http://www.straitstimes.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=bf9714dd60c4f110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f9a0758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD
<!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> By
Francis Chan <!-- show image if available -->
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--> <!-- more than 4
paragraphs --> SWEDISH truck and bus maker Scania opened a new
corporate office and 24-hour service centre at Senoko Road
yesterday.
The $6 million facility - officially opened by Swedish
ambassador Par Ahlberger - has 16 service bays, workshops, and
computerised alignment and repair systems. It replaces the firm's
Joo Koon Road premises.
Scania Singapore's general manager, Mr Norman Koh, said at
yesterday's opening ceremony: 'Our new Senoko service centre is not
only much bigger - almost twice the size of our old centre - but
also better equipped, with new hand and diagnostic tools as well as
other value-added services.'
He said the expansion was needed to help the company handle the
increase in orders for Scania-assembled vehicles in Singapore and
Malaysia.
'For example, we have an order from SBS Transit for 900 buses,
of which 400 still have to be delivered by the end of the year. And
that is a major deal for us,' he added.
Scania Singapore was set up in late 2003, but business was so
brisk that the hunt for a larger centre began just two years
later.
'We did not expect that level of growth when we started in 2003,
but we are happy that we can grow along with our customers,' said
Mr Koh.
The company employs about 55 staff, including technicians,
engineers and administrative staff. Its headcount is expected to
increase by 25 per cent by the end of the year.
'We have put in a few new tenders and if we are successful, we
expect to hire more this year...In any case, Scania Singapore has
never retrenched any workers here,' he said.
He declined to reveal the value of the deals that Scania has
inked in recent years, but a person familiar with the matter said
that its contract with SBS Transit was probably worth at least $300
million.
Mr Koh disclosed that Scania is in
the process of completing a tender for a similar project. If the
bid is successful, Scania will build and supply buses that carry
the latest Euro-5 certification - an air pollution rating - to a
large transport firm in Singapore.
___________________________________________________________________
Is SMRT also bringing in Scanias? Or SBST replacing their
leylands?
NO! SBST is mad liao. 900 Scanias K230UB! I rather have 100 MAN
18.240 or 100 volvo b7rle.
