Ericsson and Samsung enter a license agreement on mobile technology
(11.01.02) Ericsson, has concluded a worldwide patent license agreement with Samsung.
Under the terms of a worldwide, royalty-bearing agreement, Ericsson has granted Samsung a non-exclusive license under Ericsson's patent portfolio for the GSM, TDMA, GPRS, EDGE and WCDMA mobile telephony standards, to develop, manufacture and sell 2G and 3G subscriber and infrastructure equipment. In return, Samsung provides a royalty payment, as well as a reciprocal license to Ericsson.

The agreement confirms Ericsson's solid patent portfolio in mobile technology and specifically gives Samsung access to Ericsson's portfolio of WCDMA patents - the most extensive in the industry.

"We accelerate the development of 3G and Mobile Internet and leverage further on our technology leadership and patent portfolio," says Torbjörn Nilsson, Senior Vice President at Ericsson. "The Ericsson 3G IPR portfolio is extremely strong and is required by any company developing 3G products."

Ericsson has about 40% market share in 3G/WCDMA as well as in GSM/GPRS/Edge - and also the industry's strongest R&D commitment with over 10,000 granted patents worldwide.



Swedish OM chosen as technology partner to NASD
(10.01.02) OM, Swedish supplier of trading technology, and the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), the largest securities- industry, self-regulatory organization in the United States, have signed an agreement to build the Alternative Display Facility (ADF) - an over- the-counter quotation and trade reporting facility - of which OM's SAXESStm system is a central component. The system will be delivered in June 2002. The agreement includes license, project and support of the system.
"It is an honour to be selected as technology provider to the National Association of Securities Dealer for this milestone event in the history of the US securities exchange industry", said Magnus Böcker, EVP and COO of OM. "This agreement reinforces OM's position as the leading provider of international exchange systems and significantly strengthens our presence in North America."

"We look forward to continuing to work with one of the world's leading providers of transaction technology and market systems", said Robert R. Glauber, Chairman and CEO of the NASD. "OM will help the NASD fulfill its obligation of providing a facility that will display quotes and collect trade data for our members."

The Board of Governors of the NASD in December approved new rules to establish an over-the-counter quotation and trade reporting facility. The alternative display facility (ADF) will allow registered NASD market makers and electronic communications networks (ECNs) to publish quotations for, and report trades in, listed securities but will not comprise automatic execution or order-routing functions. The facility is targeted for completion late in the second quarter of 2002.


SAS introduces first In-flight Transfer Information with "Rebooking Information Functionality"
(10.01.02) As of January 21, 2002, SAS will be able to offer its passengers improved transfer and rebooking information on board the aircraft. The information is provided on the cabin video monitors.
Passengers who upon arrival must rebook to an alternative flight can receive information prior to landing about the new flight number, departure time, terminal and gate via the cabin video monitors. Passengers can also see whether their scheduled connection is delayed.

SAS will offer transfer and rebooking information on board the Boeing 767, Airbus A321, Airbus A330 and Airbus A340. Initially, the service will be offer on flights to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. More destinations will be added successively.

The transfer information is transmitted to the aircraft's computer unit from the destination. The computer converts such data to graphic and text information that is displayed on the cabin monitors during the approach to the airport - about 30 minutes prior to landing. The information is also displayed after landing while taxiing to the arrival gate.

"We believe that transfer and rebooking information will be an appreciated complement to the information that is already presented on board, such as airspeed, estimated time to arrival and distance," says Hermine Wachtmeister, responsible for in-flight entertainment and communications at SAS. "Our aim is to make the journey simpler and more efficient," she continues. "With access to transfer and rebooking information already prior to arrival, we increase the passengers' control over their travel." .


Biggest contract ever for Scania France
(09.01.02) Transalliance - one of the leading haulage companies in France - has signed a contract worth SEK 300 million, with Scania's French subsidiary, Scania France, for the supply of a further 350 trucks for delivery before the end of the year. The order is additional to last year's order for 170 vehicles.
"This is the biggest contract ever received by Scania France," says MD Marc Haezenberghe. "We have had a long-standing business relationship with Transalliance and the total of 520 new trucks which they have now ordered will make Scania a highly visible part of their expanding fleet.

Commenting on the order, Philippe Michel, MD of Transalliance, noted that Scania's service network, which offers service and parts facilities covering the entire European continent, played an important role in closing the deal. The provision of financing by Scania France was also a significant factor.

"We are very pleased with Scania's package, which meets our extremely high demands for profitability and availability, while the truck itself has a high image value and is greatly appreciated by our drivers," he says.


Norsk Hydro buys Germany's VAW Aluminium
(08.01.02) Norsk Hydro ASA, is to buy all shares of VAW Aluminium AG, the German aluminium company. The acquisition will make Hydro Aluminium one of the world's top-tier light metal companies, with a leading position in Europe.
Eivind Reiten, Chief Executive of Norsk Hydro, said: "This acquisition, which we consider attractively priced and is accretive to our earnings, is an important step towards realizing one of Hydro's key strategic ambitions to become one of the top performing world class aluminium companies. We have built a solid financial platform by successfully divesting non-core activities and improving earnings from our core businesses. This financial strength has enabled us to make this major strategic move. We will now focus on the challenges of rapid integrating the new units, combined with the improvement processes already underway in our existing light metals activity. VAW is a highly competent organization that will strengthen our platform for innovation and future growth".

The combined activities will after the acquisition be named Hydro Aluminium and will be headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Jon-Harald Nilsen, executive vice president for Hydro Light Metals will be CEO of the merged Hydro Aluminium. The different business sectors will have their subheadquarters in Germany, Norway, Switzerland and USA.


Skanska awarded a USD 136 million (SEK 1.4 billion) highway and bridge assignment in Virginia, USA
(03.01.02) Skanska's American subsidiary Tidewater Skanska, has been selected by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for a USD 136 million (SEK 1.4 billion) contract to build the Pinners Point Interchange in Portsmouth, Virginia.
The Pinners Point Interchange is VDOT's largest single construction contract ever. The 1.5 mile road and bridge project re-directs traffic out of a historic part of Portsmouth. In addition to restoring tranquility to a historic neighborhood that has seen traffic surge to over 20,000 cars and trucks per day, the new highway will save commuters valuable time and provide a direct connection from the Western Freeway to the Mid-Town Tunnel and Martin Luther King Freeway.

Using a new bidding process VDOT sought bids based not only on cost, but also on how fast the work could be done. Tidewater Skanska will start construction in January 2002 and will complete the project in late 2004. Tidewater Skanska's subsidiary Bayshore Concrete Products will supply the 100 foot long, 66 inch diameter concrete cylinder piles, with 6 inch wall thickness, each weighing over 100 tons, and the large prestressed girders that will be required for the project's 1,500 foot long bridge tying into an existing bridge over the western branch of Elizabeth River.


TietoEnator and Lietuvos Telekomas start partnership negotiations
(03.01.02) Lietuvos Telekomas, the largest telecom operator in the Baltics, and TietoEnator have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding a partnership in the form of a joint venture. According to the MoU, signed January 3, Lietuvos Telekomas and TietoEnator have an intention to join their forces in creating an IT services company to provide services in Lithuania and within the region. Together with Lietuvos Telekomas TietoEnator will further strengthen its position as a major supplier of telecom-related IT services and solutions in the region.
The new company, which will be based on Lietuvos Telekomas' information system department of close to 200 employees, will provide comprehensive services initially to Lietuvos Telekomas and also to other corporate customers. The partnership will benefit from Lietuvos Telekomas´ strong base in Lithuania and TietoEnator´s vast competence within the field of IT services.


Ericsson sells test plant equipment for USD 750 million
(29.12.01) As part of Ericsson's active asset management, Ericsson signed a sale- lease back agreement regarding test plant equipment for the value of USD 750 million. This transaction is a proof of Ericsson's capability to free tied-up capital.
The transaction includes test plant equipment used for software testing, at sites located in Sweden and the US. Ericsson will lease back the test plant equipment from the new owner. The facility is arranged by a syndicate of financial institutions.

"This set-up is another successful step in our efforts to release capital, "says Sten Fornell, CFO of Ericsson.

The transaction will be effective by year-end, and will improve the cash position of the Group with approximately USD 750 million. There will be no material impact on Ericsson's future net income.

Ericsson will manage the test plant equipment and the work force at the test plants will not be affected.



Gripen Intl awarded contract for Hungarian Air Force fighters
(28.12.01) The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded Gripen International, jointly owned by Saab and BAE SYSTEMS in the UK, a contract for the adaptation and support of Swedish Air Force Gripen swing-role fighters designated for use by the Hungarian Air Force.
Gripen International will manage the contract as prime contractor and award a number of sub-contracts to ensure the Hungarian requirements are met. The main sub-contract will be to Saab AB (approx 1 billion SEK) to adapt the aircraft to Hungarian needs and support the aircraft over the 10 year service period.

The company will be responsible for adapting Swedish Gripen aircraft to the specification required by the government of Hungary for the modernization of its air force to meet national and NATO defense needs. The contractual agreement was signed in Stockholm today.

It follows completion of the 10 year lease contract for 14 Gripen fighters, signed in Budapest, by Mr Ferenc Bese, ASIB in the Hungarian Ministry of Defence and Major General Staffan Näsström, FMV.


Stolt Sea Farm acquires F&B sales Ltd in Hong Kong
(28.12.01) Stolt Sea Farm Holdings plc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stolt-Nielsen S.A. announced it has purchased F & B Sales Limited (F&B), a Hong Kong registered company owned by the Webster Limited group of New Zealand.
F&B is a well-established specialized seafood distribution business, based in Hong Kong, with an extensive product range that includes live lobster and live turbot, and which supplies to major supermarkets, hotels, air caterers, private clubs, and restaurant chains. F&B sales revenue for year ended 30 June 2001 was HKD 106 million (approximately USD 14 million).

James Stove Lorentzen, CEO of SSF said, "I am delighted to be able to announce this addition to our activities in our important Asia Pacific market. This region is our fastest growing market, and we see this acquisition as a further strengthening of our "in-the-market" sales organization. It will also provide an excellent outlet for all SSF's own products. The acquisition of F&B not only gives us a significant presence in the Hong Kong market but also local access to the important and fast-growing mainland China market."


Ericsson sells its London Corporate HQ to BP
(28.12.01) Ericsson has announced it sells its property at 1 St. James's Square in London to BP for GBP 117 million. BP, in turn, intends to move its global corporate headquarter to 1 St. James's Square.
As earlier announced Ericsson will move its London-based operations from St. James's Square to 105 Wigmore Street, an equally central location offering the accommodation it needs.

The transaction is part of a long-term strategy to divest non-core assets and reallocate these funds to business activities.

The transaction will be effective by year-end.


Tamro sells its stake in the Swedish Mölnlycke Health Care AB
(28.12.01) Tamro Corporation has signed an agreement tosells its stake and all its ownership interests and rights in Mölnlycke Health Care AB for the price of SEK 680 million together to Nordic Capital, the present majority owner of Mölnlycke Heath Care, and to the Sixth Swedish National Pension Fund and Bure Equity AB.
Tamro´s CEO Pauli Kulvik says that this agreement completes Tamro´s strategic decisions from year 1998 to divest all of its industrial operations and concentrate on the company´s core business, pharmaceutical trade. This agreement enables future investments in the company´s core business, in which the majority of investments is moving towards retail trade in those countries where pharmacy ownership is liberalised.



Metso acquires Raisio Chemicals' minority holding of Valmet-Raisio
(27.12.01) Metso Paper has acquired Raisio Chemicals' minority holding of Valmet-Raisio and now owns the company completely. Before the acquisition Metso Paper's holding was 51 %. The acquisition price is EUR 10 million.
Valmet-Raisio's special expertise in water and chemical systems management is crucial to the development of new paper machine solutions. For environmental and other reasons, wet end and coating chemicals management in papermaking has been an essential part of the solutions jointly developed by Metso and Raisio. These solutions ensure the recovery and re-use of chemicals used in the manufacturing process. In the future Metso Paper will develop water and chemical system management in parallel with the other solutions it has developed to lower environmental impact.

Valmet-Raisio has operations at Raisio and Valkeakoski in Finland, Oberhaching in Germany, Atlanta in the USA, Sao Paolo in Brazil and Beijing in China.



Scania sells Danish bodybuilding company and concentrates production of bus bodies
(26.12.01) As part of the ongoing structuring of its busbuilding activities, Scania will selling its bodybuilding facility in Silkeborg, Denmark to the Norwegian company Vest-Buss AS. As a result, Scania's development and production of bodies for city buses will be concentrated at the company's main busbuilding plant in Katrineholm in Sweden, and at its assembly units in Poland and Russia.
The move is part of a strategy to create better competitive conditions for the bodybuilding company, which Scania plans to establish in Katrineholm. The assembly units in Slupsk, Poland and St. Petersburg, Russia will also form part of the new business.

To the new bodybuilding company, this will mean that the resources for product and production development of Scania's range of Omni buses - OmniCity and OmniLink - will be concentrated at the main plant in Katrineholm. Bodies will be fitted in all three locations.

Vest-Buss is the largest manufacturer of bus bodies in Norway.



Troubled IconMedialab merges with Dutch Lost Boys to a new media services and e-business company
(20.12.01) Swedish Icon Medialab International AB and Amsterdam based Lost Boys N.V. announce they have entered into an agreement to merge. They signed an agreement yesterday.

IconMediaLab has been seeking a solution to conteract upon the general fall in the communications IT sector, and now looks towards this chance to bring to a level the downward spiral that seemed to have no end.

Michiel Mol, majority shareholder and CEO of Lost Boys, is confident about the transaction. “We have spoken to various possible partners, and we’re convinced that IconMedialab is the best partner for us in the upcoming consolidation process in our industry. Their geographic reach, the installed client base as well as their technical and consulting capabilities strongly complement our company.” IconMedialab CEO Rens Buchwaldt says “The merger is strong both in the short and the long term. The company will have a secure financial position, and we
can offer our clients the full advantage of the multinational talents, skills and project experience to meet their needs.”

The new Company will bring together a broad range of project experience and skills, in particular in creating high usability, design, dynamic content management and personalized content, multi-media applications, (digital) corporate identity, and high level security. Specific service offerings to meet client needs include specialist areas such as CRM/Business Intelligence and Content Management Systems.




Europolitan Vodafone meets PTS deadline - 3G network opens in Karlskrona
(20.12.01) Today, the Swedish mobile operator Europolitan Vodafone opened its 3G network in Karlskrona, thereby meeting the deadline set by PTS (the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency) as regards public access to 3G networks from 1 January 2002.

"We are now able to provide functional base stations in Karlskrona and therefore consider that we have lived up to the requirements on the rollout of 3G networks from 1 January 2002 imposed by PTS," says Jon Risfelt, President and CEO of Europolitan Vodafone.

The newly opened network was supplied by Nokia and covers most of the Karlskrona area.

Work on the next generation of mobile telephony networks is proceeding as planned. Much of this work involves pioneering efforts, since Sweden has been one of the first off the mark with its 3G rollout. Technicians from Nokia and Europolitan Vodafone were able to use the 3G network to make calls as early as November.

"We still face a number of challenges to which solutions will be found as our work progresses," concludes Jon Risfelt. "It is tremendously exciting and inspiring to be part of this development work, which will allow Sweden to maintain its reputation as a leading telecoms nation."



Demand high for broadband from Norwegian Telenor
(19.12.01) Over the past few months demand for high-speed Internet based on ADSL has increased substantially. Today, 25 000 consumers have ADSL and this is an increase of 14 000 since the end of September. Telenor Plus has delivered ADSL to customers in all Norwegian counties and by the end of the year half of all Telenor's telephony customers will have access to ADSL.

ADSL stands for Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line, and is a broadband subscription using the existing phone lines, delivered with speeds up to 1 Mbit/s.

During the year since Telenor launched ADSL for the consumer market a large-scale development programme has been implemented all over the country. On average, one central per day has been readied for ADSL and Telenor now offers ADSL to more than one hundred Norwegian local authorities. By the end of the year, half of Telenor's telephony customers can get ADSL. This means Telenor is ahead of its development schedule.

This autumn Telenor Plus launched an ADSL DIY solution that is now in great demand. A continued development on the content side also means that more and more customers want faster Internet based on this technology.



Skanska sells newly developed real-estate project in Budapest, Hungary
(19.12.01) Skanska is selling all three phases of the West End Business Center project in Budapest to a group of German insurance companies for EUR 66.5 M. The West End Business Center will be part of a Central European property fund that is in the process of formation and in which the purchasing companies are major stakeholders.

The West End Business Center has a total floor space of 28,000 square meters, of which 2,000 square meters is retail premises. The Center was developed and built by Skanska in stages from 1999 to 2001. The site was acquired in 1997. The largest tenants are Ernst & Young, Dresdner Bank and Diago/United Distillers/Guinness, and 85 percent of the Center has been rented.

The group of German insurance companies is acquiring all the shares in the three separate property companies that own each phase in the West End Business Center project.

"This level of return demonstrates the profit potential of Skanska's project development operations in Central Europe," says Fredrik Wirdenius, President of Skanska Project Development Europe.


Munters lands order for dehumidification of nuclear reactors
(19.12.01) Ontario Power Generation (OPG), one of North America's largest power producers, has purchased 12 customized dehumidification systems from Munters for removing heavy water from the reactor buildings of the Pickering Nuclear Power Station.

Heavy water is a valuable commodity for the Candu nuclear reactors designed by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL). Munters vapor recovery systems remove heavy water vapor from the air, and condense it to liquid. The system also reduces the tritium radiation levels in the plant, and also those released to the environment, making the reactor safer for workers and the community.

Munters first supplied four such dryers for the first reactor being overhauled in the spring of 2000, and has now been awarded the contract for all of the 4 reactors being overhauled. "This order is the result of a complete team effort between the project management, service and sales groups in Munters. It fits in line with our Key Accounts' strategy of focusing on developing long term relationships with core customers. After OPG's experiences with Munters persistent attention to details on the first project, we became the only logical choice for the next phase of the project.", says Scott Haynes, National Key Accounts Group Manager.

There are currently 22 Candu reactors in Canada .


Ericsson donates mobile communications system for UN humanitarian operations
(18.12.01) Ericsson has donated and the United Nations has formally accepted an end- to-end GSM mobile communications system to complement the UN satellite network based at their telecommunications center in Brindisi, Italy. The GSM mobile communications system will further improve the quality and efficiency of UN humanitarian aid relief operations, worldwide.

The donation encompasses network equipment, both hardware and software, and handsets. In addition, Ericsson is providing, at no cost, installation, testing, training and remote support for a period of two years following system launch. The donation also includes hardware and software from Sun Microsystems and software from Logica.

Ericsson's donation is being made through its Corporate Citizenship program Ericsson Response. This is a global initiative to support and complement more effective and rapid response to human suffering caused by disasters. Working in close partnership with leading humanitarian aid relief organizations, Ericsson Response seeks to support the quality and efficiency of the international relief work by contributing skilled telecommunications staff and technology.

