Scandinavian Automotive Suppliers Association (FKG) has criticised Saab chairman Victor Muller’s decision to apparently take a significant bonus while some of its members are struggling to be paid.
Saab was forced to temporarily suspend production last week as some suppliers – notably International Automotive Components (IAC) – stopped deliveries due to payment problems but the FKG has now raised the contentious issue of any bonus settlement to Muller.
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“They [Saab] lost SEK2bn (US$317m) in 2010 and they have not paid their suppliers, so I don’t think a company in that situation should pay out any bonuses,” FKG managing director Sven-Ake Berglie told just-auto from China.
“I have never heard of such a thing,” added Berglie, who is leading a delegation of Scandinavian automotive suppliers in the Far East.
Dutch shareholders association VEB is saying on its website that Muller received a EUR500,000 bonus for 2010 and although Saab confirmed to just-auto from Sweden the chairman had discussed the issue on the sidelines of a press conference today in Sweden, it was unable to verify the amount.
A Saab spokesman also confirmed to just-auto any bonus would come from Saab owner Spyker’s supervisory board and pointed to the “tons of achievement” made by the Swedish automaker since its sale from General Motors.
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By GlobalData“We did not reach the sales number, but we managed to keep the business alive and are about to launch all of those new models,” said the Saab spokesman. “If Victor by saving Saab…then he deserves something for saving that.”
Saab’s halt in production last week came as Sweden’s National Debt Office told just-auto it had guaranteed EUR217m to Saab as part of a EUR400m loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
However, Saab said the EIB loan was part of a series of draws from the fund that it made on a regular basis and was not related to the production stoppage.
