Saab may not have funds in time for August wages

Saab's Dutch owner Swedish Automobile , which bought the company in early 2010 and saved it from closure, has been scrambling to find new sources of financing for months. Car production has been at a standstill since April because many suppliers refused to deliver parts until they were paid.

"There is a risk of delayed payment of August wages to Saab Automobile employees as some of the funds that were committed by investors may not be paid in time," Saab and Swedish Automobile said in a statement on Tuesday.

Swedish Automobile spokeswoman Gunilla Gustavs declined to say which funds were delayed and did "not have full information" on whether a deal to issue 4 million shares, announced on August 15, had been completed yet.

The potential delay to wages came as Sweden's state debt collector met with negotiators from Saab for the first time on Tuesday after seizing 1.5 million Swedish crowns ($236,000) in a Nordea account.

It had attempted to recover at least 5.1 million crowns owed to suppliers and will get information about assets in another account at SEB on Wednesday, Hans Ryberg at the Enforcement Agency said.

"We have started an investigation," he said. "We need to know what they own and what value their assets may have."

Saab's debts to suppliers are set to rise to some 43 million crowns in another week, he said, as respites for voluntary repayment of more debts expire.

"This is a complicated process and will take time," Ryberg added.

Dutch-listed Swedish Automobile shares closed down 17.5 percent at 0.59 euros after falling as much as 23 percent.

Wages for Saab's blue collar workers are due to be paid out on Thursday and white collar salaries on Friday.

According to Saab's annual report, the company paid 1.9 billion crowns ($290 million) in wages, social contributions and pensions for 3,208 employees in 2010.

On that basis, it had to pay out about 157 million crowns ($24 million) in staff costs each month last year. Saab now has around 3,640 employees.

Swedish Automobile, which reports half-year results on Friday, is still waiting for regulatory approval for two Chinese companies to get a majority stake in the company to solve its liquidity problems.

"For the past half a year, the company has been held together with emergency tape. The distress is getting worse and worse," said David Tomic of Dutch shareholders group VEB.

"After the Chinese approvals, we can think about the future again. We need to hope there is still sufficient consumer demand for Saab cars. If there isn't, it could end quickly," Tomic said.

The Chinese approval procedure for the two companies to become shareholders was "on track" and expected during the fall, spokeswoman Gustavs said. Approval by the EIB and Swedish national debt office was also expected by the autumn.

Two weeks ago, Saab managed to stave off a bankruptcy threat from unions by finding enough money to pay its white collar workers their salaries for July, but Sweden's state debt collector started seizing assets from Saab last week in an attempt to recovery money owed to suppliers.

Annette Hellgren, who represents white collar workers at union group Unionen, said the union could again start a bankruptcy procedure if wages were not paid.

"If they don't pay on time, we will start the process of formally demanding the company to pay salaries. After this formal claim they have seven days to pay. If they still don't pay then we can begin proceedings for demanding bankruptcy."

Swedish Automobile said it was continuing talks with parties to get additional short-term funding but spokeswoman Gustavs declined to give details.