Type
Bankruptcy
Country
Sweden
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture For Transport Equipment
Manufacture Of Motor Vehicles, Trailers And Semi-Trailers
29.1 - Manufacture of motor vehicles

3,600 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
19 December 2011
Employment effect (start)
19 December 2011
Foreseen end date

Description

On 19 December 2011, SAAB Automobile, SAAB Automobile Tools and SAAB Powertrain submitted petitions requesting bankruptcy to the District Court of Vänersborg. SAAB has informed all 3600 employees about the bankruptcy. The company has suffered a major liquidity crisis in recent years due to its low sales numbers and long-term decline in demand for cars, all of which led to the announced bankruptcy.

The CEO of Saab Automobile, Viktor Muller, has been struggling to put together a deal to save Saab from bankruptcy, primarily negotiating with the two Chinese companies, Youngman and Pang Da. The proposals were turned down by GM. Subsequently, the board of Saab Automobile decided that since further funding is not assured, the company would be insolvent. It therefore requested the bankruptcy procedure, which they thought to be in the best interest for the company creditors. The District Court is expected to approve the petition and appoint receivers for Saab Automobile rapidly.

Saab Automobile is a subsidiary of the larger group General Motors and has roughly 3600 employees in Sweden.

The Swedish authorities have applied for aid from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF).


Sources

  • 19 December 2011: Dagens Industri
  • 20 December 2011: Dagens Industri
  • 19 December 2011: Pressrelease SAAB

Citation

Eurofound (2011), SAAB Automobile, SAAB Automobile Tools and SAAB Powertrain, Bankruptcy in Sweden, factsheet number 72887, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/72887.