Production lines at newly independent Saab Automobile's Trollhattan plant began rolling again on Monday (22 March).
CEO Jan Ake Jonsson, new owner Spyker Cars' CEO Victor Muller and Trollhattan Plant Director Gunnar Brunius took up positions on the line alongside assembly workers as the first batch of cars was built.
Production at Trollhattan plant was originally halted for seven weeks. The first cars to be built by Saab as an independent company will soon be delivered to customers.
"Today's resumption of production is a milestone in the history of our company" said Jonsson. "We are up and running as an independent manufacturer and I am delighted to share the experience on the line alongside our workforce. They have shown tremendous commitment to the company and we are all now focused on ramping up production to meet customer demand."
First on the line was a redesigned Saab 9-5 sedan, destined to join a test fleet prior to the model's official launch later this year. Further down the line was a 9-3 convertible, now also being produced in Trollhattan as part of the concentration of Saab operations in Sweden. With the introduction of the new 9-5 SportCombi next year, a total of five model lines will be produced at the plant.
"We have a highly flexible, world-class facility here at Trollhattan," said plant director Gunnar Brunius. "Our ability to build so many different models in one location improves plant utilisation and will deliver valuable efficiency gains. With these state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated workforce, we are in excellent shape."
Muller said: "Everyone at Saab has worked extremely hard to reach this important point. Today production restarted with a new 9-5 first down the line - a fitting symbol that a new era has begun."
SWEDEN: Independent Saab resumes output: Automotive News & Comment