SODERTALJE, Sweden, Feb. 21, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Following its best year to date since it resumed operations in South Africa in 1995, Scania's (Other OTC:SCVAY) wholly-owned subsidiary, South Africa Pty. Ltd., has opened a new head office at Aeroton, just west of Johannesburg, to coordinate activities in the entire southern African region. As part of this development, the assembly of trucks and buses is being transferred to a new joint facility.
This will make Johannesburg the centre for Scania's vehicle assembly operations in southern Africa. As a result, the bus assembly facility at Pietersburg, in the north of the country, will close.
The new head office will be the hub around which the Scania's business in the region will be further developed, not only in South Africa itself, but also in the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Ulf Grevesmuhl, MD of Scania South Africa Pty. Ltd., commented that the climate for investment in South Africa is favourable right now: "Our business is developing in line with our plans. The year 2002 was our best ever following the resumption of operations in 1995, with total sales of 650 trucks and buses. Of these, 110 trucks and 150 buses were sold to the other countries in the region."
The former truck assembly plant at Elandsfontein will now become a sales and service facility, while the former head office will concentrate exclusively on sales in the Johannesburg area.
Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. With 28,300 employees and production facilities in Europe and Latin America, Scania is one of the most profitable companies in its sector. In 2002, turnover totalled SEK 47,000 million and the result after financial items was SEK 3,700 million. Scania products are marketed in about 100 countries worldwide and some 95 percent of Scania's vehicles are sold outside Sweden. Scania press releases are available on the Internet, www.scania.com
SCANIA Telephone Telefax Telex Communications +46-8 5538 1000 +46-8 5538 5559 10200 scania s S-151 87 SODERTALJE, SWEDEN This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/02/21/20030221BIT00810/wkr0001.doc www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/02/21/20030221BIT00810/wkr0002.pdf