Interesting that I äm posting exactly one year to the day that Saab became an independent vehicle manufacturer " Independence day " as it is known here at Saab.
A lot has happened in the last year as SAAB strives to come back into the market and meet the goals.
We had the launch of the new 9-5 last summer and it was great to see so many loyal Saab dealers at the launch events which lasted for around 6 weeks.
The event itself was seriously impressive in a kind of quaint Saabish way. Not Spain,Monaco or the south of France as has happened in the past with most vehicle manufactures with bundles of cash......but Trollhättan where else.
A tent in the middle of the test track ( which in fact blew down one stormy summer night and damaged one of the cars.)
The dealer event was split into five workshops
Following a 2 hour test drive on a predetermined route, the dealers from around the world and VIP's ( Yes we had a few of those too ) assembled to first watch the guys of the Saab Performance Team perform their manouvers and tricks at amazing speeds.
The groups were then divided to experience Ride & handling,Infotainment, crash & safety One that I cant remember and my own accessory area.
The products that we had been developing during the turbulent 2-3 years were proudly presented . It was truly GREAT . Low key,sincere and very SAAB.
Production started and as has been repeatedly reported was hampered by suppliers including GM not delivering. Not what we wanted.
Sales targets were missed and there is a strong focus on cashflow as there should be in any company.
Then came the 9-4X A good looking Crossover...........Pity about the diesel.
Today as we celebrate "Independence Day" ( A good film by the way )
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Contracting houses,Arthur and John
I need to fire my current ISP provider having just typed in at least 500000 words and been kicked out without saving.
I lost the thread anyway.
The basic thread was positive restlessness.. but the thought has really left me.
I have been researching some of the Design and Engineering companies here in Sweden recently. The state of play reminds me somewhat of one of the American ( and other countries ) news story that tragically appears on an all too frequent basis. Some guy walks into a school or a shopping mall and opens fire wiping out a whole load of innocent people.
Why I thought of that I will never know but there is a synergy somehow in my weird mind at least of how the companies associated with the Swedish auto industry are dying , bodies everywhere, and as such a lot of engineers and designers are unemployed and have been for some time. The business has imploded so to speak.
A lot of cutbacks and layoffs throughout. sad but inevitable.
The contract companies have built up a huge resource without the flexibility that this business demands.
Semcon/Caran, Etteplan,Cliff Design & Models to name but a few have shed people not the hard and fast contractors who simply move on, but employees tired of the OEM's and dreaming of a better life on the other side of the green stuff.
What these companies did not tell them is that having tried to emulate the OEM's by marketing themselves as the best thing since the proverbial slice. Gods gift to the automotive business.A certain amount of arrogance has prevailed.
They simply lost the thread and its now payback time.
Unlike my friend Arthur who works for one of the afformentioned companies.
Arthur .A legend in his own lunchtime !!!!
Arthur is one of lifes weelers and dealers who can bend company rules to and often beyond breaking point....and get away with it for the sole interest of making money and keeping the customer satisfied.
The customer will receive something that he is entirely happy with and maybe not aware that he has just been shafted.
Another character who was the pioneer of of the contracting business as we know it was John Shute, sadly no longer with us.
John founded the company International Automotive Design ( IAD ) in the late 70's and built a full service design and engineering company with facilities worldwide.
Like many I will always be indebted to John and he will always have a place in my memories.
John was a "large " jovial man who looked remarkably like Henry VIII.
His secret to success became opening design studios and pulling in the engineering work as a result. John always maintained that when you were discussing engineering projects with customers you were talking to the engineering community or the buyers.
When you were selling design on the other hand you were talking to the guy that owned the company.
IAD had studios ( and I mean lots ) 2 in Germany 2 in Spain, Claifornia and Detroit and 3 in the UK.
The irony and probably little known fact ( Other than to those who worked for IAD at the time ) is that the Kia's Hyundai's, Daewoo's all started their first own branded vehicles at IAD.
Sadly in being so ambitious he took one too many risks and the company folded in 1993 as a result of another automotive bankrupcy.
The 2000 plus designers,engineers and technicians evaporated to the four corners of the earth and there is probably not an OEM that does not have an ex IAD contact. Wherever I go I meet or hear from ex IAD colleagues.
