OK,
It’s a new year and it’s possible the Christmas/Newyear holiday made us a little complacent and comfortable.
If you’re like me then you just can’t imagine a future without Saab. We assume that common sense will prevail and our version of common sense includes a small Swedish niche carmaker. It has to happen, doesn’t it?
I’ll be honest with you (as always). Today I’ve become more nervous about things. It’s this darn BusinessWeek article by David Welch. Yes, he’s a Detroit guy, but he’s definitely one of the best ones there. This is the key paragraph:
GM said Dec. 18 it will shut the unprofitable Saab unit after talks collapsed on a sale to Spyker. The Detroit-based automaker has yet to receive a bid that has financing secured and will proceed with selling individual assets, said the official.
When I first read that, I thought it was yet another oversight by yet another media outlet, unaware that several key bidders had removed the EIB loan approval as a condition of the sale.
But what if it’s not?
From what I know, the two main bidders to have financially strong backing as well as experience in capital markets. I’m not sure, then, what this paragraph is getting at. But I have a feeling that if it’s ignored, then it’s going to come back and bite us all on the backside.
BOTTOM LINE (pardon the pun) – there’s a few twists and turns left in the deal yet and a Saab sale is no done deal at this point.
There’s a week to go before what is believed to be the expected deadline for final, revised bids on January 7. There’s lots to be done, therefore, to ensure that all the parties present in the deal know the the people are watching and that this sale really does mean something.
- General Motors
- US government representatives
- Swedish government
……all of them have a part to play here. We’ve been very quiet on the Swedish government lately, but it may be that they have a key role to play here.
For example, Joran Hagglund was set to be the man in charge for all things to do with the Saab sale and whilst a sale is still to be completed, he’s been unseen for almost two weeks.
The last we saw of the Swedish government was Maud Olofsson smiling for votes as she planned to swoop in an come to the rescue of all those Trollhattan workers she failed to support with genuine energy back in June, when it was really needed.
So maybe it’s time for one final push to the line?
——
There are several things going on simultaneously at the moment, which is why I’ve created one central website to publicise them all.
It’s called Saab Campaigns and you can get to it by clicking on the Help Saab badge at the top of the left sidebar (that image to the left is inactive, but the sidebar image does work).
Don’t think that your actions will be meaningless. INACTION is meaningless. You may not be able to get out for a drive but you can make a call or write a letter. Don’t leave it to others. Don’t leave anything left undone or any stone unturned.
I’ll have some more details on a few of those campaigns very soon.
I know it’s been said before, but there’s not much time left on the clock.
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