Scania expands in Latvia
Scania expands in Latvia Scania today inaugurates a new 5,000 square metres dealership facility in Riga. The service centre is the biggest and most up-to-date Scania centre in Central and Eastern Europe. With the centre SIA Auto Skan, the official dealer of Scania in Latvia, will strengthen Scania´s position on the Latvian market. "Now we can provide full service back-up for our customers in the capital of Latvia," says Urban Erdtman, Senior Vice President and member of the Scania Executive Board. Scania started in Latvia in 1991 and delivered 115 units in 1998. The total Latvian market for heavy trucks last year was around 640 units, on which Scania got a market share of close to 20 per cent. The new facility in Riga will handle sales, service and parts supply to the truck market. So far the privately owned company Auto Skan, has invested USD 3,300,000 in the dealership. The service centre can repair 20 vehicles at a time and Auto Skan has invested USD 500,000 in updated machinery and tools. The facility also houses a Scania training centre for the Baltic region. In all the centre employs more than 50 staff members. "With the new premises, increased opening hours and Scania Assistance we are able to offer a higher service level for our customers. Latvian transport op- erators have shown that they are well developed. We have to be where they are," concludes Mr Urban Erdtman. The heavy truck market still mainly consists of international hauliers, even though there has been a drop in 1999 due to the Russian crisis. But there is an increasing demand for local transport in segments such as garbage, distri- bution, timber and construction. For additional information, please, contact Dick Hamberg, tel. +372 6 651299 Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. With 23,500 employees and production facilities in Europe and Latin America, Scania is one of the most profitable companies in its sector. In 1998, turnover to- talled SEK 45,300 million and income after financial items SEK 3,200 million. Scania products are marketed in about 100 countries worldwide and approxi- mately 96 percent of total production is sold outside Sweden Scania press releases are available on the Internet, www.scania.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/26/19990526BIT00240/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/05/26/19990526BIT00240/bit0002.pdf