True respect.
The Swedish and European contracting industry can learn a lot from people like John and Arthur.
The business is about not being an OEM. The business is about innovation, flexibility and finding the niche that the OEM's need.
Not getting involved with middle management until the deal is done. This was Johns tactic.
The survivors and thrivers in Sweden seem to be the small companies who do not wish to become the IAD's and Semcon's. They have found their niche and probably make a tidy living thankyou.
When times do change , and they will there will be a new generation who need to do a lessons learned on why the contracting business dropped into the abbyss.
I lost the thread anyway.
The basic thread was positive restlessness.. but the thought has really left me.
I have been researching some of the Design and Engineering companies here in Sweden recently. The state of play reminds me somewhat of one of the American ( and other countries ) news story that tragically appears on an all too frequent basis. Some guy walks into a school or a shopping mall and opens fire wiping out a whole load of innocent people.
Why I thought of that I will never know but there is a synergy somehow in my weird mind at least of how the companies associated with the Swedish auto industry are dying , bodies everywhere, and as such a lot of engineers and designers are unemployed and have been for some time. The business has imploded so to speak.
A lot of cutbacks and layoffs throughout. sad but inevitable.
The contract companies have built up a huge resource without the flexibility that this business demands.
Semcon/Caran, Etteplan,Cliff Design & Models to name but a few have shed people not the hard and fast contractors who simply move on, but employees tired of the OEM's and dreaming of a better life on the other side of the green stuff.
What these companies did not tell them is that having tried to emulate the OEM's by marketing themselves as the best thing since the proverbial slice. Gods gift to the automotive business.A certain amount of arrogance has prevailed.
They simply lost the thread and its now payback time.
Unlike my friend Arthur who works for one of the afformentioned companies.
Arthur .A legend in his own lunchtime !!!!
Arthur is one of lifes weelers and dealers who can bend company rules to and often beyond breaking point....and get away with it for the sole interest of making money and keeping the customer satisfied.
The customer will receive something that he is entirely happy with and maybe not aware that he has just been shafted.
Another character who was the pioneer of of the contracting business as we know it was John Shute, sadly no longer with us.
John founded the company International Automotive Design ( IAD ) in the late 70's and built a full service design and engineering company with facilities worldwide.
Like many I will always be indebted to John and he will always have a place in my memories.
John was a "large " jovial man who looked remarkably like Henry VIII.
His secret to success became opening design studios and pulling in the engineering work as a result. John always maintained that when you were discussing engineering projects with customers you were talking to the engineering community or the buyers.
When you were selling design on the other hand you were talking to the guy that owned the company.
IAD had studios ( and I mean lots ) 2 in Germany 2 in Spain, Claifornia and Detroit and 3 in the UK.
The irony and probably little known fact ( Other than to those who worked for IAD at the time ) is that the Kia's Hyundai's, Daewoo's all started their first own branded vehicles at IAD.
Sadly in being so ambitious he took one too many risks and the company folded in 1993 as a result of another automotive bankrupcy.
The 2000 plus designers,engineers and technicians evaporated to the four corners of the earth and there is probably not an OEM that does not have an ex IAD contact. Wherever I go I meet or hear from ex IAD colleagues.
True respect.
The Swedish and European contracting industry can learn a lot from people like John and Arthur.
The business is about not being an OEM. The business is about innovation, flexibility and finding the niche that the OEM's need.
Not getting involved with middle management until the deal is done. This was Johns tactic.
The survivors and thrivers in Sweden seem to be the small companies who do not wish to become the IAD's and Semcon's. They have found their niche and probably make a tidy living thankyou.
When times do change , and they will there will be a new generation who need to do a lessons learned on why the contracting business dropped into the abbyss.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Hunting and Scandinavian Airlines
2 very strange subjects and not at all connected either to each other or to Saab which is what makes this just a little different.
First the hunting bit
I decided back at the beginning of September to take a hunting course.
Not for the love of being out there all guns blazing you understand . That is definitely not my style.Neither do I wish to blast away defenseless animals ( well not really ).......my family would never forgive me.
A couple of reasons prompted me to do this.