As part of this partnership Ericsson Response is also developing local disaster preparedness programs together with Ericsson offices around the world and in close cooperation with humanitarian aid relief programs of United Nations (UN) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).


Metso to rebuild Mondi’s paper machine in South Africa
(17.12.01) Metso Paper has received an order to rebuild a paper machine with an approx. EUR 10 million delivery to Mondi Limited's Merebank mill in Durban, South Africa. The rebuilt machine will start up in March 2003.

The delivery will consist of a short circulation rebuild, a headbox, components for the wire, press and dryer sections, pulper and an Optisizer with OptiDosers. Metso Automation's control systems are included in the package as well.

The rebuilding will enable Mondi to produce lower basis weight papers, together with quality and efficiency improvements. Metso has recently installed a size press on the mill's PM3.

Mondi Paper is the leader in publication, converting carbonless and office papers in South Africa. The mill's current capacity is 230,000 tons of newsprint and telephone directory papers, 100,000 tons of SC magazine papers, and 210,000 tons of uncoated wood free papers.

Axfood AB to discontinue its e-commerce operation
(14.12.01) Axfood AB's board today decided to discontinue the Axfood Group's e-
commerce operation. The decision is made against the background of a weak customer flow, where the trend has not shown any significant breakthrough. Codetermination negotiations on the closure, will be initiated next week.

Axfood's e-commerce operation comprises three websites: willys.nu and billhalls.se in Gothenburg, and hemkop.nu in Stockholm. Combined sales for the period January-November 2001 were SEK 76 m, with a loss of SEK - 37 m. Sales for the full year 2000 were SEK 84 m with a loss of SEK -20 m.

"Unfortunately, the time is still not ripe for a large-scale food
retailing venture via the e-commerce channel," comments Mats Jansson, President and CEO of Axfood. "The threshold is still high when it comes to consumers' willingness to do some of their food shopping online. We have been offering e-commerce
at Axfood since 1997, which makes us one of the pioneers in the business. During this period, growth in online sales has not been sufficiently high to enable us to run the business efficiently. The decisive factor behind the decision to discontinue the operation is that we do not see any signs of stronger growth in the years immediately ahead."


Hubei Quantong Telecom's Nokia 800 MHz TETRA trial network receives approval from the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry
(13.12.01) The Nokia network is currently the only TETRA system in the world with Chinese-language features.

The Nokia 800 MHz TETRA trial network delivered to Hubei Quantong of China in May has obtained approval from the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) of China. Nokia is the first manufacturer to have been granted the MII type approval for both TETRA base stations and terminals. Nokia's solution is also the only TETRA system in the world offering features such as Chinese short messaging and a Chinese-language interface.

The approval was granted at the Acceptance Test and Appraisal Meeting for the Hubei Quantong Telecom's 800 MHz TETRA Technical Trial Network. The meeting was held in Jingzhou, Hubei province, and was supported by the MII's National Radio Supervision Center and the Hubei Radio Administrative Committee Office.

At the appraisal meeting, experts judged as a great success the 800 MHz TETRA trial network provided by Nokia. They further stated that the trial network could serve as a model for the construction of public PMR communications networks in China.


Telia connects the Baltic States to research network GÉANT
(13.12.01) Telia International Carrier provides capacity to connect the Baltic States to the pan-European research network GÉANT. Telia has a long-term agreement with the coordinating partner of the project, DANTE, and now the partnership develops. The GÉANT-network provides a powerful infrastructure with high speed IP-connection between universities throughout Europe.

GÉANT is the most advanced network of its kind. It reaches over 3,000 research- and education institutions in more than 30 countries. Through the new agreement with Telia International Carrier, universities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania get access to use the extensive network of GÉANT. The Baltic States have primarily not been connected to any research network of this size.

- We are very pleased to get the opportunity to supply the three Baltic States with capacity through one of the most sophisticated IP-backbones in Europe. The new deal is a significant step in order to expand the GÉANT network to include the Baltic States. Now students in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are catching up on the rest of Europe when it comes to Internet access, says Erik Heilborn, CEO of Telia International Carrier.

Telia provides Song Networks with global IP-capacity
(12.12.01) New deal for Telia gives clients of Song Networks access to Telia International Carrier's global Internet backbone with coverage in Europe as well as in the US.

The agreement means that Telia International Carrier provides Song Networks with IP-capacity on TeliaNet, which is the IP-backbone built on Telias global optical fiber network, the Viking Network.

The deal comprises availability to Telia's extensive Internet backbone, managed every hour, all year around. The clients of Song Networks will have a maximum IP-bandwidth of 1 Gbps connection to the backbone with guaranteed security on all stretches.

- We are looking forward having one of Scandinavia's biggest operators as our client, says Erik Heilborn, President of Telia International Carrier. Our advantage is that we offer an non-overbooked end-to-end connectivity all over Europe as well across the Atlantic and in the US with service around the clock and high security.


Motorola and Nokia have conducted cross border group call between TETRA networks
(12.12.01) The "three-country" pilot to be conducted in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands is the first step towards the deployment of ISI interoperability.

Nokia and Motorola are making use of TETRA technology to enable Professional Mobile Radio users to communicate efficiently with each other across borders and systems in a pilot involving Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The pilot uses a TETRA network connection based on a general four-wire interface.

Provisioning agreements between Public Safety network operators enable subscribers to use network services provided by their neighbouring partners when travelling across borders. Even more essentially, the TETRA network connection enables users to conduct demanding multi-organisation operations in spite of network boundaries.

The Motorola and Nokia solution will enable TETRA Network operators to provide voice group communication by cross-connecting "talk groups" over the boundaries of TETRA networks and vendors. Users with TETRA terminals visiting a neighbouring country will be in continuous contact with their colleagues on both sides of the border, as well as, being in communications with their Command and Control Centers.


C Technologies' subsidiary Anoto initiates collaboration with ReadSoft to develop tools to convert handwritten notes
(12.12.01) ReadSoft, the market leader in the development of software for automatic data capture and conversion of handwritten information, and Anoto starts cooperation in order to develop services based on the Anoto concept and ReadSoft technology.

With ReadSoft's software Eyes & Hands FORMS the information written on paper is processed. It is thereafter verified and interpreted before finally being transferred into electronic format. The combination of ReadSoft's technology and the Anoto concept enables joint development of mobile solutions to capture and convert handwritten information.

As part of the agreement ReadSoft will purchase the Application Development Kit (ADK) and Graphic Development Kit (GDK) for the purpose of developing forms that can be easily interpreted and read by computer.

"Anoto has created a handwriting communication system which is a fine complement to ReadSoft's technology." Says Jan Andersson, MD, ReadSoft. "By combinding the new de facto standard for pen- and paper technology with our products we are hoping to find new user areas for our products."


Nokia to provide a Wireless Digital Network to Hong Kong Fire Services
(11.12.01) Nokia and Singapore Engineering Software Pte Ltd have signed a contract for the supply of the Nokia TETRA solution for a Wireless Digital Network (WDN) for the Hong Kong Fire Services Department.

The contract covers the complete Nokia TETRA solution including digital switches, base stations, dispatcher equipment, network management system and terminals. WDN is the core system of Third Generation Mobilizing System (TGMS) of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department and a number of mission critical applications will be implemented via the WDN with the prime objective to cope with the increasing demand of fire fighting and rescue operations in Hong Kong.

"We are pleased to be working closely with Singapore Engineering Software Ptd Ltd to provide this solution to Hong Kong Fire Services Department." says Jonathan Yip, General Manager, Nokia Networks, Nokia (H.K.) Ltd, "The Nokia TETRA solution provides a reliable and proven voice and data communications solution for public safety organisation."



Continental Gislaved decides to puncture Swedish tyre giant
(11.12.01) Continental AG, the German tyre manufacturer and one of the four largest vehicle tyre producers in the world, has decided to close down it's Swedish production at Gislaved next year, and lay off a workforce of nearly 800 persons.

Gislaved Däck AB at Gislaved in Sweden, founded in 1893, and with an annual production of approx 3.6 million tyres for the car industry ceases to be next year when German Continental AG decides to halt it's production in Sweden.

The small municipality of Gislaved in Småland, is hit hard by the sudden decision to close down Gislaved Däck, a company with a special reputation for Gislaved's widely acclaimed winter tyres, and troubled local politicians have little, if anything to offer in it's place. Employees at Gislaved Däck, which exports 80% of the annual turnout, see very little hope in saving the plant from what seems to be an unrevocable decision, as global demand for tyres continues to drop following the fall car sales.



Ericsson signs multi million GSM/GPRS expansion contract in China
(11.12.01) Ericsson and Sichuan Mobile Communication Company, China have signed a contract valued at USD 143 million for expansion of the GSM/GPRS network in Sichuan Province. The expansion project will be completed in June 2002, raising the capacity of the dual band network provided by Ericsson to 4.2 million subscribers.

The contract also covers expansion of the Mobile Intelligence Network (MIN), enabling Sichuan Mobile to provide intelligent services including pre-paid services, private numbers, and private virtual networks, and will also expand GPRS functionality to the entire network.

"Our cooperation with Sichuan Mobile started in 1993, when Ericsson first built the analog mobile network for the province. We are very pleased to have their continuing confidence as main supplier of solutions for rapid expansion and smooth migration of their GSM network to 2.5G mobile systems," says Jan Malm, President Ericsson China.

Nanjing Ericsson Panda Communication Co., Ltd and Dalian Ericsson Communication Co., Ltd., will provide equipment and service for this project.



Czech Republic chooses Gripen
(10.12.01) The Government of the Czech Republic has today announced the selection of 24 SAAB-BAE SYSTEMS Gripen supersonic, multi-role fighters to replace its fleet of Mig 21 fighters and provide the country's national defense and NATO needs for the next 30 - 40 years.

Subject to the successful conclusion of contract negotiations, which begin immediately, the first Czech Air Force Gripen squadron will be operational by end 2005. Gripen for the Czech Republic will be fully NATO compatible and interoperable. It will support all NATO priorities for standardization of doctrines and procedures, including NATO standard datalink communications plus an air-to-air refueling system.

Welcoming the Czech government's decision, Julian Scopes, regional managing director Europe with Gripen partner BAE SYSTEMS said: "We have worked hard to provide the Czech Republic with a highly capable and affordable solution to meet its 21st century defense needs and I am delighted by today's announcement. We recognize a period of negotiations on complex issues lies ahead, but believe that this will lead to a successful solution for all concerned.


Jaakko Pöyry Group awarded EUR 26 million contract for hydropower services in Turkey
(10.12.01) Jaakko Pöyry Group's Energy business group, Electrowatt-Ekono, has been awarded a contract for engineering and construction supervision of the 670 MW Deriner dam and hydropower plant in Turkey. The value of the contract is EUR 26 million.

The client is the General Directorate of the State Hydraulic Works (DSI), the Government agency in charge of water resources in Turkey. The project is financed under Swiss export credit. The services include the review of contractors' design, construction and erection supervision, quality control, training and commissioning services.

The client is the General Directorate of the State Hydraulic Works (DSI), the Government agency in charge of water resources in Turkey. The project is financed under Swiss export credit. The services include the review of contractors' design, construction and erection supervision, quality control, training and commissioning services.


Biggest order to date for Scania special vehicles:
(10.12.01) Malaysia buys 60 fire engines Brazil buys 23 RIVs

Scania is to supply 60 fire engines to Bomba, the Malaysian national fire and rescue service. This is the biggest order for emergency vehicles received by Scania to date. The company has also received the go-ahead to supply 23 new RIVs (Rapid Intervention Vehicles) to the Brazilian Air Force.

The fire engines for Bomba in Malaysia will be equipped locally in Kuala Lumpur by superstructure specialists CME Technologies. The Brazilian RIVs will be built in Brazil and bodyworked in Europe by Rosenbauer International of Austria.

The new Malaysian order brings the number of Scania fire engines purchased by Bomba to 100. The first 40 of these - all equipped with Scania's CrewCab - were delivered during the latter half of the 1990s. The next 60 will be of similar design, with accommodation for a firefighting crew of six, and will be built on Scania's two-axle chassis with a 9-litre engine.


Ericsson gets first global ISO 14001 certification
(10.12.01) A major environmental milestone confirming Ericsson's commitment to combining excellent business practices with environmental leadership.

Ericsson has received the first-ever worldwide ISO 14001 certification granted by British Standards Institute, BSI, for its Environmental Management System (EMS). This certification, marks the first time ever that a company receives one ISO 14001 certificate encompassing worldwide operations, both manufacturing and non-manufacturing. ISO 14001 is the internationally recognized standard for Environmental Management Systems.

"The way we have developed our Environmental Management System (EMS) enables Ericsson to clearly identify our environmental impacts, set goals and manage performance against those targets," says Lars Göran Bernau, Ericsson's Director of Sustainability & Environment. "This provides key management information, not tied to any specific organizational structure."

In 1999, Ericsson made the decision to expand the scope of the EMS companywide - to cover all global operations - manufacturing and non- manufacturing. It was determined that real environmental contributions will come from the involvement and commitment of all employees.

"Ericsson must be congratulated on this achievement, which is BSI's first global certification to ISO 14001. It endorses a commitment from Ericsson to continually improve the way it manages environmental issues, and its commitment to systematic and sustainable improvement," says Nick Moy, managing director of BSI Global Quality Services.


Atlas Copco acquires Dutch compressor company
(07.12.01) Atlas Copco acquired Grassair B.V., a Dutch producer of screw compressors. Grassair employs 75 people and has an annual turnover of approximately MSEK 85. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Grassair, located in Oss, the Netherlands, is a well-established manufacturer of screw compressors with many decades of experience from the business. The company serves a wide customer base, with Netherlands being the main market.

The acquisition is in line with Atlas Copco's strategy to grow its compressed air business. "We want to expand the business for small and medium-sized stationary compressors, and this is where Grassair fits in," said Ronnie Leten, President of the Industrial Air Division. "Grassair is a strong brand to build on and it has an excellent reputation for its extensive service offering."

Grassair B.V. will keep its company name and continue to market the products under its solid brand name. The company will become part of Industrial Air, a division within the Compressor Technique business area.


Ericsson to deliver 3G core network to global mobile satellite operator Inmarsat
(06.12.01) Ericsson has been selected by mobile satellite operator Inmarsat Ltd for the development of its next generation core network for the company's Broadband Global Area Network (B-GAN), planned for launch in 2004. The contract is valued at USD 55 million.

Ericsson as sole supplier for the core network will deliver infrastructure including routers from its comprehensive 3G product portfolio, network management solutions and a host of professional support services.

Ericsson's equipment will provide the call routing and mobility management functionality for Inmarsat's new B-GAN ground stations enabling connectivity to the fixed and mobile terrestrial phone and data networks in conjunction with Inmarsat's service providers.

Inmarsat's B-GAN service will offer third generation (3G) compatible services including video conferencing to customers over nearly the entire globe. Inmarsat will focus on providing high-bandwidth services in areas where existing telecom infrastructure does not exist or cannot support content-rich applications. This next generation of services will offer data transmission rates of up to 432 kbit/s, significantly increasing the existing traffic capacity.


Ocean monitoring with space equipment from Saab Ericsson Space
(06.12.01) JASON-1 is an earth observation satellite that will give us more data on the world's oceans. It will be launched 7 December 2001 using a Boeing Delta II rocket from a launch pad in California. The central data handling system of the satellite has been supplied by Saab Ericsson Space.

For a period of three to five years, JASON-1 will furnish information on the topography of the world's oceans with aid of a radar altimeter. The satellite is also equipped with other instruments for gathering data on changes in sea levels, changes in seasonal ocean currents and their effects on climate. Greater knowledge of the global interaction of oceans and climate will contribute to, e.g., more reliable weather forecasting. JASON-1 is a successor to Topex/Poseidon, the satellite that predicted the El Niño phenomenon in 1997-1998.

Saab Ericsson Space has developed and manufactured the central electronics unit of the satellite platform, the largest system of its kind made by the company to date. It's an all-in-one system, i.e. its units are integrated into a single system to carry out three different main tasks. The system monitors and controls satellite and payload functions, controls satellite attitude and includes a mass memory for payload and housekeeping data. The company has also supplied the satellite's S-band antennas for communication with facilities on the ground.


SAS to sell airport properties to Nordisk Renting and GE Capital for SEK 3 billion
(06.12.01) SAS has signed a contract with Nordisk Renting AB and GE Capital Real Estate regarding the sale of 11 airport-related properties. The transaction has a value of SEK 3 billion and will generate a capital gain of approximately MSEK 700. At the same time, SAS signed a 20-year rental contract with the parties. The cost of the rental contract is neutral compared with ownership of the properties. The properties in question are located at the following airports: Arlanda, Landvetter, Kastrup, Gardermoen and Flesland (Bergen).

"This property sale is a feature of the SAS program to release capital - a program that has been under way for three years," says Gunnar Reitan, Executive Vice President and CFO of SAS.

The 11 properties consist mainly of hangars, workshops, warehouses and offices. They comprise a combined total of approximately 285,000 square meters of leasable floor space. The sales process, which was initiated by SAS in 2000, was conducted under conditions of international competition.


Telia wins Investor Relations awards
(05.12.01) Telia has won a prize for having the best Investor Relations department among major Swedish companies, as well as an award for being the Nordic company that has improved its investor relations activities the most during the year. Telia's Investor Relations Manager, Tobias Lennér, was also named best IR Manager in Sweden.

The prizes were awarded by the well-known U.S. publication Investor Relations Magazine, which has given its Investor Relations Awards in seven world regions for many years. The prizes were awarded for the first time in the Nordic region yesterday.

The winners were selected by 160 analysts and mutual funds brokers in the Nordic countries and London.


Skanska to build Radisson SAS hotel at Stansted for GBP 28.6 M, or SEK 435 M
(05.12.01) Skanska's British subsidiary Skanska UK has won a contract to build a new Radisson SAS hotel at Stansted Airport, London's third airport. The negotiated contract value is GBP 28.6 M, corresponding to about SEK 435 M. The customer is Radisson SAS.

The new four star hotel will be the first hotel to have a direct pedestrian access to the recently extended terminal building. It will have 350 rooms, two restaurants, bars, a leisure center and comprehensive conference and banqueting facilities. Skanska also has first option on a second phase, which would add another 150 rooms if given the go ahead in the future.

Skanska, which has been involved in the preparatory work from the start, appointed architect Aukett Europe to develop the design based on an agreed cost framework. Architecturally, the hotel will compliment the award winning terminal building designed by Lord Foster who also designed the landmark Swiss Re tower currently under construction in London by Skanska UK.


VIAG INTERKOM of Germany launches prepaid GPRS with Nokia's charging solution
(04.12.01) German mobile operator VIAG INTERKOM has launched its prepaid service for GPRS using a Nokia solution for processing charging data. The solution is based on the Nokia Charging Center, which is a flexible and scalable framework that allows operators to charge for a wide range of 2G and 3G services. With the help of the Nokia Charging Center, VIAG INTERKOM is able to extend its LOOP brand of prepaid services to its GPRS customers.

