the next year and a half
· Saab aims to bring resources back to Sweden
· Funding sought for ‘new independent Saab’
Trollhättan — As a result of GM’s strategic review of the global Saab business the Saab Board announced today that it will file for reorganization under a self-managed Swedish court process to create a fully independent business entity that would be sustainable and suitable for investment.
The reorganization is a self-managed, Swedish legal process headed by an independent administrator appointed by the court who will work closely with the Saab management team. As part of the process, Saab will formulate its proposal for reorganization, which will include the concentration of design, engineering and manufacturing in Sweden. This proposal will be presented to creditors within three weeks of the filing. Pending court approval, the reorganization will be executed over a three-month period and will require independent funding to succeed.
“We explored and will continue to explore all available options for funding and/or selling Saab and it was determined a formal reorganization would be the best way to create a truly independent entity that is ready for investment,” said Jan Åke Jonsson, Managing Director for Saab Automobile. “With an all new 9-5, 9-3X and 9-4X all ready for launch over the next year and a half, Saab has an excellent foundation for strong growth, assuming we can get the funding to complete engineering, tooling and manage launch costs. Reorganization will give us the time and means that help get these products to market while minimizing the liquidity impact of Saab on GM.”
Funding for the restructured company will need to be secured during the reorganization process and will be sought from both public and private sources.
Saab will continue to operate as usual and in accordance with the formal reorganization process, with the Government providing some support during this period. The reorganization should have no impact on other GM operations. Details of the progress will be provided as milestones are achieved.