Firstly to get a gun licence I need to take a seven month course on nature,conservation, the land and forestry,weapon and hunting law etc. etc.
Seven heavy books that I need to study and have a trolley to carry them around.
What is worse is that I have to do this in Swedish which I find pretty hard going.
I didn't realize that there were so many birds that looked the damn same ( to me ) but with different names.
My advice would be to not let me out there with a gun as I would end up shooting everything in sight.
Back to the reasons for signing up for the course.
2 actually
I have a house about an hours drive from Trollhättan which is my paradise and one place that I can switch off from everything. At the beginning of September I arrived on a Friday evening to see that the grass which I lovingly cut sitting on my tractor while listening to Mary J Blige in my iPhone every week ( minimum ) had been ripped up.
On closer analysis ( I wont go into the details but it does come out of the rear ) we determined that we had had a visit from vildsvin ( wild pigs ).
I was so angry having spent 4 hours in the pouring rain making the repairs that this became the proverbial straw.
The second reason is a little more disturbing. Directly behind the house are several hundred hectares of mushroom forest which we take every opportunity to exploit and savour. A few weeks ago and not for the first time a neighbour was driving on the road servicing the houses in the area. Out of the forest came a wolf not 200 meters from my place. ....Yes a wolf. Now that's scary.
So yesterday evening I was for the first time training on the shooting simulator. A cool VR thingy that only confirmed how bad my shooting was. This was really a great boy toy and if it was not for the fact that it cost an amazing amount of SEK,Euros or Pounds I would buy one .........Really was cool
To the second subject Scandinavian Airlines ( SAS )
The majority shareholder of this miserably arrogant and uncompetitive airline is non other than the Swedish Government, together with the Norwegian and Danish.
Maud Olofsson held a press conference yesterday to confirm that the Swedish taxpayer would pump in a further injection of capital that had lots of 00000's after it into a company that is very reminiscent of good old General Motors.
I was speechless !!
This was the same person who has maintained for so long that it was not the Swedish Governments place to own or get involved in a private business. That the Government was not qualified to run an automotive company. It clearly is not qualified to run an airline either.!!!
If an image of Maud had been on the simulator yesterday evening instead of rabbits moose and ducks maybe my score would have been better.
OK now I feel better
OKSAAB
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Good news is always bad news
There is always a twist to a news story in the Swedish media.
Two pieces of really good news yesterday and the press could not help themselves but to add a negative twist to both of them.
It would appear that I write very often about the press and their negative slant on SAAB.
I freely admit that it is probably the only issue that truly irritates me about this whole affair as I sit with my I love SAAB badge proudly displayed on my shirt. Corny I know but sometimes youv'e just got to do these things.
Back to the press reports.
In the report that Vic had secured a further $25 M loan from a Swiss / Dutch private investment company for whom he had worked in the 80's.Great news I thought but upon reading the article in DI 90% referred to the terms and conditions of the loan and the high interest and what would happen if it could not be repaid / refinanced.
The statement " The business is still not finalized because Vic needs to pay GM a further $24 M on the 15 July and he does not have the money "
Only the headline was positive.
Swedes have a tendancy to use the BUT word quite often
The second report was regarding the EU commisions approval of the EIB loan. An iportant milestone. DI again reported the " BUT there are still parts of the puzzel that are not in place , the EIB needs to approve the loan "
Again the BUT word comes into play.
At the weekend there was a sort of half hearted launch of the new 9-5 at the Saab Museum.
I do not mean this in any negative way. When the deal is finally done everybody will be working like crazy to do a real launch. The museum event was very much like a car showroom with a steady but high flow of people throughout the day. Much higher than in the SAAB dealer showrooms in fact.
Lots of positive critique. Lets hope that this turns into sales.
As you would imagine there are quite a high number of new 9-5's around the SAAB site in various forms from camoflaged test cars to latest production status.
I have to say the car has presence on the road.It is both dynamic and elegent at the same time unlike some of the Volvo's,Audi,s and BMW,s which tend to *wallow * when they get to this class ( particularly the Volvo S80 )
The 9-4X is also confirmed for production start at the beginning of next year.
I think that this is much needed and a pretty cool looking vehicle. Lets hope we see them in Europe competing head to head with Audi, and of course winning.