The contract included equipment, system customisation and integration. The system delivery and turnkey integration was successfully completed on time in VIAG's demanding multi-vendor environment.

The Nokia Charging Center allows VIAG to implement different billing plans, such as volume step discounts, WAP billing based on content or number of "clicks", sign-up credits for new subscribers and monthly bonuses consisting of a certain number of free WAP clicks. For example, VIAG plans to offer prepaid access to WAP over GPRS on a "per click" basis, and Internet over GPRS on a "per kByte" basis in addition to a small daily fee.

"We are extremely pleased to be at the forefront of launching prepaid GPRS service in Germany," says, Gerhard Mayrhofer, Senior Vice President Marketing, VIAG INTERKOM. "By allowing us to implement the right charging model for different customers, the Nokia Charging Center has played a pivotal role in bringing GPRS services to our prepaid customers."



Ericsson and Cingular Wireless team to pave the way for 3G offerings in the U.S.
(03.12.01) Cingular Wireless has selected Ericsson as a principle long-term strategic partner for upgrading and expanding its wireless network. The partnership enables Cingular to build a nationwide state-of-the-art wireless network and to deliver third-generation services.

Under the terms of the deal, Ericsson will provide the largest portion of the core network infrastructure and provide radio network equipment for overlay markets. Additionally, Ericsson maintains its top position in the expansion of existing Cingular GSM markets.

"Ericsson is proud to be a strategic partner in Cingular's 3G technology migration," said Angel Ruiz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ericsson Inc. "The choice of Ericsson equipment reinforces our proven track record of global technology and market leadership."

Ericsson expects to provide its world-leading GSM/GPRS/EDGE infrastructure including core network, radio access infrastructure, operation and maintenance systems. The EDGE infrastructure will support increased capacity for voice and third generation, high speed data services.



Cingular Wireless selects Nokia as a main supplier to its GSM/EDGE network nationwide in deal estimated at over one billion USD
(03.12.01) Nokia solution to help Cingular optimize its radio spectrum in migration toward high-speed 3G services for the United States.

Cingular Wireless has chosen Nokia as a main infrastructure supplier for a significant portion of its nationwide GSM/EDGE network in support of its deployment of new high-speed 3G data services. The value of the contract is estimated to be in excess of one billion USD, representing the largest single system level deal ever for Nokia, further solidifying it's leadership position in the United States market.

Cingular will begin rolling out GPRS with EDGE-ready equipment and this deal will allow the company to eventually provide nationwide GSM/EDGE services, further driving the adoption of advanced third-generation (3G) wireless services in the United States. Deliveries and nationwide rollout will commence in 2002.


RAUFOSS awarded important Volvo contract
(30.11.01) RAUFOSS awarded important Volvo contract: Supply of Air Brake Connectors, value NOK 250 million

Raufoss has been awarded a new 3-year contract with Volvo Global Trucks (VGT) for the supply of Air Brake Connectors in the period 2002-2004. The total value of the contract is 250 million Norwegian Kroner and covers the delivery of Air Brake Connectors to Volvo's production facilities in Sweden, Belgium and Brazil.

Volvo Global Trucks (VGT) are, after acquisition of Renault Vehicle Industrielle in France and MACK Trucks in the USA, Europe's largest, and the worlds second largest, manufacturer of commercial vehicles and have production plants all of the world.

Raufoss shall supply the Air Brake Connectors for the new VOLVO commercial vehicle platform, scheduled for release in the early part of 2002. VOLVO will base its global production of commercial vehicles on this platform and therefore the contract provides the opportunity of co-operation with VGT production units not currently being supplied by Raufoss.



Agreement with Danske Bank
(Oslo 30.11.01) EDB Business Partner's wholly-owned subsidiary EDB Fellesdata has signed a long-term contract with Danske Bank for the supply of systems and computer operating services. The agreement covers deliveries for a minimum period of two years, and is worth some NOK 50 million.

The agreement relates to the operation of systems for minibanks, telephone banking and corporate Internet banking for Fokus Bank, the Norwegian operation of Danske Bank. It also extends to network management and official reporting. In addition the arrangement offers considerable potential for the provision of consultancy services related to these areas as well as new Internet-based systems. EDB Fellesdata is responsible for the supply of systems and consultancy services, with EDB Teamco providing computer operating services.

It was decided when Danske Bank purchased Fokus Bank in 1998 that Fokus Bank would in due course transfer its IT systems to the systems platform used by Danske Bank. This migration to the parent bank's systems was carried out in November of this year.

"This new agreement opens up the opportunity to develop our relationship and expand our business with Danske Bank" comments Ole Trasti, Managing Director of EDB Fellesdata.



Carlsberg Breweries A/S sells half of its shareholding in OAO Vena Brewery in St. Petersburg to Baltic Beverages Holding AB
(01-11-30) Carlsberg Breweries A/S sells 49.9 per cent of OAO Vena Brewery in St. Petersburg to Baltic Beverages Holding AB (BBH). Carlsberg Breweries owns approx. 99.9 per cent following the acquisition of the 33.32 per cent the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development owned of Vena. Minority shareholders own the remaining approx. 0.1 per cent of the share capital. As of October 2003, BBH has an option to buy the remaining shareholding in Vena.

The acquisition as well as the sale are subject to approval by the Russian competition authorities.

Selling Vena to BBH is a natural step in the process of concentrating the ownership and, consequently, the overall operating responsibilities for Carlsberg Breweries' activities in Russia, the Baltic countries and Ukraine with BBH, which has more than 10 years of experience in operating breweries in the countries mentioned. Furthermore, the Vena brands will complement the BBH portfolio of brands.

The sales will have no significant effect on Carlsberg Breweries' results for 2001.



Arjo versus Liko: Successful outcome for Liko in UK patent action
(01-11-29) In 1999 hospital equipment supplier Liko was sued for patent infringement by a competing company, Arjo, who claimed that the Sabina lifts infringed Arjo´s patent.

The trial of the case was heard in the High Court in London in September 2001 and judgment was given by Rt Hon Justice Laddie on November 8th 2001.

Liko is pleased to announce that in an extensive judgment, Rt Hon Justice Laddie ruled that the Arjo patent was invalid and even if the patent had been valid it was not infringed by the Liko Sabina (or Sabina Comfort) Lifts.

As is common practice in English patent litigation, Arjo were ordered to pay a contribution to Liko´s legal costs. The judge ordered that £225.000 should be paid to Liko within 28 days pending a full assessment of the sum Arjo must pay to Liko as costs. The court also gave Arjo six weeks from November 8th in which to decide whether or not to appeal the decision to the court of appeal.



German army buys Pyrosequencing system to aid in fight against biological weapons
(01-11-29) Pyrosequencing AB today announced that it has sold a PSQtm96 System to the German Armed Forces for the rapid typing and validation of bacteria and viruses used to produce biological weapons. The German Armed Forces is using Pyrosequencing technology to identify and characterize important biological agents such as bacteria that cause anthrax and viruses that produce smallpox.

"The very possibility of biological warfare necessitates a rapid, accurate way to detect and type any suspicious agent such as Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent for anthrax," said the Head of the Molecular Genetics Detection Group, Armed Forces Scientific Institute for Protection Technologies - NBC Protection, Germany. "On the basis of work by Professor Lars Engstrand, we developed our own fast method for identifying anthrax using Pyrosequencing technology. Unlike other detection methods, Pyrosequencing enables us to verify DNA (PCR products) by providing valuable sequence information very quickly."

In July, Pyrosequencing announced a research collaboration with Professor Lars Engstrand of Clinical Bacteriology, Uppsala University, Sweden, to investigate several applications of Pyrosequencingtm within the field of bacterial identification and resistance. The initial focus of the agreement includes Helicobacter pylori, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Bacillus anthracis. Additionally, the Company has established multiple research collaborations in other infectious disease areas as well as in cardiology, genetic disorders and hematology/oncology as part of its global strategy to expand into clinical diagnostics.

"The Germany Army's purchase of our PSQ 96 System confirms the relevance of Pyrosequencing technology for the rapid identification and typing of infectious bacteria and viruses as well as other mutations in disease- causing agents which may cause resistance," said Erik Walldén, President and CEO of Pyrosequencing AB. "Other defense organizations are also expressing interest in our technology. Our goal is to establish Pyrosequencing technology as a first line of defense against infectious diseases which may ultimately lead to rapid and improved treatments."

Navision Introduces Personalized E-Commerce
(01-11-29) The latest e-commerce offering helps small and medium-sized companies streamline commercial interactions with customers and vendors through personalized Web-based trading

Norwegian Navision a/s has released it's Commerce Portal, an e-commerce solution that enables small and medium-sized companies using the integrated business solution, Navision Attain, to improve collaboration with their supply chain partners via personalized Web-based trading.

With Commerce Portal, customers, vendors and other partners of a company can serve themselves directly through personalized Web portals tailored to their particular business needs. Commerce Portal delivers real-time information such as item availability, shipping progress and purchasing history on an anytime, anywhere basis. Customers can access, maintain and search for data and documents across the full range of functionality found in Navision Attain. The level of access and customization varies depending on the user's needs and is determined by the company.

"Commerce Portal is a new window of opportunity for our customers. It enables them to serve the individual needs of their supply chain partners in a cost-effective way. Overall, the new Internet functionality makes business more straightforward, efficient and personal," says Niels Bo Theilgaard, Executive Vice President and Corporate Product Officer, Navision a/s.



Europolitan Vodafone and TietoEnator develop payment services for mobile phones
(01-11-28) Starting next year, you will be able to pay for goods on your mobile phone. Entra, part of the TietoEnator Group, is developing a virtual payment card together with Europolitan Vodafone, and it is due to be launched in the first half of 2002.

"The mobile phone is becoming an increasingly important tool in our everyday lives," says Jon Risfelt, President and CEO of Europolitan Vodafone. "Mobile payment solutions constitute a major step towards the realisation of our vision of providing our customers with services that simplify their day-to-day lives."

Europolitan Vodafone will be marketing the virtual payment card and all related services, and will be working jointly with TietoEnator to market and sell the payment solution in other market segments, as well as in markets outside Sweden.

The virtual card will provide customers with a simple and reliable way of using their mobile phones to pay for goods and services ordered via the Internet, both fixed and mobile. One of the keys to this solution lies in the fact that it supports micro-payments and has a so-called "taximeter functionality", which allows customers only to pay for the parts of a service that they actually use. This means that you only pay for the pages or articles that you read in an online magazine, while you pay per game when using network based gaming services. Initially, the service will mainly enable direct payments for the kind of data services that are already available via mobile phones or the Internet, such as mobile games or various information services. In the future, however, it will also be possible to use the virtual card at regular stores.



SKF secures major orders from GE for aerospace bearings
(01-11-28) SKF has through its Aerospace unit, MRC Bearings in the US, been awarded long-term contracts worth up to 55 million US dollars for the supply of main-shaft engine bearings to GE Aircraft Engines.

The contracts cover production and spare parts requirements during the period of 2002-2006.

GE Aircraft Engines is the world's leading provider of aircraft and aero- derivative propulsion systems and services.

The MRC products will be used in GE aircraft engines and aero-derivative turbines for marine and industrial applications, including power generation.

The bearings MRC manufactures for GE range from 20 mm to 640 mm outer diameter and are some of the most complex designs in the world. Advanced materials, super-precision tolerances and integrated components allow these bearings to operate at extremely high speed.



SAS delays opening of San Francisco route
(01-11-26) As a result of the decline in the number of passengers, SAS has decided to delay the launch of San Francisco as a new destination.

The events in New York on September 11 this year have had a considerable impact on air traffic to and from the US and SAS has now decided to focus primarily on restoring the airline's main market on the American East Coast and in the central US.

It was SAS' ambition to launch a flight route between Copenhagen and San Francisco on May 10, 2002. Plans involved one daily flight in each direction. Market developments will determine when SAS can again start to plan for the introduction of flights to San Francisco.



Axis video servers for Securitas' new monitoring concept in shops
(01-11-26) Axis Communications has signed a framework agreement with Securitas in Scandinavia for the supply of network-based video servers for Securitas' visual alarm solutions. Securitas' first product within the area is called Trygg Butik (Safe Shop) and is aimed at making it possible for shop staff to inform the emergency center before a crime is committed.

Shop staff can request Securitas' attention by activating a monitoring camera when a situation feels threatening before anything serious happens. From its emergency center, Securitas can monitor the situation and take suitable action without the shop activating any alarms, apart from the camera. Securitas intends to extend this concept of visual decision-making support for use with other applications.

"As the world's largest security company, we are naturally very interested in maintaining a high quality for our services. This is why we conducted a detailed evaluation before selecting a supplier. Axis was the only company that met the high quality demands for network-connected video technology," says Anders Friborn, Marketing Manager, Securitas Larmcentral, Sweden.

The solution is based entirely on digital technology and requires shops to have an Internet connection via broadband or ISDN.



Gripen International welcomes first NATO customer
(01-11-23) Gripen International welcomes the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Hungarian Government and the Swedish Government, for the lease of 14 NATO-interoperable Gripen multi-role fighters, to meet the national, NATO and European defense needs of the Hungarian Air Force.

Dr János Szabó, Hungarian Defence Minister and Björn von Sydow, Swedish Defence Minister signed the MoU at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden. Hungary is the first Central European nation and first NATO member to select Gripen to meet its 21st century defense needs.

Gripen International is supporting the Swedish government's lease of Gripen fighters with a program of industrial offset, which will deliver jobs and long-term industrial benefits across a number of business sectors.

"Our offset negotiations have been very successful and we will sign an agreement linked to the Gripen lease by Hungary during December. This program will enable further economic growth for Hungary and substantial employment opportunities through industrial partnerships and export promotion", comments Ian McNamee, managing director Gripen International.
Pictures of Gripen are available on www.gripen.com



Nokia to establish a research & development center in Hangzhou, China
(01-11-22) Nokia Networks and the Zhejiang Provincial Government of China today signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a new R&D center to be located in Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang province in China. This is another strong demonstration of Nokia's long-term commitment to China.

The centre, expected to employ up to 500 people in 3 - 4 years' time, will focus on software development, and will develop platform technologies related to Nokia's 3G mobile networks. The Hangzhou R&D center will have an important role in Nokia's global R&D network.

The new centre will start operations at the beginning of 2002. The research and development activities of this center will be carried out together with a local Chinese partner company. The aim is to start cooperation with a local partner in 2003, and the partner company will employ the majority of the personnel.

"With this new R&D centre, China will strengthen its position as part of Nokia's global R&D network. For Nokia, China is the second largest market. We are convinced, based on the excellent cooperation done so far, that this project will be a long-term success for all parties involved," said Mr. Sauli Salo, Senior Vice President, Mobile Core Networks, Nokia Networks .



Swedish constructor NCC receives contract for large residential area in Rostock, Germany
(01-11-22) NCC Germany has received a large new order to build Am Tonnenhof, a residential area in Rostock, located on the Baltic coast. The total volume of the project is estimated at about SEK 400 million (DEM 85 million).
Am Tonnenhof will consist of approx 700 units in multi-family homes with almost 50.000 sqm of living space. Commercial space of about 1.100 sqm and underground garages will also be part of the construction starting up in March 2002. The project is supposed to be completed by the end of 2004.

Am Tonnenhof is situated in one of RostocK´s favourite residential areas close by numerous recreational facilities, and will be characterized by a high standard, maritime architectural design.

The investor, the ODIN Group (with norwegian roots, owned by Per Harald Lökkevik), has already been a cooperation partner for NCC in a large housing project in Mahlow, close to the Berlin city limits (more than 520 units in multifamily homes plus a 4 star turn-key hotel with 170 rooms).

-We are very glad to have received this new order from the ODIN Group and Per Harald Lökkevik. In addition to this, we have signed a contract for a series of further projects in the Rostock area, says Ingvar Lundström, business area manager of NCC Germany.



Biolight signs agreement with one of Europe's leading dental companies
(01-11-22) Biolight has signed an agreement regarding its distribution in Finland with Plandent Oyj. Plandent is a member of the Planmeca group, with a turnover of approximately SEK 2.9 billion (EUR 300 million) and about 1,300 employees. The Planmeca group sells in more than 80 countries.
"Plandent Oyj has started marketing and sales activities for Biolight in Finland. We work in close co-operation with the Dental college at the University of Helsinki and with Dr. Kimmo Suomalainen, who is also responsible for in-service training within the dental association Finska Tandläkarsällskapet. Plandent, a member of the Planmeca group, which is one of the world's leading manufacturers of dental units and dental X- rays. This provides a great potential and numerous possibilities for successful international co-operation," says Tero Riikonen, vice president of Plandent Oyj.

"This is a very important agreement for Biolight, not least because of the very good reputation and large international network of the Planmeca group. Biolight will initially launch the product in Finland, but together with Plandent there are great possibilities for expanding sales to other countries," says Christer Wallin, President of Biolight International AB.

"The agreement with Plandent enables us to seriously expand our sales, and makes our continued network development easier," says Thomas Ericsson, responsible for the business area Dental Care.



Scania launches safety initiatives
(01-11-21) Scania today launched new initiatives to promote road safety. The first initiative concerns young truck drivers, emanating from a need to boost the status and attraction of this profession. The second initiative aims at establishing a pan-European road database that includes the special requirements of commercial vehicles, in addition to passenger cars.

The initiatives were presented by Scania's President and CEO Leif Östling in conjunction with a top-level safety conference in Brussels hosted by Scania. Among the attendants were more than 250 decision- makers from the European Commission, the European Parliament, as well as other EU Affairs officials, journalists and industry representatives.

The theme of the safety conference - Improving road safety with intelligent transport systems - was supported with an exhibition of the latest in commercial vehicle safety, including the safety concept vehicle from Scania and a new crash-zone concept for trucks.



Troubled portal Scandinavia Online makes for Eniro life saver.
(01-11-20) Eniro AB (publ) today makes a cash offer to the shareholders of Scandinavia Online AB (publ). Through the acquisition of SOL, Eniro hopes to become the leading directory and search company in the Nordic area, both offline and online.

The Board of SOL has unanimously recommended the shareholders to accept the Eniro offer of SEK 11.50 in cash, for each share. The main shareholders, Telia, Schibsted and Telenor, representing 75.9 percent of the shares and votes, have decided to irrevocably accept Eniro's Offer.

Eniro finds SOL a tasty mouthful with it's market share of 50 percent of the Swedish Internet advertising market. As one company we can combine our successful sales- and marketing efforts with SOL's usage positions", says Lars Guldstrand, President and CEO of Eniro. "When evaluating SOL, we have also taken into account the cash holding of the company and the value of the tax losses that we can utilize as well as their the state-of-the art technical platform."




Aker Maritime buying more shares in Kværner
(01-11-20) Aker Maritime has today increased its shareholding in Kværner to 20.15 per cent. This will strengthen the company's opportunities for protecting its minority interests in Kværner.
Since the larger shareholding does not give Aker Maritime a controlling interest in Kværner, the company is not under a duty to report it to the European Commission's competition authorities. It has nevertheless notified the Commission of the share purchase.



