Saab Forms Country Unit

Saab is strengthening the organisation in the geographical regions that are considered particularly important for the company. The objective is to increase business and to work more cost effectively.

One part of Saab's internationalisation is to now strengthen its local presence in some countries through the formation of Country Units. The criteria for creating such a unit is when more than one business unit is present in the country, that the market requires Saab to have a high profile and that the increased coordination may lead to new and more extensive business.

As Saab's support functions, such as ICT and marketing, have expanded and become more efficient, it has also been possible to build a more coherent structure in these countries.

By forming Country Units, Saab's organisation is strengthened in the countries or geographical regions that are considered particularly important for the company. The first will be South Africa and Australia. The USA may become the third country.

One Saab in place
The first countries to be established as Country Units are South Africa and Australia. The USA may become the third country.

"The idea is that a Country Unit will act as 'One Saab' in that location, with goals to expand our business volume in the local market and increase our cost effectiveness. One of the benefits of being better rooted in the local market may be that we have access to funding for research and development," says Group Senior Vice President Dan-Åke Enstedt.

Stronger concept
The decision describes how a Country Unit should be organised and how to run the cooperation with and between the business units present and, for example, Saab International and Saab's various functional units. The focus is to create good conditions for new business. As previously, it is the individual business units that make and implement the business deals.

	"Organising the activities in Country Units means increased coordination and a stronger focus on finding new and joint business. Furthermore, Saab's management will become better informed about how the market is developing in these countries," says Dan-Åke Enstedt.

Dan-Åke Enstedt, Group Senior Vice President and Segment Manager for Defence and Security Solutions.

2 March 2009