WAGON maker Kockums Industrier announced at the end of June that it was paying SKr88·3m to acquire SweMaint, Sweden's largest wagon repair and maintenance company, from state-owned Swedcarrier.
Kokums also assumes SKr78·3m of SweMaint debt under the deal, which creates a combined group with around 360 employees and an annual turnover of SKr800m.
SweMaint was spun off from the national railway company, and now operates nine workshops in southern and central Sweden, as well as mobile units for attending trackside incidents.?
'SweMaint services and repairs the type of freight cars we build', said Kockums Industrier Chief Executive Björn Widell. 'We have the same customers. We also have the same challenge of helping our customers to bring about more efficient freight transport by rail. We also use the same technology and have the same suppliers and sub-contractors.'
Widell said Kockums and SweMaint will be run as separate operations. 'In the longer term we intend to develop interesting forms of co-operation, and also new offers for our customers.'