American Skandia wins top ranking in Dalbar survey
(01-11-20) Skandia's US subsidiary American Skandia has received the number one ranking for Overall Marketing Support, according to the 15th annual Financial Professional 2001 Survey by DALBAR, the Boston-based industry rating and research company.
This achievement stems from a survey conducted last summer, in which DALBAR queried top-producing Investment Professionals, Broker/Dealer Marketing and Operations Managers.

American Skandia shared first place with another company in a ranking given by Broker/Dealer Marketing Managers.

"In difficult times for the financial markets, it is crucial to ensure that we are delivering the utmost support to the Key Account firms that drive our business," comments Bayard Tracy, Director of Sales forAmerican Skandia. "These annual surveys are a way to measure our efforts. This year's ranking is a wonderful reflection of the core values we strive for every day: to be passionate, creative, tenacious and caring."

Nokia announces 6 new products and strong support for MMS
(01-11-19) Company launches its first Multimedia Messaging terminal at Nokia Mobile Internet Conference in Barcelona.
Nokia today introduced a Multimedia Messaging phone, a new active category phone, a new model for its classic category, as well as three new Bluetooth accessories at the Nokia hosted Mobile Internet Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

Speaking at the press conference in Barcelona, Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO of Nokia, said: "Today's launch signifies a remarkable breakthrough in this industry. History has proven that advances in the way we communicate can give rise to entirely new communication cultures. Much like the transition from radio to TV, the evolution from text messaging to multi-media messaging marks a whole new era of mobile communications, combining images with sound and text. By the end of 2002, we expect more than half of all Nokia terminals will be MMS capable, and in 2003, MMS will be an integral feature in all new Nokia phones."

Two new phone categories and a new business look The Nokia 7650 is the company's first product in its new imaging category. Featuring an inbuilt digital camera, multimedia messaging (MMS) functionality, an enhanced user interface, and large color display, the Nokia 7650 opens up new perspectives in personal communications. With MMS, users can combine audio-, graphic-, text- and imaging content in one message and send it to another multimedia messaging capable terminal or to the recipient's email address. Deliveries of the Nokia 7650 will begin in Europe and Asia in the second quarter, 2002.



Carl Bro acquires Sycon and forms technology consulting giant in Scandinavia
(01-11-16) Denmark's Carl Bro A/S, with the Swedish Investment group Bure as majority owner, today signed an agreement with Sydkraft AB to acquire 100 per cent of the shares in Sycon AB. Following the acquisition, Carl Bro, which is the largest technology consulting company in Denmark, will report sales of approximately SEK 2,700M and have nearly 3,200 employees in Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain and Germany.
The purchase price for Sycon will be paid with newly issued shares in Carl Bro plus liquid funds. Following the acquisition, Bure's ownership in Carl Bro will amount to just under 51 percent. Through the transaction Sydkraft attains a shareholding of approximately 11 per cent in Carl Bro and a seat on the board of directors.

"Our acquisition of Sycon is very attractive, both from an industrial and financial viewpoint," says Börje Bengtsson, Senior Investment Manager and responsible at Bure for its holding in Carl Bro. "Through the acquisition, Carl Bro also achieves a strong market position in Sweden and access to supplementary competence within sectors such as energy, environment and infrastructure. Considering Sydkraft's extensive network and market presence in the Nordic countries, this is a very positive move for Carl Bro," adds Börje Bengtsson.

Sycon is the sixth largest technology consulting company in Sweden and has approximately 1,100 employees. The company operates in the energy, environment, infrastructure and construction sectors. In 2000, Sycon reported sales of SEK 712M and an operating profit before goodwill amortisation and SPP refunds of SEK 14M. Sales for the current year are estimated to amount to SEK 840M. Approximately 85 per cent of the company's sales emanate from Sweden and the remaining 15 per cent from Denmark. Sycon also has a 49 per cent holding in the Norwegian company, E-CO-Partner, which has around 80 employees.



Another promising Oseberg oil and gas discovery
(01-11-16) Norsk Hydro has in the past two months made two promising oil and gas finds in the Oseberg area of the North Sea. These, together with a previous discovery, will likely form the basis for a new subsea production development tied into the Oseberg field center.
"These finds, made on the Vestflank section of the Oseberg field, are encouraging," says Hydro's Oseberg field manager Johan K. Mikkelsen. "Hydro estimates new recoverable reserves at about 120 million barrels of oil and 3.4 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas. We'd previously calculated some 70 million barrels of oil and 2.6 bcm gas in the area. We're now estimating recoverable reserves at a total of approximately 190 million barrels of oil and 6 bcm gas, and are in the process of establishing a project to develop the resources as quickly as possible."

The latest discoveries should be profitable to recover with a subsea development west of the Oseberg field and tied into the Oseberg field center.

Oseberg Vest (part of the Gamma Main geological structure, proven in 1986) is already developed, and the Tune field is scheduled to start producing in fall 2002

Since starting operation in 1988, the Oseberg region has produced nearly two billion barrels of oil, far more than originally planned. There are still more than one billion barrels of recoverable oil to produce. The Oseberg area, which lies about 130 kilometers north-west of the Norwegian city of Bergen, comprises several oil and gas fields, including the Oseberg Unit, Oseberg Sør, Oseberg Øst, Brage



Nokia and Lycos Europe announce cooperation in Multimedia Messaging Services
(01-11-15) Nokia and Lycos Europe today announced that they will work together to develop Multimedia Messaging Services. Lycos Europe have recently launched their Mobile Channel, merging its communities with the power of mobile technology. Lycos' new channel is currently built around its mainstay SMS service which is the leading SMS web to phone and phone to web service in Europe.
"Multimedia Messaging Service enables personalized, versatile messaging content. The new mobile generation favours messaging and visual content over traditional voice calls. For them messaging is the natural way to communicate. The cooperation with Lycos Europe with its large userbase is an excellent means to bring services to the customer and demonstrate the potential of Multimedia Messaging Services", said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia Mobile Phones.

"With our latest product developments of trendsetting mobile features we are well prepared for such technological innovations. The cooperation with Nokia is a great chance for us to act as one of the first movers in this field and to introduce this new generation of communication services to the millions of Lycos users", said Dr. Jürgen Galler, Managing Director Lycos Mobile and Vice President Lycos Europe.


21 million Italian's get Aspiro services.
(01-11-14) During this autumn, Aspiro has installed 20 entertainment services on Telecom Italia Mobile's (TIM) Internet portal for mobile services, i- TIM. Telecom Italia is now set to commercially launch i-TIM to their 21 million subscribers.
The launch means that 20 Aspiro entertainment services will be available to TIM's subscribers as of this November. Amongst these services are Personality Test, Cocktail Recipes, Hang Man and Dream Symbols. The major part of part of the services are SMS-based.

The contract, which initially runs for one year, is a pure revenue share agreement. It is estimated to generate at least 200 000 euro over the period based on the large underlying subscriber base and the existing numbers of SMS messages being derived from SMS applications in the Italian market today. TIM will be the exclusive provider of all 20 services in Italy.

"We are extremely pleased to add TIM to our list of customers. Not only are they one of the largest operators in the world, they are also at the very frontline of mobile Internet developments," says Lena Wittbjer, CEO of Aspiro.

Aspiro has also signed an agreement with Netbaby World for the upgrade and hosting of Netbaby World's web and wireless offering. The agreement initially runs for three years and is estimated to generate a minimum of 470 000 euro.

"Netbaby World is what everyone has been waiting for; an extremely creative concept with a really good use of wireless in combination with other technologies such as the web, and to traditional entertainment desires such as music, TV, shopping and fashion." concludes Lena Wittbjer, CEO of Aspiro .


KONE Sells Its South American Operations to Thyssen
(01-11-14) Finnish KONE Corporation has sold its South American operations, which account for 1% of KONE's net sales worldwide, to ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG of Germany.
KONE's South American operations consist of KONE Elevadores Ltda of Brazil, KONE Ascensores C.A. of Venezuela and KONE Ascensores S.A. of Argentina. KONE had previously announced a preliminary agreement to sell these companies to Otis Elevator Company, a subsidiary of US United Technologies Corporation. The sale to Otis was never consummated because agreement on final terms could not be reached.


Japanese NTT DoCoMo and Nokia to collaborate in promoting open mobile architecture
(01-11-14) NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and Nokia today launched a joint action plan to accelerate the development based on the open mobile architecture initiative. The two companies have agreed on an approach to key technology specifications leading to 3G services and a common understanding, that common open mobile service middleware is a fundamental enabler to global deployment of mobile services. NTT DoCoMo and Nokia will co-operate specifically in promoting open mobile architecture for WCDMA-based 3G services, in areas such as browsing, messaging and application execution environment. The two companies intend to make the results of their co-operative effort available to the mobile industry as a whole.
"In order to accelerate the introduction of mobile internet access, mobile visual communications and other services for 3G networks, NTT DoCoMo is eager to cooperate with other key players in the mobile communications industry to elaborate specific technical specifications based on a standardized mobile architecture. This collaboration with Nokia is one of those activities to achieve that goal. We sincerely hope that our cooperation with Nokia will eventually gain strong worldwide supports that help us contribute to boost global demands for mobile multimedia," said Dr. Keiji Tachikawa, CEO, NTT DoCoMo.

"We warmly welcome this cooperation with NTT DoCoMo," comfirmed Mr. Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO, Nokia. "The ongoing industrywide movement towards open technologies and standards marks an opportunity for maximum growth, and can only motivate and benefit all the players in this industry as well as consumers worldwide. It is our shared intention with NTT DoCoMo not only to stand at forefront when open standards for mobile services are being created, but also to leverage our thorough understanding of the customer requirements in designing future open mobile services. "


Hydro sells its ship agency operations in Norway and BeNeLux
(01-11-13) Norsk Hydro, the Norwegian Oil and Energy, Light Metals and Agri group, has signed an agreement with Barwil Agencies AS of W. Wilhelmsen ASA under which Barwil will take over Hydro's ship agency operations in Norway and the BeNeLux. The sale is in line with Hydro's strategy to focus on core activities within its business areas and is part of the still ongoing Agri Turnaround process. The turnaround has more than achieved its goals, and the sale of the ship agency operation is one of the last remaining actions to be taken before the process is concluded at the end of the year.
The revenue of Hydro's ship agency operations covered by the deal, amounted to approximately 18 million NOK in 2000, generated by about 2500 port calls per year. All 18 employees will continue in their respective positions under the new owner.

Barwil Agencies is present in 54 countries around the world and employs 2700 persons spread over 190 offices. In Europe, their main presence has been limited to the Mediterranean and Baltic regions. Barwil's acquisition of Hydro's ship agency operations in Norway and the BeNeLux reflects the company's growth strategy.


Industry leaders announce commitment to open mobile architecture enabling a non-fragmented global mobile services market
(01-11-13) AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, MM02, NTT DoCoMo, Telefonica Moviles, Vodafone, Fujitsu, Matsushita, Mitsubishi Electric, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Samsung, Sharp, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Symbian to commit to products and services based on open mobile architecture enablers
A number of industry leaders have today announced a commitment to create a global and open mobile software and services market. The initiative, launched by AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, MM02, NTT DoCoMo, Telefonica Moviles, Vodafone, Fujitsu, Matsushita, Mitsubishi Electric, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Samsung, Sharp, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Symbian, marks an important milestone as industry stakeholders come together to boost the early introduction of new, interoperable mobile internet access and visual contents downloading services worldwide, utilizing the GSM/GPRS evolution and coming 3G mobile telecommunications networks adopting WCDMA technology. By following consistent global and open standards, these industry leaders will be able to provide consumers with a wide selection of different competitive, yet interoperable terminals and services, and hence promote significant industry growth, and also aim to ensure that economies of scale are enjoyed throughout the industry.

The companies will conduct mobile software development in full compliance with the specifications of the key industry standardization organizations such as the 3GPP and the WAP Forum. The companies supporting the initiative will continue to actively participate in these standards bodies to expedite the acceptance and deployment of these specifications to fuel further industry growth. The scope of this industry initiative encompasses terminal client software modules for mobile terminal vendors, and the corresponding server solutions for mobile operators.

Doing this will offer mobile operators, systems integrators, IT suppliers, terminal manufacturers, and application developers new avenues of growth and revenue by enabling a multi-vendor ecosystem, which is built on open industry standards such as WAP2.0/XHTML, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), SyncML and other 3GPP compliant technologies. Additional important component examples of the initiative include JavaTM technology and the Symbian OS.


Millicom International cellular and Tele2 AB agree on the price for Millicom’s Russian cellular assets
(01-11-13) Millicom International Cellular S.A and Tele2 AB announced today, that their respective managements have agreed on a price of US$ 80million for MIC's Russian cellular telephony assets, plus a maximum of US$ 30million, depending on the outcome of GSM licence applications for MIC's existing cellular telephony operations.
The shareholders of Tele2 will be given the opportunity to decide at an Extraordinary General Meeting on November 28th 2001.

Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, CEO of Tele2 AB said: "The opportunity to purchase MIC's Russian assets is a natural progression following our success in developing the business in the Baltics, notably the Estonian business purchased of Millicom in 1998. Russia is a growth market with exciting prospects, and Tele2 now has a strong base to build a substantial business, with the benefits of eight GSM licences."

Millicom International Cellular S.A. is a global telecommunications investor with cellular operations in Asia, Latin America, Russia and Africa. It currently has a total of 32 cellular operations and licenses in 19 countries. The Group's cellular operations have a combined population under license (excluding Tele2) of approximately 535 million people. In addition, MIC operates the world's largest GSM clearing house, provides high-speed wireless data services in seven countries and has licenses to develop high-speed wireless data services in a further country. MIC also has a 12.73% interest in Tele2 AB, the leading alternative pan-European telecommunications company offering fixed and mobile telephony, data network and Internet services to over 13.7 million people in 21 countries. The Company's shares are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol MICC.


SAS conducts extra technical check on aircraft
(01-11-10) SAS has decided to conduct an internal technical check of a number of aircraft in the MD80 series. During the routine check of an aircraft in this fleet, a fracture was detected in a cylinder of one of the legs of the landing gear. This check is being carried out to ensure that there is no risk of fractures in the remaining MD80 aircraft.
There are 43 aircraft, of a total of 63, that are to be checked and this process is expected to take about eight hours per aircraft. The aircraft will be taken out of service on Friday on landing at one of the Scandinavian home bases. The reason for the fracture is currently being investigated by SAS in cooperation with the aircraft manufacturer. The checks are expected to be completed during the weekend.

Unfortunately, these checks will have a negative impact on the traffic program, which will naturally affect SAS customers. These inconveniences are regrettable. However, since safety is the highest priority at SAS, the airline is putting safety first and conducting this comprehensive check.

SAS customers who experience problems are asked to contact SAS ticket offices or SAS personnel at the airports.


Nordea opens office in Shanghai
(01-11-09) Nordea is soon to open a representative office in Shanghai, thereby becoming the only Nordic bank represented in both Beijing and Shanghai. The Shanghai office will be officially inaugurated on 28 November.
"China, and the Shanghai region in particular, is now the fastest growing region for trade and investment in Asia for Nordic customers," says Claes Calemark, Head of Financial Institutions Asia.

The opening of the Shanghai office follows the shift in customer needs and market trends, and involves reallocating resources from Hong Kong to Shanghai, now that the representative office in Hong Kong will be closed. Nordea's corporate customers in Hong Kong will primarily be served by the Nordea branch in Singapore. In addition, Nordea has cooperation agreements with local banks in Hong Kong and throughout Asia to provide banking services to customers locally.


Skanska secures road contracts in India with total value of SEK 1.4 billion
(01-11-09) Skanska's Indian subsidiary Skanska Cementation India has received a series of road contracts in India. In total, the contracts are valued at GBP 91 million, SEK 1,395 million. The customer is the National Highway Authority of India.
The largest contract is valued at GBP 50 million to widen and upgrade more than 100 kilometers of Highway NH-46 in the state of Tamil Nadu. The assignment, which also includes construction of new bridges, is scheduled for completion in March 2004.

Skanska Cementation India has also been contracted to widen and upgrade 62 kilometers in the state of Andhra Pradesh. This contract is valued at GBP 28 million and will be completed in January 2004.

SAS starts daily non-stop flights Gothenburg-Brussels
(01-11-08) As of Monday, November 12, there are two SAS connections between Gothenburg-Landvetter and Brussels, with departures at 8:20 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. (Return from Brussels 10:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.)
"We now have the opportunity to serve business travelers better and support development in western Sweden and the Gothenburg region," says Lars-Ove Filipson, SAS Sales Manager, Western Sweden. " After London, Brussels is our next largest international destination from Gothenburg."

SAS has held discussions with a number of interests for some time, including the Western Sweden Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the City of Gothenburg, regarding how the business community in western Sweden could advance its positions. The issue of flight connections has been a key theme.


Norsk Hydro in negotiations to buy VAW
(01-11-08) Norsk Hydro is presently negotiating with the German company E.ON to acquire their subsidiary VAW.
VAW is one of the leading aluminium companies in Europe, particularly strong within rolled products. Hydro Light Metals and VAW complement each other well, and if combined they will create the leading aluminium company in Europe with a strong platform for further growth.

Further negotiations including due diligence, are expected to be
finalized during first quarter 2002.


Record for Scania in Austria:
450 trucks in the largest order to date
(01-11-08) Scania's wholly owned subsidiary Scania Österreich has signed its largest contract to date: Interliner Transporte & Spedition has ordered 450 Scania trucks in one order for its growing European traffic. Most of them will be equipped with Scania's new 16-litre V8 engine.
Interliner has bought almost 200 trucks from Scania in recent years. Commenting on this contract and Interliner's expansion, Scania Österreich says the deciding factor was that Scania is able to offer full-coverage Pan-European service.

"This order is particularly important, not only for Scania Österreich but also for the whole of Scania's European service organisation," says Håkan Sundström, Managing Director of Scania Österreich. "At the same time, it is also interesting to note, this is the largest single contract that Scania has ever signed with a customer in Austria."


Nokia to continue sponsoring the Snowboard FIS World Cup
(01-11-07) Nokia has renewed its sponsorship agreement with FIS and will continue as the title sponsor of the Snowboard FIS World Cup for another 3 years, with an optional fourth year. Nokia has been the title sponsor of the World Cup for the past 4 years.
A new highlight of the Nokia Snowboard FIS World Cup is Big Air, which will be held as an official World Cup discipline for the first time this winter. Five Big Air competitions will bring snowboarding down from the mountains and into the cities, where it will reach more spectators than ever before.

"This season's World Cup promises to be a particularly exciting one, as it coincides with the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games 2002. This is the second appearance of the snowboarding sport in the Winter Olympic Games, proof-positive that the trend-setting sport is now reaching a global audience. We are also proud to be bringing the joy of snowboarding to the general public in 5 cities around the world this winter, with the establishment of Big Air competitions," said Pekka Rantala, Vice President, Marketing Services, Nokia Mobile Phones.


