SaabsUnited.com

Just a few days to go now until we jump on a plane.

Do we need to nominate an nightly SU meeting point for people who’ll be at the Festival to gather together for a beverage and the putting of names to faces? Butlers? Swania?

To the news…..

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SVD are reporting that one of Saab’s suppliers will be cutting short its annual vacation in order to ensure continued supply to the factory.

The IAC Group factory in Färgelanda, Dalsland, which delivers parts to Saab Automobile, is producing at full speed. The factory managament breaks the industry holiday for the employees. Especially in week 29 Saab has requested quick deliveries for parts both for the new 9-5 and the 9-3. Many employees have to accept three weeks of continous summer holiday.

Knowing how much Swedes treasure their summer break it really is welcome news to see Saab’s suppliers so supportive in this critical period.

Saab’s workers will be taking the same shortened break this year, IIRC.

Thanks to Carl-Henrik for the tip.

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Victor Muller’s plans for a dual stock listing could come to fruition before the end of the year. They will look to have the company stock listed both in Amsterdam and Stockholm.

From Reuters

“It depends on the outcome of our inventory … how much work needs to be done. If we have to go through a full due diligence, it will take much more time than if we can do … limited due diligence. I would say a minimum of three to four months.”….

….He said on Tuesday the dual listing plan is not designed to raise more cash. “Maybe in order to facilitate, we will do a small issue, but I don’t think so actually,” Muller said.

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The same report gives some indication as to the continuing rollout of the new Saab 9-5:

Jonsson added the company has already launched the 9-5 in Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands and cars will be sent to Spain, Denmark and Finland next week.

“By the end of July we will have done all countries, including the U.S., except for Asia and the Pacific,” he said.

I don’t know how much that will help our anxious friends in Russia or Canada, but it’s more than we had a few days ago.

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“So Swedish So Saab”

That will a tagline used in some UK advertising, being handled by McCann Erickson Birmingham.

Featuring an Elk, the campaign will promote the Saab 9-5 model, created by Swedish agency Lowe Brindfors. The campaign will highlight the Swedish heritage of the brand through the use of the Elk and the tagline ‘So Swedish So Saab’.

Running across TV, outdoor, print, digital and DM, the campaign will also feature a series of idents on Sky.

Interesting.

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Saab Italy will be moving from Rome, back to it’s original home in Bologna.

The new CEO of the company, Gianni Costantini, a veteran of the Saab brand, and since 2004 responsible for all the southern European region, in an interview to Ansa gave some details of plans for the future: “The company was incorporated on June the 16th but for the sale of the business from General Motors, the Saab Italy branch will not be officially operational until July the 1st”.

“The objective is to achieve again the record sales reached in 2008: We will be happy if next year we will sell around 3000-3500 cars, and than reach 4500 cars in 2012. Thanks to a very lean and innovative business model: in Italy we will manage the network, while all the other activities we’ll be done directly from Sweden”.

Those who read Italian may have already seen a fuller report over Saabnews.it If not, now you can

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Wired Magazine:

Thanks Ade!

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