OKSAAB
Two pieces of really good news yesterday and the press could not help themselves but to add a negative twist to both of them.
It would appear that I write very often about the press and their negative slant on SAAB.
I freely admit that it is probably the only issue that truly irritates me about this whole affair as I sit with my I love SAAB badge proudly displayed on my shirt. Corny I know but sometimes youv'e just got to do these things.
Back to the press reports.
In the report that Vic had secured a further $25 M loan from a Swiss / Dutch private investment company for whom he had worked in the 80's.Great news I thought but upon reading the article in DI 90% referred to the terms and conditions of the loan and the high interest and what would happen if it could not be repaid / refinanced.
The statement " The business is still not finalized because Vic needs to pay GM a further $24 M on the 15 July and he does not have the money "
Only the headline was positive.
Swedes have a tendancy to use the BUT word quite often
The second report was regarding the EU commisions approval of the EIB loan. An iportant milestone. DI again reported the " BUT there are still parts of the puzzel that are not in place , the EIB needs to approve the loan "
Again the BUT word comes into play.
At the weekend there was a sort of half hearted launch of the new 9-5 at the Saab Museum.
I do not mean this in any negative way. When the deal is finally done everybody will be working like crazy to do a real launch. The museum event was very much like a car showroom with a steady but high flow of people throughout the day. Much higher than in the SAAB dealer showrooms in fact.
Lots of positive critique. Lets hope that this turns into sales.
As you would imagine there are quite a high number of new 9-5's around the SAAB site in various forms from camoflaged test cars to latest production status.
I have to say the car has presence on the road.It is both dynamic and elegent at the same time unlike some of the Volvo's,Audi,s and BMW,s which tend to *wallow * when they get to this class ( particularly the Volvo S80 )
The 9-4X is also confirmed for production start at the beginning of next year.
I think that this is much needed and a pretty cool looking vehicle. Lets hope we see them in Europe competing head to head with Audi, and of course winning.
OKSAAB
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Putting money where the mouth is
During the Magna deal with GM regarding OPEL both the Unions and the Opel dealer forum planned to take a sizable stake in the new company.
The Russian banks and Magna were in the forefrunt but the unions and dealers would play a significant role AND would have clout in the running of OPEL.
What do we have with SAAB........Zip !!
Where are the unions....Nowehere to be seen
The red / green alliance....totally silent !!!
Dealers...They send cakes and good wishes.
I for one have and will buy shares in the companies that I have worked for. Not part of a an option scheme but as part of both my own personal commitment to my company and having the opportunity however small to vote on the issues I care about.
It may sound naive but it is what I believe in and nobody can take that away from me.
I would challenge the unions and the dealers and anyone else who wants to get involved for that matter to put their money where their mouth is and support SAAB/ Spyker in buying a say in the company.
I for one will be there
OKSAAB
The Russian banks and Magna were in the forefrunt but the unions and dealers would play a significant role AND would have clout in the running of OPEL.
What do we have with SAAB........Zip !!
Where are the unions....Nowehere to be seen
The red / green alliance....totally silent !!!
Dealers...They send cakes and good wishes.
I for one have and will buy shares in the companies that I have worked for. Not part of a an option scheme but as part of both my own personal commitment to my company and having the opportunity however small to vote on the issues I care about.
It may sound naive but it is what I believe in and nobody can take that away from me.
I would challenge the unions and the dealers and anyone else who wants to get involved for that matter to put their money where their mouth is and support SAAB/ Spyker in buying a say in the company.
I for one will be there
OKSAAB
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Who cares where the money comes from !!
My favourite profile photograph. This goes to show what the last 13 months has done.
I have used this on the odd occasion for the last 10 years and it still makes me smile. At least its better than the one on GM Peoplefinder where I look as miserable as sin which I probably am.
Not satisfied having lost the last battle over SAAB the analysts are again out in force to have one last stab at crucifying SAAB.
Having read so many news articles over the last few months, it has become crystal clear that SAAB the Swedish banks and certain investment / life insurance companies are the targets for their venom. Are they considering the public interest or are these really the targets that stir public emotions.