If to merge with Sampo's P&C insurance operation
(01-11-07) If P&C Insurance Ltd. is merging with Sampo's property & casualty insurance operation and at the same time broadening its ownership structure. If is thereby consolidating its position as the largest property & casualty insurance company in the Nordic region, with a market share of 24 per cent. Through this broadened structure, If will be able to benefit from greater economies of scale and a wider geographic spread of business in the Nordic market.
After the merger, If P&C Insurance will have pro forma premium volume of SEK 27.5 billion as per September 2001, net asset value of SEK 17.3 billion, 8,000 employees and 3.7 million customers.

Sampo will be the largest single owner, with 38.05 per cent. In order to further broaden the ownership, a new issue will be directed to Varma- Sampo Mutual Pension Insurance Company, which will be a new owner. Varma- Sampo will have thereby have a 10.06 per cent stake in the company.

In connection with the deal, If's capital base will also be strengthened by a combined total of nearly SEK 3 000 million, including a capital contribution of SEK 558 million from Skandia.

Additionally, Skandia is selling 10.06 per cent of its ownership in If to Skandia Liv, at the same terms as for Varma-Sampo. Skandia's ownership will thereafter be 19.36 per cent. Following the transaction, Storebrand's ownership will be 22.47 per cent.


Nordea brings Solo Internet services to Poland
(01-11-06) Nordea, the world leader in e-banking, now provides electronic banking services in Poland making it possible for customers of Nordea Bank Polska to do their banking online.
Balance information, review of account entries, payment transfers to domestic and international banks and opening of deposit accounts are the services available during the first phase. Companies will soon be able to open accounts in the net bank. Services via telephone are currently provided, as will GSM and WAP services before the end of the year.

- I am very pleased that our secure and easy-to-use Solo services are now available to our Polish customers, says Bo Harald, head of Nordea's Electronic Banking. - This reflects our strategy to make the use of electronic services a daily routine for all our customers. The number of our net banking customers has increased vigorously and this year we have attracted 500,000 new customers. However, growth has been even greater in the use of the services. By the end of October the number of log-ons exceeded last year's figure by 18 million.


Bus boom in Eastern Asia All-time-high for Scania in Taiwan and Hong Kong
(01-11-06) Scania is experiencing a bus boom in Eastern Asia. In the space of just a few weeks, new record volumes have been recorded in Scania distributor Forefront's order books in both Taiwan and Hong Kong. In Taiwan, Scania customer Aloha is buying 70 new long-distance buses, while sales in Hong Kong were already 50 per cent up on last year's figures back in September.
"There are several factors that are favourable right now," says Torsten Linder, who coordinates Scania's sales in the CEA region (Chinese Economic Area) from Hong Kong, together with Forefront International.

"After several crisis years, the authorities in Taiwan have implemented a wide-ranging economic stimulation package to boost domestic demand. Saturdays are now work-free days, which immediately led to increased demand for recreational travel, among other things. In addition, the government has announced that restrictions for mainland Chinese to visit Taiwan will be lifted sooner than planned, a measure that is expected to boost the country's tourism industry."


Jiangxi MCC of China and Nokia sign contracts for GSM network expansion
(01-11-05) Agreements will extend radio-access coverage to rural areas of Jiangxi province.
Nokia and Jiangxi Mobile Communications Company have signed supply and service contracts for the expansion of the Chinese mobile operator's GSM network. The expansion, which is valued at approximately 20 million USD, will include radio-access network equipment to extend coverage to 90% of the villages and towns in Jiangxi province. The contracts also include implementation, network planning and optimization services.

Under the agreements, Nokia will supply the first UltraSite base stations to be deployed in Jiangxi MCC. Deliveries have already started, and the expansion is targeted for completion by the end of 2001.


Ericsson and Combellga to introduce wireless broadband in Russia
(01-11-05) Ericsson has been awarded a contract by leading Russian operator Combellga for a wireless broadband access network. The solution leverages Ericsson's global leadership in wireless transport networks, in which it holds a 40 percent market share for microwave-based 'first mile' systems. This is more than twice as much as its closest competitor.
The contract includes base station hubs covering the major parts of Moscow and allows Combellga to cost-efficiently expand their fiber-based services with Ericsson's wireless access system. Rapid installation enables the operator to offer services over the expanded network by year- end.

Ericsson's wireless solution enables Combellga to provide 'fiber-like' bandwidth on-demand, at user speeds up to 37 Mbps. Here wireless microwave technology specifically targets network access - which is the most common 'bottleneck' for users in realizing the benefits of broadband services. Ericsson's system is specifically optimized to simultaneously provide bursty IP-based services and quality voice services.

"Ericsson's MINI-LINK access solution fits our growing ATM network like a glove," says William Svedberg, COO of Combellga. "This is the most efficient way we can rapidly increase our presence in the region, offering broadband datacom services, leased lines and telephony to our customers, fast and at competitive prices."


Gunnebo makes strategic US acquisition
(01-11-05) Security company Gunnebo has acquired the business of American company Omega Optical Turnstiles from Pinkertons Inc., which belongs to the Securitas group.
Omega, which has an annual turnover of MEuro 2,70 and 10 employees, de velops, manufactures and sells optical entrance barriers for monitoring visitors in buildings with high security requirements. Entrance and exit through the barriers require the approval of an ID upon presentation, in a card scanner system, for example. The market for entrance barriers in the USA is currently worth some MEuro 65, and is estimated to be growing at a rate of 15-20 % per year.

"The acquisition of Omega Turnstiles gives us a small, but effective, platform for expanding Gunnebo Entrance Control's operations on the important American market, which is traditionally heavily oriented towards the manual guarding of companies and institutions," says Bjarne Holmqvist, president and CEO of Gunnebo Group. "We have a wide range of entrance control products and a leading market position in Europe. Now, with this new platform in the USA, we see significant growth potential in this business area."


SAS to Acquire Majority Ownership in Spanair
(01-11-05) SAS is increasing its ownership from 49 percent of Spanair to a level representing 74 percent · The increase in ownership involves the conversion of existing loans amounting to E60.1 million into equity and a cash payment of E52.0 million · The transaction will ensure the successful execution of Spanair's measures to improve profitability and thus capture Spanair's long term potential
Spanair is taking forceful measures to offset the adverse conditions in the airline industry, through capacity reductions, cuts in lease and other expenses as well as price increases · Fundamentally, Spanair is a strategically important asset through its attractive position in the high growth Spanish market.

· The ambition is for Spanair to become a Star Alliance associated member in the near future · Transaction SAS has agreed with Spanair's principal shareholder, Teinver, to increase SAS' ownership in Spanair to a level representing 74 percent. The increase in ownership involves the conversion of existing loans amounting to E60.1 million from SAS to Spanair into equity and a cash payment of E52.0 million. The total investment is expected to be accretive from 2003.


New CEO for Telenordia/Telenor in Sweden
(01-11-02) Telenor announced today that Lars Persson, a former CEO at Telia Mobile International, will head up Telenordia AB as their new CEO. Persson will be in charge of Telenor's joint commitment in the Swedish business market, which incorporates Telenordia, Nextra and Telenor Business Solutions AB.
Lars Persson enters his new position as of Monday the 5th of November. He has several years experience in building and leading telecommunications companies in the Swedish and Nordic business market. Most recently he has gained substantial international experience as head of CellPoint in London.

"Telenor is a strong company that has succeeded in some of the world's toughest and most challenging telecommunications markets. This gives the company a great starting point in today's Swedish business market. My job will be to lead the further development of the company, together with my extremely competent colleagues. I have worked with Norwegian companies before, so this feels almost like coming home," said Lars Persson.


Elcoteq to build new plant in Beijing
(01-11-02) Elcoteq will build a new manufacturing plant in China's capital city, Beijing. The plant will be located at the Xingwang industrial park which, headed by Nokia, is emerging as a large cluster for the manufacture of communications electronics and a center of high technology. The new Elcoteq plant will have approximately 11,000 square meters of production space and will employ an estimated 1,200 people. Production ramp-up is expected to take place during the first quarter of 2003. The investment cost of the plant is approximately MEUR 16. The plant will manufacture electronic subassemblies for mobile phones for both Nokia and other customers of Elcoteq.
"It is vital for Elcoteq to be a part of this industrial park project, which is regarded as the most important international industrial park for communications electronics in China. The Chinese market continues to grow and the country is the largest mobile phone market in the world. So there is demand for electronics manufacturing services and for Elcoteq's particular expertise in wireless communications products," comments Mr Hannu Bergholm, President of Elcoteq.

"Nokia welcomes Elcoteq to start their operation at Xingwang park in China. We believe that Xingwang park will offer world class products and services to all China telecommunications and high tech industrial companies," said Mr Antti Ware, Vice President of Nokia (China) Investment Corporation and the Chairman of Xingwang Park Ltd.


Carmen Systems Signs a 20-million Euro Deal with Deutsche Bahn AG
(01-11-02) Deutsche Bahn AG, one of the world's largest railway operators, has signed a contract with Carmen Systems AB for crew scheduling software. Software delivery to Deutsche Bahn's Personenverkehr (passenger traffic) division will take place during 2002 and onwards. The deal is worth a total of EUR 20 million over a five-year period.
With Carmen's optimization software Deutsche Bahn will be able to reduce its crew planning cycles, cut operating costs, create positive cash-flow and increase business flexibility. Crew members will also benefit through the possibility of placing individual work-schedule requests.

Mr. Rudolf Althoff, CIO at Deutsche Bahn Personenverkehr, says, "We have great expectations for Carmen Systems and their software. A tough evaluation project convinced us that Carmen is the one to help us with this difficult task of reducing operating costs - now we must work hard together to achieve this goal within a short period of time!"



Hans Porat to become president of Gadelius in Japan
(01-11-01) Hans Porat, Deputy CEO and Executive Vice President responsible for business development, will leave the Group in spring 2002 to become President of Gadelius in Tokyo, Japan.
"Hans has in an excellent way contributed to the success of Trelleborg's major repositioning and we are pleased that Hans has now been offered this opportunity in a geographic region with which he is very familiar," says Group Chief Executive Officer Fredrik Arp.

"My time with Trelleborg has been enjoyable, stimulating and educational. I will not be severing all ties with Trelleborg, however, since Gadelius sells a significant number of Trelleborg Group products," comments Hans Porat.



ASSA ABLOY's acquisition of Indala completed
(01-11-01) The acquisition of Motorola's worldwide assets of the radio-frequency identification (RFID) access control business, Indala, has now been completed.
Indala is a highly regarded player in the access control industry, with headquarters in San Jose, California. The company was founded in 1985 and acquired by Motorola in 1993. The product offering is to a large extent the same as HID's, consisting of RFID based cards and readers for the access control industry and other applications. The installed base of Indala products is substantial with 60 million cards and 1 million readers installed. The RFID access control business is expected to turn over USD 25 M this year with low profitability.

The acquisition creates good scope for synergies in all areas. The goodwill created by the acquisition is minimal and will be tax deductible. The acquisition will be EPS positive from the start.

The Indala business will be consolidated from 1 November 2001.



Ericsson and Verizon Wireless in Industry-first Multi-Access CDMA2000 Demonstration
(01-11-01) Ericsson and Verizon Wireless today demonstrated seamless, high-speed packet data services with an industry-first multi-access demonstration via Ericsson's CDMA2000, 802.11b Wireless LAN (WLAN) and BluetoothTM solutions at the CDMA Americas Congress in the U.S.
Utilizing Verizon Wireless spectrum, this multi-access solution for CDMA2000 1xEV illustrates how CDMA operators can efficiently and cost effectively deliver 3G Mobile Internet services to their customers.

Ericsson's CDMA2000 1xEV demonstration shows how an operator, like Verizon Wireless, can implement a complementary access solution with 802.11b WLAN and BluetoothTM.

The multi-access solution enables the end-user to have an 'always best connected' experience when working in local area network environments such as airports, conference centers, offices or other 'hot spots'. Ericsson's CDMA2000 solution is optimized for mobility and coverage in wide area networks - while 802.11b WLAN is optimized for high-speed data services within local area coverage.



Astrazeneca wins generic omeprazole case in Norway
(01-10-31) AstraZeneca today announced that the Oslo Byrett (Oslo City Court) in Norway found that a generic omeprazole product marketed by Scandinavian Pharmaceuticals-Generics AB (Scand Pharm) infringes AstraZeneca's formulation patent for omeprazole, the substance used in Losec. At the same time, the Court declared AstraZeneca's omeprazole formulation patent valid.
The written judgement followed a hearing, which ended on October 9.

Previously AstraZeneca had been granted a preliminary injunction in May last year (2000) against Scand Pharm to prevent the sale of its generic version of omeprazole. Scand Pharm had launched its version of omeprazole in Norway in December 1999.

Sales of Losec MUPs® in Norway account for less than 0.5 per cent of AstraZeneca's worldwide Losec sales. Losec is a treatment for stomach acid disorders.

Dr Martin Nicklasson, Executive Vice President, GI Franchise of AstraZeneca said "We are delighted by today's judgement in our favour, as it underscores the strength of our intellectual property and the validity of our formulation patent for Losec."



Skanska expands within telecom - acquires UK telecom service company
(01-10-31) Skanska is expanding within the telecom sector by acquiring MG Telecommunication (MGT), a UK leader in the field of telecom infrastructure installation and maintenance services of mainly copper- cable networks. Skanska will pay GBP 4.2 M, approximately SEK 65 M, for the company. The selling party is a group of private persons.
The Leeds-based company has a strong customer base that includes British Telecom (BT), Kingston Communications, Thus, Fujitsu and Your Communications. It has approximately 400 employees specializing in the provision of telecommunication infrastructure services.

The acquisition of MGT is part of Skanska's strategy to expand and broaden the range of services it offers within the telecom and data infrastructure fields. The transaction also gives a significant boost to the company's order book. When the acquisition is complete, Skanska Networks UK's order backlog in the UK telecom sector will total GBP 140 M, or SEK 2,1 billion.

"Acquiring MGT gives us a strong platform for growth and establishes us amongst the leading telecom infrastructure contractors. There is considerable growth in the outsourcing by companies of non-core activities and with our increased capabilities we are now well positioned to take advantage of this," says Keith Clarke, President of Skanska UK.



Biacore and Bruker Daltonics Announce Strategic Collaboration in Functional Proteomics
(01-10-31) Joint Development and Co-Marketing of SPR-MS Technology Will Accelerate Proteomic Studies, Leading to Accelerated Target ID for Therapeutics Development.
Uppsala (Sweden) and Billerica, MA (USA), Biacore International AB (SSE and NASDAQ: BCOR) and Bruker Daltonics Inc. (NASDAQ: BDAL) today announced a new collaboration that aims to advance proteomics research dramatically by associating critical functional information with mass spectrometric identification and characterization of novel proteins critical to the disease process.

This collaboration draws upon Biacore's status as a global market leader in providing functional information on biomolecular binding interactions using its proprietary surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology, and Bruker Daltonics' cutting-edge life-science systems based on mass spectrometry (MS). Together, the companies aim to commercialize the combined technique of SPR-MS in order to create an exciting comprehensive platform for functional proteomics studies. This will help pharmaceutical and biotech companies fast track targets for validation and enable more rapid development of therapeutic compounds.

Clive Seymour, Vice President and Head of Life Science Research Business Unit at Biacore, commented: "This collaboration demonstrates Biacore's commitment to increasing the level of information that our SPR technology can provide for proteomics research. We believe the proteomics market will be worth $5.6 billion by 20051. Furthermore, we expect this growth to be fueled by the distinct advantages presented by the combination of our technologies. By adding functional data from Biacore to the molecular identification and characterization data obtained from Bruker Daltonics' MS systems, we hope to initiate a radical new approach for functional proteomics studies."


C Technologies to acquire Anoto
(01-10-30) C Technologies has announced it will acquire all Ericsson's Anoto shares to be paid in C Technologies stock thereby making Anoto a wholly owned subsidiary. At the same time C Technologies will implement a new share issue directed at major shareholders and large investors. The previously advised agreement with Penmex is cancelled and the new share issue discontinued. The Board intends to propose that the corporate name will be changed from C Technologies AB to Anoto AB.
C Technologies will acquire Ericsson's 30 per cent share in Anoto which will be paid in new shares, thereby making Anoto a wholly owned subsidiary. Ericsson becomes C Technologies' largest shareholder.

Anoto's previously planned new share issue directed at among others the Mexican investment group Penmex is been discontinued. Also the industrial agreement with Penmex is cancelled. No claims for damages will be presented by Penmex.

The new structure with Anoto as a wholly owned subsidiary will increase simplicity, efficiency and focus within C Technologies group. The Company will obtain maximum flexibility in respect of pricing, investments, financing, use of trademarks and allocation of resources. In addition cost savings are implemented through synergism, mainly within administration but also R&D.



The new Stockholm/Arlanda tower boasts customized air traffic control system
(01-10-30) AerotechTelub, a company within the Saab-group, has supplied primary functions in the air traffic control system to the Civil Aviation Administration and Arlanda's new air traffic control tower that will be in operation at the end of December.
The system supply by AerotechTelub is based on the i-acs concept which stands for integrated air traffic control system. The Arlanda-adapted system contains radar presentation, flight plan handling, weather presentation and remote control systems for radar and VHF stations as well as monitoring systems. The assignment has also included system training for technicians and air traffic controllers.



Wärtsilä LNG-fuelled engines for offshore vessels
(01-10-30) Wärtsilä Corporation has received a contract to deliver eight dual-fuel engines for a pair of 4000 grt offshore supply vessels building at Kleven Verft A/S in Norway for Norwegian owners. The engines will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reduce NOx emissions.
The vessels have diesel-electric propulsion. Each vessel will have four Wärtsilä 6L32DF dual-fuel engines, each of 2020 kW output at 720 rev/min driving the main generating sets. Propulsion will be provided by two electrically driven azimuthing thrusters, and the diesel-electric plant will also supply all shipboard power requirements. The vessels, measuring 94.9 m long by 20.4 m beam, will have a maximum speed of 17.2 knots.

The two vessels have been ordered by the Norwegian owners Eidesvik AS and Simon Møkster Shipping AS, and their design was developed together with the ship consultant Vik-Sandvik AS. When delivered in 2003, the vessels will be long-term chartered to Statoil and employed delivering supplies to oil and gas platforms in the North Sea.

Natural gas is an unusual fuel in the marine world, and these are the first vessels to use it in the offshore supply vessel industry. The fuel has environmental benefits; it burns very cleanly and NOx emissions can be much reduced. This is important in Norway, which undertook to reduce by 2010 national NOx emissions by about a third from the 1999 level. In the case of these supply vessels, the savings in NOx emissions, estimated at 390 tonnes a year, will be taken as a credit to offset emissions at Statoil's land-based facilities.


