Defence and Security company Saab AB, says it could be interested in recruiting some of Saab Automobile’s skilled engineers following the automaker’s entry into bankruptcy this week.
The prospect of high unemployment in Saab’s home-town of Trollhattan has seen various Swedish politicians rushing to Western Sweden to offer aid packages, but the aerospace company has raised the intriguing possibility it might be interested in taking on some of the redundant engineers.
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“Saab Automobile is an engineering company and Saab AB, we are also an engineering company,” a Saab AB spokesman told just-auto from Sweden. “We are always looking for growth in the engineering industry and Saab have some very skilled people, so it is certainly a possibility.
“We have a need for recruiting at the moment. It might be a possibility to hire.”
The Saab AB spokesman declined to comment on whether any part of the automotive company could be looked at, but noted part of the Group’s strategy was acquisitions.
Should the automotive side be sold – a process currently in the hands of Swedish receivers – Saab AB would have to give approval to any brand name development as it is in a three part contract together with Scania.
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By GlobalData“I can’t rule obviously rule anything out, but I can’t say it is on the cards, that we acquire parts of Saab,” said the Saab AB spokesman.
Saab AB and Saab Automobile AB use the brand Saab but have operated separately since 1996. Both share a history within Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, which was founded in 1937.
In 1990, the passenger car division within former Saab-Scania became a separate company, Saab Automobile AB, co-owned by Saab-Scania and General Motors with 50% each.
In February 2010, Spyker Cars – from May 2011, Swedish Automobile – acquired Saab Automobile AB from General Motors. Swedish Automobile was listed on the Dutch stock exchange.
Saab AB, the defence and security company, is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm.
