Saab Automobile Lays Off Additional 100 Workers on Top of 1,300 Job Cuts Announced Last Year

STOCKHOLM, Sweden January 24, 2003; The AP reported that automaker Saab said Friday it will lay off another 100 workers in Sweden on top of the 1,300 job cuts announced late last year.

The additional job cuts were deemed necessary as Saab, the Swedish unit of General Motors Corp., examined how to streamline its organization, spokesman Christer Nilsson said.

The new round of layoffs will include 70 assembly line jobs and 30 administrative positions.

In November, Saab said it was cutting 1,300 jobs in an effort to streamline its engineering and marketing operations.

The layoffs will reduce the number of workers at Saab's plant in Trollhaettan from 7,500. Worldwide, Saab employs 9,200 people.

Saab's sales have been weak, falling by 3.4 percent in western Europe during 2002. The company has been hampered by sluggish demand, a costly launch of its new 9-3 sedan and a gain in value against the dollar by the Swedish krona.