Swedish Government has spoken to GM
November 24, 2011 in News
Minister of commerce Annie Lööf says that they had talks with GM.
- We can not comment on the information we have been given. But we delivered a clear message that Saab is important to Swedish vehicle industry. Many jobs are threatened, the government is hoping for a positive solution.
- As Swedens minister of commerce I hope of course that, especially mostly for the employed people at Saab, that a positive solution can be reached for Saab. The question now lies on the negotiation table, it is commercial negotiations that are on right now between Saab and the chinese car manufacturers.
— Annie Lööf
This is according to Swe. National Radio P1 News at 11.00.
DanSaab said on November 24, 2011
Is there any link to a similar article?
DanSaab said on November 24, 2011
Found the link recently
dave said on November 24, 2011
Hope it’s not to late for them to help SAAB. After yesterday’s events, I have to admit that maybe, maybe, the government did want the best for SAAB…We read the news in this site, many times a day, but we clearly know very little…That’s why I’ve been posting less comments
jond said on November 24, 2011
I agree. Recent news suggests that SweGov probably knew things that we did not know about the business backgrounds of the current owners, but would have been unable to make public. The only possible course of action was to wait until they had destroyed themselves by accumulating huge losses and running out of cash. At which point they are probably doing all that can be done to resolve and stabilize the situation. That may include bringing diplomatic pressure to bear on GM, although there is no suggesting that has happened yet. I for one am prepared to give SweGov the benefit of the doubt and a score of ten out of ten for their very sophisticated efforts so far.
Cokeisit said on November 24, 2011
Strange, didn’t Maud say that Sweden doesn’t need Saab? Was she wrong? Was swegov wrong?
This would never have happend if Swegov had given Saab the same possibilities as the German government gave their auto makers. 30 billing euro was used in Germany to save their brands and 0 kr to save our brands.
Red J said on November 24, 2011
Well, Maud is not in charge anymore.
Marque said on November 24, 2011
Besides one should not forget, it’s not only about brand, national image, and thousands of employees.
It’s much more — from state perspective. Totalize the enormous tax and income to the public purse that a business of this size like Saab delivers. The income taxes of 4000 employees, plus many thousands more /those relying on Saab/, plus the taxes and fees an enterprise owes the state. Calculate what happens if all these payments break off and suddenly the state has to start spending on unemployment assistance for all these people. It would be a complete societal and economic disaster impacting not only the region, but the whole country.
RS said on November 24, 2011
Not to mention the balance of trade. Interestingly Sweden’s big surplus years seem to go hand in hand with Saab selling more than 100.000 cars (1997-2007). Hmm.
Peter Gilbert said on November 24, 2011
I gave this lesson in Reaganomics and the virtues of Freidrich Hayek to all the Swedish Ministers in a 2009 email plea. To think that they are just waking up now like Rip Van Winkle is astonishing!
Tobbe said on November 24, 2011
Hope that they can find a solution soon.
Ferrari Piero said on November 24, 2011
Ok, this hopefully can have a positive reaction on the final decision but what is Victor Muller’s role in the future if SAAB and Co restart ?
Rico said on November 24, 2011
The Swedish government is showing interest for Saab?
Why have we not heard this message before 5, 8, 12 or even 24 months? Now it may be too late….
mnztr said on November 24, 2011
Hopefully Sweden made it clear that if SAAB goes bankrupt they will send in forensic auditing teams with the goal of collecting hundreds of millions in taxes from GM for hiding profits made during the time they owned SAAB,,,,,,
Marque said on November 24, 2011
+9³
michaelb said on November 24, 2011
Good point. Beyond that, some financial help to Saab reconstruction might also be supportive.
Keith said on November 24, 2011
This is a frequent claim from some posters on SaabsUnited. Is there any actual evidence of your claim, or is it merely based upon conjecture?
The “profits” were certainly well hidden in the past year.
Khrisdk said on November 24, 2011
Yes they were
Since GM is a multinational Company, I would expect them to do exactly like other Multinationals.
The legal way and unethical way of moving money around
.
rallyho said on November 24, 2011
Your usual emphatic “yes” with nothing to back it up followed by a “truism” to cement a vapid claim; “GM is a multinational company, I would expect them”
As usual, totally without a clue but need to appear in the loop.
Lets go back to the “Yes” and try to substantiate it without your intuition. You do this all the time.
Red J said on November 24, 2011
One example of GM practices.
The BLS development was paid by Saab. The cars were sold by Cadillac, without paying a cent to Saab for the development.
Keith said on November 24, 2011
And in return GM paid to modernize the Saab Trollhattan plant.
How is that evidence of “hidden profits”?
Red J said on November 24, 2011
Sure?
BTW, who do you exactly mean when you say GM? the guys at the RenCen?
mnztr said on November 24, 2011
That is not how corporate accounting works. They should depreciate the plant an assets according to Swedish accounting rules and pay the full wholesale cost for the BLS….what kind of accouting system says “we did you a favor so send us some free cars?”
davidgmills said on November 25, 2011
What about having to supply parts for them and to warrant them if Saab goes under? I have always thought this claim was just bogus. Does it mean that GM has to do the same for Australia (Holden) and Britain and Germany (Opel and Vauxhall)? Does it mean that Toyota has to pay lots of tax to the US since it has manufactured its cars in the US? Same for BMW and Mercedes? Once you go down that road, where does it end?
Khrisdk said on November 24, 2011
Check the JåJ statements regarding the development and costs of Cadillac BLS, The flow of money from Saab sales in NA that stayed there without being directed back to Saab, the development costs of several improvements used on GM Europe products without payment for costs to Saab, accentuated by the fact that GM still use Saab Powertrain at the moment for assistance, though probably now paying, the cost of intgernal parts sourced from GM EU/Opel til Saab , eg. engine costs after closing down the Södertalje factory
Khrisdk said on November 24, 2011
I like looping
Jasper said on November 24, 2011
GM is clueless. They are worried about the Chinese buying SAAB? The Japanese have already eaten their lunch and the Koreans are about to eat their supper. GM means General Motors *EDITED*.
M.A. said on November 24, 2011
At this stage, any help is welcome. Hoping a for a final and definitive solution real, real soon.
Belfast_Saab said on November 24, 2011
+1, yes, I’ll take any positive input at this stage, plenty of time for recriminations later
JAS said on November 24, 2011
+1
bazalion said on November 24, 2011
Agreed.At present such recriminations serve no positive purpose. Should, God forbid, SAAB fail that would be the time to explode in rage. I should.
For now: Keep calm. Stay positive.
Jasper said on November 24, 2011
EDITED* Jasper You need to brush Your mouth a bit. What used to be in this posting have been deleted.
Saabim said on November 24, 2011
That’s amazing the SwGov is on the road. They should act sooner like as it has been commented. It isn’t Saab in Sweden only.
Positive thinking.
zippy said on November 24, 2011
SweGov trying to save face. They should be truly ashamed at their ‘its not our problem’ stance Quite disgusting if you ask me.
100%Saab said on November 24, 2011
Maybe SweGov should buy 54% of Saab. Then Saab could stay in Sweden.
Just a thought.