Scania Russia acquires facility in Moscow

Scania Russia acquires facility in Moscow Scania Russia, Scania's wholly-owned importer company in Russia, is taking over former Scania dealer GEMA Association's newly-built sales and service facility just outside Moscow. The new facility will serve as the centre for Scania's operations throughout Russia. Under the agreement, Scania also takes over GEMA's dealership. Scania has increased its truck sales in Russia from a market share of just over 2 percent at the start of operations in 1992 to about 14 percent in 1998. Scania is now one of the three leading imported truck brands in Russia. "Our intention is to create a well-equipped Scania centre of European standard, with everything at one site: import administration, truck sales, training facility, workshops and parts stocks," says PG Nilsson, MD of Scania Russia. The Scania centre will be the first of its kind among the competing western truck importers - that is to say, a centre that can offer its customers full service under one roof. The facility is located 28 km west of Moscow on the strategically important transport route leading to Minsk, which carries most of the international traffic between Russia and Europe. "We are convinced that this move will be a major commercial advantage for us when the Russian economy picks up again," comments PG Nilsson. GEMA Association has been Scania's dealer since April 1995. The new facility, which was completed just a few months ago, covers a total of 22,000 square metres and features two workshop and office buildings covering 3,136 and 607 square metres respectively. For further information, please contact Ulf Söderström on telephone number +46 70 680 9595. 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 totalled SEK 45,300 million and income after financial items SEK 3,200 million. Scania products are marketed in about 100 countries worldwide and approximately 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/1999/04/06/19990406BIT00500/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/04/06/19990406BIT00500/bit0002.pdf