Scania sales up in the Ukraine

Scania Ukraine: a new company in new importer premises Scania's focus on expansion in the growth economies of central and eastern Europe continues: Tuesday saw the inauguration in Kiev of Scania Ukraine, Scania's most recent importer facility in brand-new premises dedicated to sales and service. Scania has doubled its market share in the Ukraine in just one year, from 8 per cent in 1997 to about 15 per cent this year. Scania has previously operated importer facilities in countries such as Po- land, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Baltic States and the Balkans and these parts of Europe have represented Scania's fastest growing market area. "The development trends are dynamic and our approach - to refrain from rushing in but rather to grow together with the market - has proven to be just the right strategy," says Urban Erdtman, Executive Vice President and head of European sales. The new Managing Director of Scania Ukraine is Berth Carreman. He has got off to a flying start in 1998, with Scania selling more than 100 new trucks so far this year. "With our own company housed in a new full-service Scania centre, strategi- cally located in Kiev, we have obtained yet another stable base from which we can further develop our operations," says a confident Berth Carreman. During 1997 and 1998 Scania has invested about SEK 500 million in measures de- signed to reinforce the dealer and service networks in Europe. "We have made sure that we have consistently reserved sufficient resources to take care of our customers and their vehicles. Service and after-sales opera- tions have long been an integrated part of the Scania business sphere," says Urban Erdtman. For further information, please contact Ulf Söderström, tel. + 46 8 553 81044. Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. With 23,800 employees and production facilities in Europe and Latin America, Scania is one of the most profitable companies in its sector. In 1997, turnover totalled SEK 39,700 million and income after financial items SEK 2,800 million. Scania products are marketed in about 100 countries worldwide and approximately 95% of total production is sold outside Sweden. Scania press releases are available on the Internet, www.scania.com