In the case of banks they duly have the reputation of robbing you blind which indeed they do, and pay themselves big fat bonuses in doing so !!!.
In the case of SAAB though who the hell should care. What has SAAB a small manufacturer of great cars ever done that should create the types of headlines and targeted hatred.
SAAB in the last few months has stirred enormous emotions within the faithful and has in fact created a " nuvo SAAB " following. People who had almost never heard of the quirky iconic brand. Incidently " ICONIC " is the new in word. There have been several high and mighty leaders using it in the last week particularly relating to SAAB being sold to Spyker Cars.
Turning to Victory Victors cash pile.
The press and analysts here in Sweden are " demanding " to know where Vickies cash comes from.
The government on the other hand having sent in SEPO, the FBI,KGB and not least 007 to investigate seem quite cool and satisfied......for now.
It will take just one little sh** journalist to uncover the dirt on Vicky and it will be blown wide open.
This holier than thou attitude is mind boggling and pathetic to say the least.
I for one have some ( not many ) morals but when Vicky says its private then its private, notwithstanding drugs, prostitution etc etc. are no go
Write about the banks and the fat bonuses or whatever you like but give Vicky and SAAB a chance to make this happen
OKSAAB
Friday, 29 January 2010
That was the week that was
Here is a photograph of me ( middle )with some of my team at Saab Design 2005
I am not sure whether this was a good week or not.
There is no question that it will be one to remember.
Decision made, it was a fantastic week.
This is going to be an enormous flywheel that could be difficult to get going at first but the inertia that will be created will make it difficult to stop.
Plans B,C& D are now on ice. Sorry Trollhattan no fish & chip shop just yet. You'll just have to make do with Pizzas and kebab.
Back in 2005 GM announced that Saab Design would close and move to Russelsheim which it did in 2006.
Both my studio colleagues and I went through exactly the same agony.What were the alternatives ?? Russelsheim was not an option, A dark grey city in the middle of a country that I have never been particularly fond of living. ( My apologies but I miss the elements that makes Sweden special for me )
All possibilities were open for future career opportunities.
Within my team we discussed it almost every day.
More as a joke than anything else I got locked on two ideas.
1. A fish & chip shop - As I mentioned in an earlier blog Pizza,Pizza & Pizza is on the Trollhattan take away menu.I have a friend from my childhood whose parents had a F&C shop close to where I lived. Eventually he took over and created a chain of F&C shops and made a fortune. It was called Pete's Plaice. I could do this over the whole of Sweden and maybe compete with Ronald Macdonald. The one thing that deterred me was that I didn't fancy the idea of smelling of old frying oil.Prada and Versace are more in my line.
I will continue this story as it is connected to idea number 2
2. Idea number 2 was an internet launderette. For those who are not familiar with launderette's it is where you can do your laundry.
The concept came to mind as Trollhattan high school was become a university.
An influx of 10000 new students mostly from 18 - 22 were to descend upon the town.
The concept was to offer a cafe with internet connection where the students could sit while doing their laundry, chat,mingle,surf or whatever.
This was a sure winner as here in apartment dominated Sweden you need to book a time in the communal washing room. I figured students would find it difficult to work with this concept preferring more to " drop in "
The reason these two ideas are connected is that one of the guys who worked for me ( Erik ) was one of life's wonderful characters.I have my arm around Erik in the photograph. The whole team had hours of fun at his expense. Never cruel he enjoyed it,he felt loved and wanted which he was.
I teased him that he would be the ideal person to run my two money spinning ventures.
Erik is a jolly good natured man who can talk and laugh for Sweden. If laughing was an officially recognized sport in the Olympic games he would win gold for sure.
Erik would be the perfect front man to success.
In addition I teased him about running the launderette.
The design of the cafe would be such that it could take 20 washing and 10 drying machines. There would be a room or passage way behind the row of machines that when people put the money in it would go straight into Erik's pocket..black money.
Erik's bonus I assured him was that he would get the additional benefit of dealing with attractive young girls and their various forms of ( minute ) clothing
Pure fantasy but we had a lot of fun.
This journey has not been at all the same. Much more serious and much more concerning, but today I feel great. It is both Friday and I can put the last 13 months behind me.
This definitely was that was the week that was.
OKSAAB
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