Hydro acquires building systems company Technal
(01-10-30) Norsk Hydro today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Technal group in Toulouse, France. With the acquisition of the Technal group, Hydro will be the worldwide leader in building systems based on aluminium extrusions.
Hydro pays approximately Euro 73 million for the equity of the Technal group and assumes the debt of Technal which is currently approximately Euro 43 million. Final approval of the transaction is required from the regulatory authorities. The seller is a fund advised by Monitor Clipper Partners, Inc., based in Cambridge (USA).

The Technal group is a major European player within aluminium building systems and the no.1 in France. The group designs, manufactures and markets a broad range of building systems which are used in the fabrication of a variety of products such as doors, windows, conservatories, etc. The Technal group has its main presence in France, Spain, Portugal and the UK as well as export and licensees all over the world. The Technal group in 2000 had a turnover of Euro 250 million and 1560 employees.

Norsk Hydro is Norway's largest industrial company with operations in Oil and Energy, Light Metals and Agriculture.


New Ericsson chairman to be appointed at AGM 2002
(01-10-25) Lars Ramqvist has advised the nomination committee that he will not be available for re-election as Director of the Board following the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in March 2002. Therefore, the nomination committee will propose to the Shareholders Meeting to elect Michael Treschow Director of the Board.
The Ericsson Board has expressed its intent to appoint Michael Treschow Chairman of the Board, provided the Shareholders Meeting elects him Director of the Board. Michael Treschow will resign as President & CEO of Electrolux and Director of the Board of Investor AB. The Board of LME will invite Michael Treschow to follow the work of the Board for the period up to the next Annual General Meeting.

The LME Board has resolved to appoint Lars Ramqvist as Honorary Chairman of the Board, effective from the date he resigns as member of the Board.

- After 22 years in the Company's top management and after 12 years as Director of the Board, it is time to leave the Chairmanship. I have had the great privilege and joy to contribute to developing Ericsson to a world-leading company and the leading supplier of mobile systems, commented Lars Ramqvist.

The Stockholm Stock Market responded quickly to the news from Ericsson and share prices rose sharply.



Ericsson announces financial statement ahead of plan
(01-10-25) Ericsson decided after consultations with stock market supervisors of the Stockholm Stock Exchange and Nasdaq and legal advice to release its third quarter financial statement ahead of the planned time on Friday, October 26, 7:30 a.m. CET.
The decision to release the financial report on Thursday evening was taken in order to provide the financial market with the full financial statement after speculations occurred about details of the report, driven by a newswire report Thursday afternoon.

In order to ensure our integrity, Ericsson has immediately started an investigation to find out if this newswire report was based on information given to the newswire under breach of confidentiality.



Nokia To Expand TIMECel GSM 1800 Network in Malaysia
(01-10-25) Nokia and Malaysian operator TIMECel today signed a frame agreement estimated to be worth over 40 million EUR for the supply and installation of a full GSM 1800 infrastructure to expand the company's network capacity as well as improve coverage.
TIMECel will expand its GSM 1800 network capacity and coverage to cater to aggressive subscriber growth, enhance network quality through anetwork optimisation program and upgrade its Short Messaging Service Centre (SMSC) to cater to the surge in SMS traffic.

Nokia will also provide its 3G-ready Nokia UltraSite base station solution which answers the increasing demand for higher voice and data traffic in today's mobile networks and evolution to the Mobile Internet era. An industry-leading product, Nokia UltraSite can support GSM, EDGE and WCDMA technologies. Deliveries will start immediately. The current upgrade will put TIMECel in a competitive position for 3G as it will be able to upgrade its network easily to WCDMA.

"This is a solid evidence of the continuous effort by TIMECel to deliver the best of the class service quality to the end users," says Robert Fox, Chief Operating Officer of TIME DotCom Bhd., the parent company of TIMECel. "This also further reinforces our recognition that network quality is the fundamental requirement for the more content-rich Mobile Internet Applications that are in the pipeline."

Deliveries are due to commence during fourth quarter this year.



Securitas goes shopping in France
(01-10-24) Securitas Security Systems Europe has today agreed to acquire Clemessy ACS in France with annual sales of MSEK 120 (83 MFRF) and 140 employees. Sales are mainly split between installation and servicing of access control, intrusion alarms, CCTV and fire alarms.
The company has its´ main activities in the south and southeast of France and complements well Securitas current presence in France in Security Systems which will have total annual sales of MSEK 650 (450 MFRF) after the acquisition.

The agreed purchase price amounts to MSEK 39 (27 MFRF) which gives a goodwill of MSEK 48 (33 MFRF) to be amortized over ten years. The acquisition is expected to contribute positively to the result before tax in 2002.

Security Systems Europe will have total annual sales of MSEK 3000 after this purchase.



SAS clears yet another Environmental Award
(01-10-24) Today SAS was awarded this year's prize for Best Environmental Reporting in Denmark. The prize was bestowed by the Danish Environment and Energy Minister, Svend Auken at a conference on non-financial accounting in Copenhagen.
Earlier this year, SAS received both the Swedish award and the Norwegian prize for this year's Best Environmental Reporting.

SAS environmental reporting has now been nominated for the "European Environmental Reporting Award". Leading European public accounting firms will select the prizewinner of this competition in February 2002. Read the Prize winning report here.



Purchase of an Aker H-3 design accommodation unit
(01-10-24) FOE has entered into an agreement with Transocean Sedco Forex for the purchase of Rig 82 (formerly Polymariner and Allegeheny). The rig is a semi-submersible Aker H-3 design built at Aker Verdal AS in 1975 and is currently laid up at the Ølen ship yard in Norway. The purchase price is USD 5.6 million. Until 1996 the rig was operated in the accommodation market. The rig has no drilling equipment.
Rig 82 will supplement the Borgila Dolphin capable of providing various services in the offshore support market. Through the purchase of Rig 82, FOE is also targeting its efforts within the floating production segment based on its concept of a Dry Completion Unit (DCU) based on the Aker H-3 design. By securing Rig 82 at this price level, the company believes it has a cost efficient entry into this segment.

Atlas Copco-owned Milwaukee Electric Tool Announces Restructuring
(01-10-23) Atlas Copco-owned Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation has announced a restructuring plan to improve production workflow and competitiveness. Milwaukee's plans include relocation of selected manufacturing and assembly responsibilities.
The restructuring means that we will concentrate most of our manufacturing to the Mississippi - Arkansas area with Jackson becoming the hub of our southern plants", said Daniel Perry, President and CEO of Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation.

Approximately 130 employees from the Brookfield Plant and 50 employees from the Jackson Plant will be affected by the relocation of production to a new facility in Greenwood, Mississippi. The program will be combined with capital expenditures to renew and rationalize production. Better workflow, logistics, savings in manpower, and lower labor cost will pay back the investment within two years.

"This project will after completion enable us to shorten lead times, increase efficiency and make us overall more competitive", said Perry.

The company expects some staff reductions through early retirement and natural attrition. In addition, whenever possible, qualified employees whose jobs are eliminated at one facility will be offered the opportunity to relocate to another Milwaukee facility where new jobs are created.

Finnish Sanitec's EVAC Train Systems sign licence agreement in China
(01-10-23) Evac, a subsidiary of the Finnish Sanitec Group, has signed a licence agreement with the Chinese Ministry of Railways for train vacuum toilet systems. The agreement was made between the "Jinan Locomotive & Rolling Stock Works" and the Evac Train organisation. Jinan is the only producer of train vacuum toilet systems in China. The agreement is for nine years.
The agreement is an important contribution to the efforts to improve environmental conditions within the Peoples Republic of China. The country's government has decided through its Ministry of Railways to invest in "protecting the railway tracks from pollution by investing in the technology and production equipment for vacuum toilets".

The total number of railway passenger coaches in the P.R. of China today is 35,000. By 2010, this number should rise to 52,000 coaches in service, and 24,000 of these will be new coaches. Altogether 35,000 passenger coaches should be equipped with closed toilet systems, and at least one third of these with vacuum toilet systems.



Norwegian Active ISP introduces powerful Active Statistics for Web Monitoring
(01-10-23) Active ISP announced today Active Statistics-Enterprise - a sophisticated web statistics package making it easy to interpret online customer behavior. The ability of decoding and understanding the complexity of online user behaviour is crucial for success in e-commerce and online marketing activities.
"The Internet is the only communications channel that allows complete monitoring of user behaviour. Active Statistics-Enterprise allows users to collect and organise this information in a user-friendly style with tables and diagrams, which, in turn, rapidly identifies issues for improvements to your web site. Understanding customer behaviour is the first step towards effective online marketing - now made easier with this sophisticated and accurate analytical tool," says Jarle Ørnebo, Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Active ISP.

Even on complex web sites with high traffic, there is a need to know who your customers are, where they come from, what leads them to your web site, which pages they visited and how they navigated around your site. Peak periods are recorded daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly, as is the amount of time users spend on each page. It will also identify the last page visited before they left your site.

"Web analytics tools can make a profound impact on an organizations e-commerce initiatives, enabling them to get a better return on their investments", says Tom Kemp, Senior Vice President of products at Net IQ Corporation. "We are excited to provide Active ISP and its customers with our award-winning WebTrends Reporting Center solution."



Volvo launches buses in India
(01-10-23) The growing Indian middle and 'business' class is the main target group for the intercity buses just launched by Volvo Buses on the Indian market. Comfortable vehicles of this type can compete actively with rail and air travel as part of the increasing mobility of the Indian people.
The aim for Volvo Buses is to encourage the growing Indian middle class to travel by bus rather than by the less versatile modes of rail and air.

A modern, safe and comfortable intercity bus is the weapon chosen by Volvo in the competition to attract an increasing number of passengers. In addition, the bus provides people in smaller towns and cities with a means of travelling long distances.

The B7R bus chassis is built in Volvo's plant at Bangalore, in southwest India. The body, which is of Volvo's own design, is built locally by the Azad Group. The companies collaborate to offer their customers the best possible support through Volvo's already well-established service network. Volvo India also offers financing in association with other partners.

By setting a new standard for intercity buses, Volvo is hoping that this latest venture will expand rapidly. Volvo Trucks has had an established production operation in Bangalore for the last three years, while Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Penta also have a presence in India.

"In India, the demand for complete transport solutions can only grow in future. Environmental and safety requirements are bound to become tougher, as are demands for fuel-efficient engines and improved driveability," comments Volvo Buses President, Jan Engström. .



Saab receives an order for 90 MSEK from US Air Force
After an extensive test and qualification program the US Air Force has awarded BAE SYSTEMS, Austin, Texas, USA an initial contract for the supply of BOL Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser from Saab Avionics.
The contract is planned to be followed by further orders to equip the whole USAF F-15 fleet.

Saab Avionics is cooperating with BAE SYSTEMS, USA and Chemring Countermeasures, GB for the marketing and production of BOL. In accordance with this cooperation agreement BAE SYSTEMS is now the main contractor in the US, but important parts of the production will be performed in Sweden.

The order from USAF is of strategic significance for Saab Avionics as the first one from the US Air Force and confirms the company's position as a world-leading supplier of advanced countermeasures dispensers.



Sony Ericsson shows off wearable Bluetooth handsfree
Sony Ericsson has unveiled its new Ericsson Bluetooth Handsfree HBH-20. Packing the electronics into about half the size of a credit card, this wearable approach to Bluetooth Handsfree technology clips neatly onto clothing and can be worn as naturally as a necklace or watch. The handsfree will reach the market in early November 2001.
The Bluetooth Handsfree HBH-20 eliminates the physical connection to the phone but incorporating the familiar design of a traditional handsfree. Designed to be worn all day, it consists of a small Bluetooth unit and a separate earpiece, connected by a short wire, which also contains the microphone.

This novelty unit can be carried on a necklace or clipped onto a shirt or blouse, and even features interchangeable covers that allow the wearer to coordinate its appearance with clothing. The earpiece is only needed when actually making a call, allowing the handsfree to blend in easily with the wearer's apparel.



Skanska revises outlook
As a consequence of the recessionary impact of the recently accelerated world wide economic downturn it is now evident that Skanska's operating income in core operations 2001 will fall short of last year´s result (SEK 4.4 billion).



Environmental breakthrough in Abu Dhabi
The Norwegian companies SAAS System and Aker Technology have received an order for the delivery of a system to prevent pollution from gas flaring on an oil field in Abu Dhabi. The contract is a breakthrough for SAAS and Aker Technology's commitment to becoming world leaders in different types of environmental technology.
The delivery includes a system which removes the demand for flaring at an oil plant in Abu Dhabi in the United Arabian Emirates UAE. Unnecessary flaring is still in use at oil and gas facilities all over the world. Using modern technology the same safety goal can be achieved without the pollution. The new agreement represents an important beginning to the work of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases from oil activities in the United Arab Emirates, which is one of the world's largest oil exporters.

Under the turnkey contract the two companies will use a local company for installation work. Aker Technology and SAAS have worked together since 1997 on marketing systems which avoid the use of pollutive flaring at oil and gas facilities.

In a first stage one system will be delivered to the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations, a subsidiary of the national oil company of the United Arab Emirates. SAAS, which has lead the marketing efforts, consider the opportunities for selling further systems around the Arabian Gulf to be good.



Ericsson continues to implement Efficiency Program
Ericsson today announced 2,000 redundancies in Sweden. This measure is in line with earlier announced plans to streamline the Ericsson organization in a response to a massive slow down in the telecommunications equipment market. This brings the total of workforce reductions in Sweden to 4,000 employees since the beginning of the Program.
Today's announcement is part of a notification process that is required under Swedish law. Of today's 2,000 redundancies approximately 1,300 are made redundant in Stockholm, 100 in Gothenburg and 600 in Gävle, where Ericsson continues to increase the manufacturing efficiency.

Ericsson started the Efficiency Program in April this year to reduce its cost basis by 20 billion SEK and increase competitiveness in a worsening economic climate. An update will be released when the company announces third quarter financial results on Friday, October 26. .



Nabco Signs Large Order with Intentia in Japan
Intentia International AB today announces that Intentia in Japan has signed an order worth EUR 1.7 million in licenses and approximately EUR 3 million in services to implement Intentia's collaboration application Movex at Nabco Ltd., the leading Japanese manufacturer of railroad products, automotive products and control systems.
One of Nabco's main businesses is to provide Shinkansen, the Japanese high-speed trains, with brake systems. Movex will serve all divisions of the company. Implementation of the full suite of Movex applications begins in October. The implementation is expected to go live in April 2003.

Nabco seeks greater visibility and integration of information across manufacturing, sales and service operations. The objective is for Nabco and Intentia together to create a highly successful business transformation project for manufacturing, sales and service. This will enable Nabco, whose annual sales are EUR 440 million, to service its customers better and to cut costs. It will also provide Nabco with a platform for e-business and collaborative supply chains.

According to Mr. Niki, Director of Information Technology at Nabco, the company is seeking to integrate its complex manufacturing process as well as sales operations. "Our objective is to improve business processes and increase supply chain visibility across our worldwide operations in order to better serve our customers. Of the software options we considered, Movex offered the best fit with our business model because of its strong manufacturing core and collaborative supply chain planning and scheduling capabilities. In addition, Intentia gave us a strong commitment that they would provide total support, from planning and implementation, through follow-up and maintenance. This commitment was a key decision factor."



Hydro terminates magnesium production in Norway
Fundamental changes to the global magnesium market necessitate an extensive restructuring of Norsk Hydro's magnesium operation in order to restore profitability. The Board of Directors has decided therefore to submit a recommendation to the corporate assembly that it passes a resolution to reduce magnesium production and proposes that this is effected by terminating the production of primary metal in Porsgrunn, Norway. Three board members elected by he employees opposed the decision.
In particular, it is the steadily increasing export from China of low cost magnesium that has led to the dramatic downturn in magnesium prices, particularly in the European market. In the course of a few years, Chinese exports have gained almost 40 per cent of world markets. Rising magnesium consumption in the automotive industry has not been sufficient to offset the effect of the explosive growth in Chinese production.

" I regret the difficulties closure means for the employees affected, and we will make every effort to ensure that restructuring can be carried out in such a way as to minimize the adverse effects. However, the penetration of the Chinese into the global magnesium market represents a permanent structural change that we simply have to adapt to. Without drastic measures now we shall be looking at heavy losses for many years to come. Profitability in recent years has fallen far short of normal rates of return," says President and CEO Eivind Reiten .

Aker Maritime halts its proposal to rescue Kværner
Aker Maritime has decided not to participate in an underwriting syndicate in the issue announced by Kværner. The company will take a view on participating in the issue after assessing whether the board's proposal involves a robust and permanent overall solution for the group.
Almost three weeks ago Aker Maritime informed Kværner's board that it was willing to play a central role in the work of rescuing Kværner. Together with its main shareholder, Aker Maritime was in favour of providing assistance so that Kværner could have both capital and management resources put at its disposal.

Besides clarification with the banks, a condition for Aker Maritime's contribution was that it should be endorsed by Kværner and by a qualified majority of the company's shareholders.

The intention of the original Aker Martime proposal was to get a rapid clarification which could help to create the necessary work environment in which a permanent and robust solution could be put in place. Due to the negative developments over the last three weeks, Aker Maritime no longer considers this proposal to be relevant.

Aker Maritime realises that it has been - and still is - difficult to contribute actively to unified solutions to the problems in Kværner while Aker Maritime's understanding of the situation differs from that of the board, management, other influential shareholders and other leading players.

- The reason for Kværner's problems and the great uncertainty which surrounds the group lies solely in Kværner itself. To escape from its crisis, the company must now gather friends, not create new enemies, says a statement from Kværner.


Nokia introduces a new entertainment category for mobile phones
The new Nokia 5510 is a music player, FM radio, messaging machine, games platform and phone - all in one.
Nokia today unveiled a new entertainment category in its product portfolio with the Nokia 5510 phone. The Nokia 5510 is a device designed specifically for mobile entertainment, featuring a digital music player, stereo FM radio, games, and enhanced messaging capabilities. Shipments are scheduled to begin in the 4th quarter, 2001.

"Every now and then it is crucial that you turn your thinking around. This time we took a phone, turned it sideways, added a full keyboard, music, and some fun! This new concept reflects not only a change in our perspective, but also a more fundamental transition that our industry is going through. Phones are no longer only voice and sms driven, but are increasingly functioning as platforms for other services, such as entertainment. With this phone, we're introducing a new category of devices functioning as integrated entertainment platforms, which are complemented by related relevant services from Club Nokia," said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia Mobile Phones.



Allgon awarded GSM coverage solution supplier to the world's largest subway network
Allgon, the Swedish supplier of radio-based infrastructure solutions for cellular communications, has signed a USD 6 million agreement to provide a coverage solution for the subway network in Moscow.
"The cellular market in Russia is growing rapidly, and the new Russian coverage solution contract gives us an excellent opportunity to increase Allgon's market share in this strategic important market ", said Jeff Bork, CEO of Allgon.

"According to the agreement, Allgon will provide a repeater-based coverage solution for the Russian mobile operator Beeline-Vimpelcom. The coverage solution, which will be supplied and integrated in co-operation with the Russian system integrator Socintec Comlog, will provide GSM coverage to parts of the Moscow subway network, often referred to as the worlds most extensive subway network. The integration phase, which has already begun, will take place during a two-year period. The total value of the agreement is USD 6 million.

