=========================
Unclear on Saab's Japan-delivery
None of Saab's Japanese suppliers are in the worst affected areas in the country - but their subcontractors are.
- And the suppliers must run production at nights due to power rationing, says purchasing manager Kjell-Åke Eriksson.
The infrastructure in the worst affected areas in Japan is destroyed and partly because of the accidents at the nuclear power plants, power rationing has been introduced in the country for the first time since World War II. For Saab, which receive a number of vital components for its vehicles from Japan - including the automatic gearbox - can note that none of their suppliers are in the worst affected areas.
- But the suppliers have in turn many sub-contractors, therefore, the situation is unclear right now. Just look at the information in the news where there is mixed messages from day to day, says Kjell-Åke Eriksson.
There are also problems to maintain production levels when it for the first time since World War II is power rationing. Both Volvo, Saab and many other automotive brands have the same supplier of automatic transmissions. But even if a disruption in production in Japan would occur, it does not automatically lead to a disruption in the production at Saab's plant in Stallbacka.
- It takes six weeks to ship the components by boat from Japan, if necessary, we can get supplies by air instead. But that's of course more expensive, says Kjell-Åke Eriksson.
