THE SAAB-SCANIA group is being broken up, the Saab aircraft and defence businesses being split into a separate company from the Scania truck and bus operation and from Saab Automobiles.
The two new companies will be held directly by the Investor Group, the powerful Swedish holding company controlled by the Wallenberg family. Investor says that the new structure will clear the way to widen "the spread of ownership" for the businesses and allow them to "...play an active part in the restructuring process ".
Saab Automobile is already in a joint venture with General Motors and Investor is understood to be keen to sell part of its Scania holding.
Saab defence operations are also in talks with British Aerospace on an alliance on military aircraft and, possibly, missiles. The civil arm is expected to join in any new European regional-aircraft consortium.
The new Saab aerospace company will be headed by Bengt Halse, president at Ericsson Microwave Systems. Saab-Scania president Lars Kylberg will step down when the changes have been completed on 16 May.
Source: Flight International