"This new agreement with Beeline-Vimpelcom strengthens Allgon's position as mobile infrastructure supplier in Russia. The possibility to win similar contracts in the future increases substantially", continued Jeff Bork.



The Swedish government, via its wholly-owned company Sveaskog AB, announces offer to acquire AssiDomänAB.
The Offer is assessed as being equivalent to SEK 280 per share in AssiDomän. The Offer consists, in part, of SEK 244 in cash and, in part, of the Swedish government's shareholding in Billerud, as estimated by Sveaskog, equivalent to SEK 13 per share in AssiDomän. The distributed Billerud shares comprise AssiDomän's existing 50 percent and the 20 percent for which StoraEnso has an option to sell to AssiDomän prior to a listing.
The overall assessment of the above-mentioned factors has led the board to consider the Offer to be reasonable. Thus the board has unanimously decided to recommend AssiDomän's shareholders to accept the Offer.

The value of this distribution, according to Lex-Asea, is assessed by Sveaskog as being equivalent to SEK 23 per share in AssiDomän.



The time is ripe for messaging services, study shows
A new study undertaken by the HPI Research Group (UK), has highlighted the potential for upcoming mobile multimedia messaging services. These are messaging services that extend beyond present-day short message service (SMS) to include not only text, but also graphics, images, video and animations.
As a result of extensive groundwork laid by the clear success of 2G messaging, there is a ready-made subscriber base of mobile-device users who will easily make the move to multimedia messaging. This base of existing messaging users points to a successful take-up of the more advanced messaging services 3G will bring

HPI interviewed over 12,000 people in six markets from March to April this year: the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, USA, Brazil and Singapore. The study discovered "a very buoyant and fertile market in which to launch new messaging services". This is borne out by the widespread presence of messaging devices and messaging habits that already exist.

"The current messaging market shows a high prevalence of messaging and a healthy attitude towards this means of person-to-person communications," says Janne Laiho, Market Research Manager at Nokia, which commissioned the study. "This enthusiasm will translate into actual take-up, and will inspire entirely new users to join the growing number of mobile messaging consumers. Mobile messaging will clearly play a significant role in increasing 2.5G and 3G revenues streams."

The study found that access to a messaging device is high, mainly via a mobile phone or a PC. Across all six markets, access varied from 81 per cent in the US to 43 per cent in Brazil.

Actual use of the devices for messaging is also pervasive, with almost half of the population currently messaging (by any of the above means), and a quarter by mobile phone. This is promising for the future of messaging, especially considering that young people exhibited the highest levels of messaging usage in the survey. This figure can be expected to be considerably higher in the future as the population ages.



Gripen International welcomes issue of Austrian request for proposals for new fighters
Gripen International, jointly owned by Saab of Sweden and the United Kingdom's BAE SYSTEMS, has welcomed a formal Request for Proposal for up to 30 new fighters from the Austrian government.
"Gripen is a truly international fighter, containing the latest technologies from a team of major European and American defense suppliers," states Roger Lantz, Gripen director Austria. "We look forward to the competition process and are confident that our industrial and financial proposals will make Gripen the most affordable choice for Austria."

The Gripen team's industrial program will meet the specific strategic needs of the Austrian government and provide technology, export promotion, job creation and inward investment among others.

Gripen International has already launched its first Austrian industrial cooperation projects, including a medical research project involving scientists from both Sweden and TU Wien in Austria and a project to develop and manufacture advanced high technology aluminum products in partnership with the Austrian company Alulight International GmbH.



AssiDomän sells Swedish gluelam plant to Norrfog
AssiDomän has reached agreement with Norrfog AB on the sale of the gluelam plant in Malå, Sweden. The sale, which takes place on 15 October 2001, is part of the ongoing restructuring in AssiDomän.
The deal covers the gluelam operations in Malå, although Malåbrädan is not included. AssiDomän will retain the Malåbrädan brand and will continue marketing and selling the product. It will however be manufactured by Norrfog AB.

The operations acquired by Norrfog AB generate sales of around SEK 55 million, and provide employment for a workforce of 40.
Following the sale, AssiDomän Interior AB will have a turnover of some SEK 210 million and a workforce of 80.

Norrfog's core activities consist of the manufacture of gluelams, components and sawmill operations. The company's head office is located in Malå. Following the takeover of the gluelam plant in Malå, Norrfog's sales total around SEK 100 million and the company has 90 employees.



ReadSoft closes global agreement with Intentia
ReadSoft and Intentia International AB now increase their cooperation within automatic data capture. Intentia will resell ReadSoft's software Eyes & Hands INVOICES within the Movex ADC (automatic data capture) concept throughout their international reseller network. Intentia's goal is to install the Movex ADC system at 30 percent of their worldwide customers. ReadSoft's INVOICES is an integrated part of Movex ADC and ReadSoft estimates that the agreement will be worth several hundred million SEK.
For several years now, ReadSoft and Intentia have built a fruitful relationship offering successful software products to Swedish customers. Today ReadSoft and Intentia have approximately 40 joint customers and the new agreement will take the cooperation further, to the worldwide market. ReadSoft's solution for processing of invoices, Eyes & Hands INVOICES, will be further developed and integrated with Intentia's business solution Movex ADC (automatic data capture). Studies show that the price for handling a supplier invoice is several hundred SEK. For customers using the Movex ADC system, the return on investment will be short.

"Our strategy is to sell Eyes & Hands INVOICES through partners and I am very enthusiastic about the fact that our agreement with Intentia from now will be on a global basis. Among the large international ERP suppliers, Intentia will be the first to offer a full-fledged solution to handle paper invoices electronically. This will present a substantial market advantage and widespread chances to increase sales to existing customers, says Jan Andersson, MD at ReadSoft.



BBH sells Kalnapilis to Bryggerigruppen
Baltic Beverages Holding sells its 87 percent share of the Lithuanian brewery Kalnapilis to Bryggerigruppen (The Danish Brewery Group) at a price of LTL 135.1 million, corresponding to NOK 297 million. Last year Kalnapilis had a market share in Lithuania of 18 percent. Kalnapilis is being sold because the Lithuanian competition authorities approved the establishment of Carlsberg Breweries on condition that one of the three breweries owned by BBH and Carlsberg Breweries be sold. The sale is subject to approval by the Lithuanian competition authorities.
Merging Svyturys and Utenos Alus Svyturys, owned by Carlsberg Breweries, will after the sale of Kalnapilis be merged with Utenos Alus, owned by BBH. The Lithuanian competition authorities still have to approve the merger.

The merger of the two companies is expected to take place in the beginning of next year. The new company will be named AB Svyturio-Utenos Alus and Tomas Kucinskas will be CEO. Svyturys and Utenos Alus had market shares in 2000 of 26% and 20%, respectively

The Lithuanian beer market The Lithuanian beer market has grown significantly the last few years and today's per capita consumption is 59 litres. The increased beer consumption is mainly due to the economic growth in Lithuania and a generally improved product quality. Lithuania is still a growth market and an annual 5-7% increase in beer consumption is expected during the next five years.



SAIT-Stento wins Paris subway contract
SAIT-STENTO announced today that it has won a contract to supply a radio communication system for the Paris subway. SAIT-STENTO will design and build the new radio communication system to link trains and control centers on Line 4 of the Paris subway. The Paris subway system, of which Line 4 is one of the busiest routes, transports around 6 millions passengers every day. The contract is worth EUR 1.2 million. Delivery and installation of the system will take place at the beginning of 2002.
With over 200 km of track and close to 400 Metro stations (excl. the RER, i.e. suburban system), the Paris subway is one of the largest transit systems in Europe. Subway Line 4 (Porte de Clignancourt - Porte d'Orléans) serves 24 stations and 2 terminals, with up to 42 trains running simultaneously. SAIT-STENTO will design and build the new radio communication system for trains and control centers on Line 4. The new radio communication system will ensure full radio coverage of the entire line, including all the stations, to allow train drivers and other key personnel to communicate with the control center supervisors.

The new system will be based on SAIT-STENTO's Digital Multi Channel Communication System (DMCS). DMCS is based on an innovative "Voice-over IP" technology, and ensures the transmission of audio frequencies and signaling data in real-time between the radio base stations that are all connected to the control center equipment via an Ethernet network. The system provides radio communication, instant and permanent traffic surveillance, assistance in the event of an incident and the localization of the calling party. Furthermore, the system is equipped with a built-in tele-maintenance facility, allowing for remote system maintenance and upgrade.



Handelsbanken starts banking operations in Poland
Handelsbanken has been working for a considerable period of time to start up a wholly-owned subsidiary bank in Poland. Last week, Bank Svenska Handelsbanken ( Polska ) S.A. received authorisation to conduct banking operations. Handelsbanken is the first foreign bank to receive such authorisation.
The bank, which has a share capital of PLN 200 million, will focus on Nordic companies with operations in Poland and Polish companies with operations in the Nordic countries. Normal corporate banking services will be offered such as deposits, short- and long-term credits, domestic and cross-border payments, cash management and currency trading.



Bure has signed the final agreements to acquire Svenska PA System and Retea
Bure today signed the final agreements to acquire all the shares in Svenska PA System AB and Retea AB from TurnIT AB. The deal is subject the approval of the Swedish Competition Authority which is expected to be received during October.
"We are very positive to having Bure as the new owner of these companies. Our potential for realising our ambition to develop the group into a leading operator in the Nordic HRM market has been strengthened still further with Bure as the new owner," says Ulf Eriksson, President of the Group which consists of Svenska PA Systems, Palett HRM and TimeRecorder Data.

"We see a significant potential for strengthening still further our position in the market with Bure as the owner. Bure is an investor with a well-established experience as an owner of consulting companies within the datacom and telecom sectors which will contribute positively to our future development," says Bengt Lundgren, President of Retea AB.



SEK 500 million order from FMV for Saab
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has placed an order for an integration system from Saab for new precision engagement weapons for Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen valued at SEK 500 million. The system will provide JAS 39 Gripen with the capability to deliver precision laser-guided weapons. The new weapons will be procured by FMV.
The order also includes acquisition of weapon pylons of NATO type for deployment on the JAS 39 Gripen. This enhances Gripen's overall capability for interoperability for participation in international peace-keeping missions.

The weapon pylons, which have been developed by Saab and BAE SYSTEMS, are to be manufactured by Denel in South Africa. This forms part of the industrial participation package from the sale of 28 Gripen aircraft to South Africa.

The order is being placed with Industry Group JAS (IG JAS), and Saab Aerospace's share of the order amounts to SEK 477 million, Saab Avionics' amounts to SEK 19 million and AerotecTelub's to SEK 5 million.


Jaakko Pöyry Group awarded extension of high speed railway contract in Taiwan
Electrowatt Infra, which is part of the Jaakko Pöyry Group's Infrastructure & Environment business group, has been awarded an extension of the Taiwan high speed railway project by Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation. Electrowatt Infra will continue as the Independent Checking Engineer/Independent Site Engineer together with International Railway Engineering Group. The assignment will be completed in June 2003. The value of the contract amounts to EUR 9.8 million.
The Taiwan high speed railway is a EUR 15.4 billion project and is currently one of the most challenging Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) transport projects in the world. The owner, THSRC, is a joint venture of major Taiwanese industrial and financial companies.



Telia sells US business
Telia today announced the sale of it's US Internet Company, Telia Internet Incorporated (TII). The company offers a full portfolio of Internet related services to Businesses, Corporations and ISP's on the US market. The buyer is the global Internet service provider Aleron, Inc., headquartered in Virginia, USA.
The sale of TII will create a loss during third quarter well in line with the calculated provision of SEK 800 million announced previously to cover the cost of divesting TII and other businesses outside of Telia's core business focus.

In preparation for the sale, TII has been transferred from the business area of Telia International Carrier, to Telia Equity. The sale does not change Telia International Carrier's strategy in the USA according to Telia.



Wärtsilä EnviroEngines for the "Queen Mary 2"
Wärtsilä Corporation will deliver four Wärtsilä 46 EnviroEngines totalling 67.2 MW power output for Cunard Line's new luxury transatlantic liner, "Queen Mary 2". These engines will incorporate the latest common-rail fuel injection technology for operation without any visible smoke.
Due for delivery in late 2003 by the French shipbuilder Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint Nazaire, the "Queen Mary 2" will be the world's largest passenger vessel. Measuring 345 m long by 40 m beam and drawing 10 m, the 150,000 grt liner will have a maximum speed of about 30 knots. Electrical power for propulsion and all shipboard services will be generated by a 115.5 MW combined diesel- and gas turbine-electric power plant. Propulsion will be by four electrically driven podded drives, two fixed and two azimuthing.

The four Wärtsilä 16V46 EnviroEngines will be manufactured at Wärtsilä's Turku factory in Finland. They are due to be shipped in June 2002. The engines will each have a maximum continuous output of 16,800 kW (22,840 bhp) at 514 rev/min. For redundancy, the diesel generating sets will be housed in two separate engine rooms on board the "Queen Mary 2".

The Wärtsilä EnviroEngine arose from a joint project between Carnival Corporation, the parent company for Cunard Line, and Wärtsilä Corporation to develop a new "earth-friendly" power system. The Wärtsilä 46 EnviroEngines use an electronically-controlled common rail fuel injection system which enables injection pressures to be kept sufficiently high at all engine loads and speeds - even at the lowest levels - to achieve clean combustion with no visible smoke emissions. The EnviroEngines will be particularly beneficial for use in port, as they are designed to produce no visible emissions even when lightly loaded for producing energy for lighting, air conditioning and other hotel systems.



Norske Skog curtails newsprint production
In response to lower orders and continued weakness in the major world economies for the rest of the year, Norske Skog plans to take around 90,000 tonnes of curtailment in the production of standard newsprint during the fourth quarter 2001 at the company's mills in Europe, South America and Australasia. In these regions, curtailment of around 45,000 tonnes has been taken in the third quarter.
This planned curtailment does not include the activities of Pan Asia Paper Company, in which Norske Skog has a 50% ownership interest, or Norske Skog Canada Ltd., in which Norske Skog has a 36% shareholding.



TietoEnator and Visa partner for chip card technology in the CEMEA area
Visa International selected TietoEnator as one of its partners for a changeover whereby the Visa payment cards in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa are changed to comply with the EMV chip card standard. For TietoEnator, this means close cooperation with the Visa community in an area where more than 500 banks operate in 92 countries.
TietoEnator's knowledge in chip card technology and payment solutions, as well as project management and consulting experience are our trump cards, based on which we are expecting very positive outcome from our cooperation with the Visa partner network," says Mr Veli Pohjolainen, Senior Executive Vice President of TietoEnator and head of TietoEnator Finance Sector.

The changeover to chip cards will mean that new cards need to be distributed and taken into use. The EMV standard defines a common technological basis for changing all the world's Eurocard, MasterCard and Visa payment cards into chip-based versions. Chip cards serve to enhance the security of card payments.



Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications established
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, the joint venture between Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson and Sony Corporation, will today start its operations, following final approvals from the European Commission and other regulatory authorities. The new company will start its operations today and is aiming to become the number one player in mobile multimedia products within 5 years.
"I am proud to announce that we have received the final approvals and we can start operations according to our initial plans", says Katsumi Ihara, President of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. "We are 3,500 committed employees who are very much looking forward to creating a great company and to launching our first products during next year", says Mr Ihara.

On August 28, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson and Sony Corporation signed an agreement to set up Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications as an equally owned joint venture. On September 11, the boards of both companies announced that their respective boards have approved the mobile phone joint venture. President of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications is Katsumi Ihara, and Executive Vice President and Head of Sales & Marketing is Jan Wäreby.

Sony Ericsson today also disclosed its new brand name and logo. The new brand name is Sony Ericsson and is accompanied by a symbol in a warm, organic green color. Together they represent the company's vision and ambition and what Sony Ericsson does for its customers.



Ericsson named by VoiceStream to expand nationwide GSM network & supply EDGE infrastructure
Ericsson today announced an agreement with VoiceStream to expand VoiceStream's national GSM wireless network and to deploy EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution) infrastructure. The agreement, initially valued at USD 150 million, could exceed USD 300 million over a three- year period.
Ericsson will immediately begin installation of GSM 1900 network equipment, including core network and radio access infrastructure in New Orleans and Virginia, and will be expanding VoiceStream's existing network in Florida. Under the agreement announced today, Ericsson will also deploy higher speed EDGE infrastructure in certain VoiceStream markets to support next generation voice and data services.

In addition, Ericsson will provide advanced features and services for VoiceStream including mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) capabilities, location-based services and mobile gaming and entertainment applications. Ericsson equipment will provide Adaptive Multi-Rate vocoder (AMR) functionality for increased voice quality and greater spectrum efficiency.

"Throughout VoiceStream's aggressive nationwide expansion efforts, we've remained focused on providing quality service to our customers," said Bob Stapleton, President and COO VoiceStream Wireless. "Ericsson's proven to be a reliable partner, delivering feature-rich networks on- time with innovative technology to support our advanced service offerings."


Telenor cuts use of consulting services and hired personnel
Telenor has with immediate effect decided to cut heavily the use of consulting services and other hired personnel. Business is to be carried out through own employees and only strictly necessary consulting services may be engaged. The aim is to reduce the expense level related to consulting services and hired personnel within the whole of the Telenor Group by NOK 750 to one billion by the end of 2002.
-We terminate all consultancy agreements and will only re-negotiate agreements of critical importance to Telenor, says President and CEO Mr. Tormod Hermansen. He emphasises that Telenor wishes to stimulate the internal labour market within the Group and that the aim is to solve tasks through use of own employees.

- Due to changed market conditions, especially within IT-related businesses, we have already reduced the number of employees. Employees without immediate tasks may therefore to a large extent replace consultants and hired personnel. Much may also be gained from better use of resources across organisational borders, the CEO says.


Nokia to expand Telkomsel's GSM dual band network in Indonesia
Nokia has signed an agreement with Telkomsel for the supply of radio-access network equipment and services to expand the Indonesian operator's GSM dual band network. The network expansion will allow Telkomsel to increase its capacity, as well as improve coverage. Deliveries will begin in October 2001.
Under terms of the agreement, Nokia will deliver GSM 900 and 1800 base stations and cellular transmission for Telkomsel's network in the Jakarta metropolitan area.

Under the agreement, Nokia will provide extensive Professional Services, including a Turnkey Responsibility Package for the buildup of the network, and Nokia OptiCareä Package for managing and enhancing network performance. This marks Nokia's 24th turnkey delivery, making it the world leader in turnkey network implementation.

The agreement represents a three-year extension of the companies' long-term cooperation. Nokia has been a key GSM 900 radio-access network supplier to Telkomsel since 1997. With a customer base of 2.7 million subscribers, Telkomsel provides GSM 900 service to 46 % of Indonesian mobile users.

"We intend to serve up to 7 millions subscribers. This is not an easy task for Telkomsel. Suppliers' support, including punctuality in developing the network capacity and quality to meet the market demand, is very important," said Mr. Mulia Tambunan, President Director of Telkomsel.


