Volvo says it is to start a third shift at its Torslanda plant in Western Sweden, creating around 1,300 new jobs.
The news will come as a huge boost to the automotive sector in Sweden, which witnessed the demise of the former Saab nearly two years ago with the loss of 4,000 posts and amid continuing uncertainty surrounding NEVS.
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Volvo outlined some brief details of its need for a larger workforce at this morning’s (16 October) opening of the Swedish automotive suppliers (FKG) Forum in Gothenburg.
“We will end up with around 470,000 cars this year, which will be an all-time high for volume,” said Volvo CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, addressing the Gothenburg conference.
“We are happy we can now start the procedure to recruit 1,300 new workers to cover a third shift in Gothenburg. Two-thirds of these will be permanent and one-third will be various types of temporary contract.
“At the end of the day, we will need the flexibility of temporary contracts. It is a new form of shift agreement that means we have the flexibility to do overtime.
“We will have 20% flexibility in Gothenburg. We need a third shift utilisation. It is not every day we can talk about 1,300 new jobs.”
Samuelsson noted the extra shift strategy would form part of the Swedish automaker’s goal of reaching 800,000 cars, noting this might be achieved by the end of the decade.
“We need to be very clear – what can we offer – what is different – what is worth paying a higher price for,” said Samuelsson. “Since 1927, Volvo’s founder said cars are always driven by people so it is our focus to make it safe.”
Addressing the Gothenburg audience of around 500 suppliers, the Volvo chief stressed the need for component producers to understand the automaker’s vision and what it stands for as well as retaining a cost-effective strategy.
“We are looking for active participation and critical input,” he said. “We need to grow because our vision is [by] 2020, Volvo should be a company making 800,000 cars.
“We need that and we need to have stable profitability.”
