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'Totally overwhelming': voices from Trollhättan

TT/The Local
TT/The Local - [email protected]
'Totally overwhelming': voices from Trollhättan

Saab sale sparks delight in Trollhättan in western Sweden, home to some 3,400 Saab employees.

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"We'll wait until the weekend to celebrate but for now we can revel in this."

Gert-Inge Andersson, Social Democrat and municipal commissioner, Trollhättan.

"This means we can now send home the liquidators."

Annette Hellgren, head of labour group Unionen's local Saab chapter.

"It feels really great right now, wonderful that it worked out. It has been a long and winding road to say the least."

"It's not going to be a bed of roses and we shouldn't be under any illusions. But now Saab has a stable owner and I reckon we're going to be a danger to our competitors."

Paul Åkerlund, head of trade union IF Metall's local Saab chapter.

"Mentally there has been a sense of resignation that this wasn't going to work out. It's totally overwhelming, a bit hard to grasp that it's true."

"We've been planning for both a wind-down and a restart. We've had both a red and a green button so to speak. Now we're going to push the green button and hit the accelerator."

"Having them [Spyker] as a new owner feels very liberating. They possess a combination of an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to nurture and develop a brand that suits Saab perfectly. With Spyker as owner, Saab will be able to release all its power and know-how."

Mats Fägerhag, Saab's head of technical development.

"It's great news for everybody who works for Saab, I'm very pleased for them. But we know too little about the details regarding their [Spyker's] future plans for Saab."

Martin Sköld, auto industry expert, Stockholm School of Economics.

"It's an incredible relief. Now begins a new era and there's a lot of work left to do. But it's work with a focus on the future and it can be carried out in a positive spirit."

Stefan Löfven, chairman of trade union IF Metall.

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