Skanska to build new USD 100 million Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta - Skanska's share of contract is USD 61.2 million
Beers, one of Skanska's American subsidiaries, has been awarded a contract for construction management services to build a USD 100 million, 28-story hotel tower at the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Beers' contract is worth USD 61.2 million, approximately SEK 660 million. The order is included in the order bookings for the second quarter of 2001.
The customer is a partnership between Omni Hotels, an American hotel chain, and Turner Broadcasting System, an AOL Time Warner company.

Beers will be responsible for the construction management of the new hotel project. The entire project is valued at USD 100 million and the construction contract is for USD 72 million, of which Beers has 85 percent and Moody 15 percent.

The 525,000 square foot hotel, which is to be built adjacent to an existing hotel at CNN Center in central Atlanta, will be the largest facility in Omni's chain of hotels.

Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2002 and be completed during the fourth quarter of 2003.


Akzo Nobel opens new Coatings site in China
Rudy van der Meer, Member of the Akzo Nobel Board of Management responsible for Coatings, opened a new production site in Suzhou, near Shanghai in China. The facility, which was built over the past year, will house three of Akzo Nobel's core businesses: car refinishes, powder coatings and transportation coatings and will give these businesses enhanced access to the rapidly expanding Chinese market.
"Akzo Nobel has been active in China since the 1980s, but business really got off the ground at the beginning of the 1990s when the Board of Management asked the business units to focus more on Asia and China in particular. In addition, Akzo Nobel China was set up as a country organization to support our business units and to facilitate their local development," said Rudy van der Meer at a press conference during the opening. "In the past five years, our sales in the country have quadrupled to EUR 300 million, stemming from both organic growth and acquisitions. Akzo Nobel now employs 1,500 people in China."

In China, Akzo Nobel currently has 15 operations, including 10 production facilities, representing its three areas of business: Pharma, Coatings and Chemicals. One major operation is a 50-50 joint venture; all other operations are majority or wholly-owned. The Suzhou site opened today, and a Wood Coatings plant in Dongguan City, which will be opened shortly, are 100% Akzo Nobel facilities. The monochloroacetic acid plant under construction in Taixing is also wholly- owned.

"These investments aim to strengthen our position in China and will enable us to respond quickly and flexibly to market demands," added Mr. Van der Meer. "The facilities will serve as a platform for further expansion in the region. It is one of Akzo Nobel's stated strategic goals to increase our market share in the fast growing Asian economies, and we consider China a key market.".


Stena Line invests in satellite communication
Stena Line has entered a five year deal with Telenor worth SEK 90 million for satellite communication for around 30 vessels in the company's fleet. With satellite communication onboard the vessels, Stena Line can provide improved service for passengers including the possibility of staying in contact with land both via the internet and telephone irrespective of where the vessel is.
"Installing satellite communication on all our vessels means we can significantly improve our service for passengers by providing better access to information. Satellite communication gives passengers the opportunity to use email, internet and telephony services as well as gaining access to our booking system. It will also be possible to hold video and internet conferences and there are plans to provide GSM services in future so that mobile phones can be used throughout the journey," says Hans Björkborg, IT manager at Stena Line.

"Satellite communication improves credit card services by enabling payment using various cards and in future it will allow cash dispensers (ATMs) to be accessed. Eventually it will also be possible to watch TV onboard, something that has been requested by our customers for a long time. It will also be easier for freight customers to find out exactly where their goods are in the transport chain," he continues.

Satellite communication doesn't only have a positive impact on customers, it is also very important for Stena Line internally because ship to shore communication is significantly improved. For example, it means that staff onboard have constant access to all the IT system, information is always available, and the storage and ordering systems become more effective. The telephone system will be modernised and based on digital technology, which provides substantially better quality and access.


Millennium becomes first customer for Biacore's new high performance analytical system
Biacore today announced that Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has become the first customer for its recently launched Biacore®S51 system for lead characterization and preclinical applications in drug discovery. Millennium will use the system to accelerate and optimize the identification of small molecule lead candidates.
Biacore S51 was specifically designed to address major bottlenecks facing the drug discovery industry at stages downstream of high- throughput screening. The first instrument in Biacore's new Series S technology platform, Biacore S51 was developed in collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies including Millennium, SmithKline Beecham and Pharmacia Corporation.

"Millennium's unique approach to drug discovery and development is at the forefront of the industry. As a result we are continuously evaluating technology products and services that will help us enhance our productivity," said Craig Muir, Vice President, Platform Technology at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Biacore S51 offers high quality, quantitative data on binding kinetics, affinity, concentration and specificity of the interaction between a compound and target molecule. It is the most advanced instrument on the market based on Surface Plasmon Resonance technology, which uniquely provides non-label, real-time analysis of biomolecular interactions. Biacore S51 offers higher levels of throughput, greater data quality and reduced sample usage than any other commercially available SPR instrument, enabling it to match the output from most high throughput screens.

Millennium scientists have worked with Biacore to maximize the potential of Biacore S51 and will now use the system to speed hit-to-lead confirmation and enhance early ADME analysis of potential drug candidates.

"Millennium's considerable expertise in drug discovery and development and their early evaluation of our technology played a significant role in validating Biacore S51, and we are pleased to have them as our first customer," said Paul James, Marketing Director of SPR Discovery Systems at Biacore. "We believe Biacore S51 will be well received, and this a first indication of that conviction. We also look forward to our continued work with Millennium to identify new opportunities for our technology."


Warm summer means high ice-cream sales
High temperatures increase July sales by 24 per cent over last year.
The warm weather has made for a great July for the ice-cream industry with a 24 per cent average increase in sales in Denmark. One company, Diplom-Is, sold 62 per cent more ice cream in July than last year. And the Danes were not the only ones with a taste for ice cream. Ice-cream sales rose by 10 per cent in Norway and doubled in Sweden. Diplom-Is is in the process of expanding its retail network in Sweden, so the weather cannot take all the credit for increased sales there.

Diplom-Is has a market share of over 50 per cent in Norway, 10 per cent in Denmark and 4 per cent in Sweden. In addition to its own products, the company distributes the well-known Mars Ice Cream.

When the sun shines on ice-cream production... Denmark had 100 hours more sunshine than usual this July. Last July, there were about 25 hours less than the norm of 244.



Ericsson reveals the new mobile phone T66 - the smallest Ericsson phone ever
Today, Ericsson announced the T66 - its smallest and lightest mobile phone to date - compact enough to fit in the smallest pocket. T66 comes in two colors, Silver Supreme and Purple Passion and will be available in the fourth quarter, 2001.
At roughly the same length and width as a credit card, T66 is extremely small. It weighs only 59 grams and its streamlined design includes a built-in antenna. The T66 has a standby time up to 150 hours and many user-friendly features packed into a neat unit. The T66 has several enhanced messaging features and is compatible with GSM900/1800/1900 for international coverage.

Message with flair The T66 includes Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS), a chat function, and WAP. With EMS, communicating via a mobile phone becomes more fun, creative and personal. EMS allows users to send and receive pictures, sound effects and melodies along with SMS text messages. The phone comes complete with a wide range of pre-installed pictures and melody options. Users can store downloaded pictures and melodies from the Mobile Internet.

T66 has a highly useful calendar that makes it possible to store details about appointments, dates and tasks in the phone. T66 will even provide a reminder for important dates and deadlines.



Skanska lands new major contract in New York
The U.S. subsidiary, Slattery Skanska has been contracted by Metro-North Railroad in New York to construct a maintenance facility for commuter trains. The contract is valued at USD 76 M, about SEK 825 M, of which Skanska Slattery will be responsible for 80 percent.
Slattery Skanska and the engineering firm Edwards and Kelcey are cooperating in a joint venture for this negotiated contract covering the design and construction of the turnkey facility.

The new Highbridge Yard Rail Maintenance Facility near Yankee Stadium in the Bronx includes a 62,000-square-foot maintenance building, with space for 20 cars on two tracks. The contract includes all equipment needed to service diesel and electric powered trains, which will be stored in the yard between morning and evening commuter rush hours. An office and employee area will be built above the maintenance shop with an overpass connecting to new station platforms. Other project components include 3.5 kilometers of track, 32 switches and an electric substation.

Work at the site will begin immediately with project completion in 18 months.



Nokia Game kicks off on November 4
The all-media adventure expands to 28 countries in Europe and the Middle East
Nokia Game 2001, an interactive all-media adventure provided by Nokia, will be played November 4-23 in 28 countries in Europe and the Middle East simultaneously. During the game, players will take on the identity of the main character and be immersed in a mystery they need to solve.

Nokia Game is a skill-based game in which players must complete various challenges and solve puzzles based on clues planted in the media landscape around them. A number of SMS messages, short TV movies, websites, radio announcements, newspaper and magazine ads, e-mail, and mobile phone calls guide players through the game, providing them with information, clues and tasks to perform.

There is no participation fee to participate in Nokia Game. To play, participants need to have access to the Internet, an e-mail address, and a mobile phone with the capacity to receive short messages. There is no age limit to play the game, but people under the age of 18 need their guardian's permission to participate.

This year players can play longer and collect points before being dropped out of the game. Players win points by visiting websites, playing online games, finding information, and answering questions, for example. The players with the highest final scores will be able to participate in the grand final of the game. During the game, players can view their own scores on their personal game website page. At the end of the game, the 50-100 best players in each country will win a special new Nokia phone.

"This is the third time we are bringing Nokia Game to mobile phone users. Last year, half a million people played it in 18 countries across Europe. This year's Nokia Game will involve even more players in more countries, providing them with thrilling experiences and challenging tasks during an intense 3-week period. Players will be able to chat with each other on the game website while they play. This type of promotional activity is a good fit with our brand promise of connecting people and reflects the growing importance of entertainment in mobile services," said Pekka Rantala, Vice President, Marketing Services, Nokia Mobile Phones.

Nokia Game 2001 will feature Club Nokia and digital services. Members of Club Nokia can get operator logos, ring tones, and picture messages with Nokia Game themes from Club Nokia. Club Nokia is an on-line community and loyalty program offering exclusive services to Nokia phone owners in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Club Nokia web and wap services can be accessed once the Nokia phone is registered with Club Nokia. For more information on Club Nokia, please see www.club.nokia.com.

Players can register for the game here between October 4th and November 3rd. .



Electrolux expects significantly lower earnings for 3Q and full year 2001
Electrolux's operating income for the third quarter and the full year 2001, excluding items affecting comparability, is expected to be significantly lower than in the preceding year.
This reflects a change of the outlook in the Group's half-yearly report, which stated that operating income for the full year 2001, excluding items affecting comparability, was expected to be somewhat lower than in the preceding year.

The change is traceable mainly to higher costs for phasing in a new generation of refrigerators within the American operation, continued destocking at the retail level in the United States, and a continued weak earnings trend for the Components product line.

Last week's tragic events in the USA further underline uncertainty regarding American household's purchases of the Group's product categories, as well as future consumer confidence. This is in addition to a market which already shows an unfavorable trend for price and mix.



Volvo's largest sponsorship ever sets sail
Volvo's largest sponsorship investment ever, the Volvo Ocean Race, sets sails on Sep 23, 2001 when the eight race boats competing leave Southampton, UK. The Volvo Ocean Race is the Grand Prix of ocean races and rated as one of the top seven TV sporting events, worldwide. The race covers 32,700 nautical miles with nine stopovers with finish in Kiel, Germany in June 2002.
Investments in sports are a very effective means of communications, which is why Volvo acquired the race from Whitbread in 1998 for about USD 8.5 million. The Volvo Group and Volvo Car Corporation jointly own the sponsorship. The costs for running the race in terms of management and logistics are about USD 20 million and on top of that, investments are made in marketing and PR of about USD 10-15 million. The latter cost will be a re-allocation of already existing budgets to maximise the marketing benefits offered by the Volvo Ocean Race. The total commitment by the Volvo Group and Volvo Cars amounts to approximately USD 35 million, over a period of four years.

One of Volvo's objectives in the Volvo Ocean Race is to expand the environmental commitment and to this end, the Volvo Ocean Adventure is created, a free global environmental education program. This web-based program is linked directly to the Volvo Ocean Race since it uses the boats to measure the health of the oceans that they sail across. The purpose of the Volvo Ocean Adventure is to increase environmental awareness and activate young people around the world to show they can make an impact on the environment.

FöreningsSparbanken and SEB break off merger
FöreningsSparbanken and SEB have today withdrawn the notification to the European Commission concerning the planned merger between the banks. Through the decision the merger process between the two major Swedish banks is discontinued.
The Boards of Directors of both banks have unanimously made this decision, since they have established that an approval of the planned merger by the European Commission implies such extensive concessions that the value of the merger would be lost through, among other things, a lack of synergies.

From the objections to the planned merger that the Competition Authority has expressed in its Statement of Objections of 11 September and the subsequent discussions between the banks and the authority, is it evident that the banks and the Commission have strongly diverging standpoints. In order for the merger to obtain approval, far more extensive concessions will be demanded than the banks are prepared to make. It would, among other things, be necessary to dispose of a considerable part of the office network, possibly including product concessions, and thus a very large number of customers and employees. Concessions to such an extent mean that the value of the merger would be lost.

"The European Commission and the banks have different views of the Swedish bank market," says Jacob Wallenberg, Chairman of the Board of SEB. "In its Statement of Opinion the Commission claims that the new bank would gain such a dominant position that not even Nordea and Svenska Handelsbanken would be able to compete with us. We do not share that opinion. In our view competition is tough and constantly growing as new actors enter the market. This is shown not least by the fact that the prices in the banking sector are lower in Sweden than in the rest of Europe. We regret that the conditions to create a large European bank from a Swedish basis no longer exist as the synergies would be lost through concessions."



Telenor Media sold for NOK 5.8 bn in cash to TPG
Telenor and Texas Pacific Group (TPG) have signed an agreement on the sale of Telenor Media for NOK 5.8 billion (Euro 722 million) in cash.
The sale of Telenor Media forms part of Telenor's long-term strategy to focus on core businesses. The deal represents a significant step in fulfilling the company's stated objective to realise value from non-core business areas. Completion of the sale, which is conditional on Norwegian regulatory clearance, is expected before the end of the year. The transaction will result in a book gain for Telenor of approximately NOK 5 billion (Euro 622 million).

Commenting on the transaction, Tormod Hermansen, Chief Executive Officer of Telenor, said: "We have maximised cash proceeds from Telenor Media by selling the entire company in a clear and simple cash deal, rather than realising value through a separate stock exchange listing. We are pleased with this transaction which shows good progress in the implementation of our strategy to focus on our core businesses. We are looking forward to working together with TPG as a partner."



Skandia assumes leadership role in global responsibility
Skandia has acquired the majority shareholding in Global Responsibility Holding A/S, Copenhagen. Global Responsibility was formed last year by, among others, Professor Karl Lidgren. The company has developed an Internet-based communications platform where companies and organisations can report their efforts and the results of their work to achieve sustainable development. Last spring, Skandia's subsidiary E&Q Rating AB launched an Internet-based tool and index for evaluating companies and organisations with regard to Quality, Environmental, Occupational Health and Safety management.
The two companies will now merge under the name Global Responsibility International AB with headquarters in Stockholm. Using a joint, Internet-based communications platform, the new company will now invite companies and organisations worldwide to evaluate, track and present their operational performance within Quality, Environmental, Occupational Health & Safety management and Ethics. The new platform will also provide companies and organisations with qualified support in their efforts to improve in these areas. Furthermore, stakeholders, customers, employees and the public will have free access to evaluations and other information for comparisons and assessments.

The company's President will be Perry Fredriksson, formerly President of E&Q Rating AB: "A platform is needed where companies and organisations worldwide can obtain support to develop their own operations and competitiveness and where they can meet their stakeholders in an open dialogue. Our goal is to be the world-leading communications platform where information about the impact of companies and organisations on the environment and health, as well as their policies on ethics and quality, is compiled, evaluated and distributed."



Helsinki sees increased popularity of public-transport route search facilit
SMS enquiries about the routes and timetables of the Helsinki
Metropolitan Area public-transport services are becoming more and more popular. This new facility means that mobile operators provide information on the most convenient public-transport service between two addresses in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. A total of almost 6,500 route searches were carried out in August.
The user of the route search facility stipulates two addresses, his point of departure and destination, in the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. This facility tells the user immediately which public-service vehicle to get on to reach the desired destination. The user can also choose a certain point of time, on the basis of which the route service provides the next departure time of the public-service vehicle. The time can be the departure time of the vehicle or the time by which the user of the service wants to reach his destination.

'Most of the route enquiries are carried out at noon and early in the evening, i.e. when people go somewhere else than home. Most of the timetable enquiries, in turn, are carried out in the afternoon and late in the evening, i.e. when people know their destination but want to check the timetable of the public-service vehicle they are going to take', explains Ilkka Kukkonen managing director of Novo Meridian, who have developed the utility.

A specific pedestrian network was created for the route search facility to find out the routes people take when using public-service vehicles. Thanks to this network, the route search service tells the user the best route for the vehicle suggested.



Scania reinforces its market position with new V8 truck
Scania adds a prestigious bonneted T-model to its range-topping V8 models. The use of the Scania HPI fuel injection system is now extended, opening up for larger volumes in the next few years.
For the most demanding customers and the most prestigious transport tasks, Scania now introduces a new bonneted versions of its V8 model. The new V8 engine, which was launched last year, remains the most powerful engine on the market complying with the Euro 3 exhaust regulations, a standard that is mandatory from 1 October this year. The 16-litre V8 engine is available in two versions with 480 or 580 hp (353 or 427 kW).

The bonneted Scania T-model has a very spacious cab interior, with a flat floor and full cross-cab access. The sleeper version is also available with a raised roof (Topline) that provides unparalleled interior volume. Many drivers appreciate the feeling of added safety behind the bonnet.

There is now a renewed interest in bonneted trucks in Europe. The length restrictions still apply, but some types of transport do not utilise the full length for the cargo, e.g. tankers and bulk transporters. Hauliers can therefore 'afford' to sacrifice some length in favour of the benefits and the impact of a bonneted truck.



Cloetta Fazer announces sale of Business Area Handel
Cloetta Fazer's sale of Business Area Handel was completed today with payment of the purchase price and transference of the shares to the buyer.
On 27 July 2001 Cloetta Fazer AB signed an agreement with Swiss-based Valora Holding AG for the sale of Business Area Handel, as announced in an earlier press release. The transaction was conditional on factors including the approval of the competition authorities in Finland and Sweden, which has now been obtained.

The sale is part of Cloetta Fazer's strategy to focus resources on core activities in Business Area Konfektyr and thereby reinforce its position as the Nordic region's leading chocolate and confectionery company. The transaction value of the sale is SEK 538 million including transferred debts of more than SEK 100 million, generating a capital gain of SEK 135 million. The sale will rid the Cloetta Fazer Group of all debt and provide an equity ratio of around 70 per cent.

SAS cancels all US flights effective Tuesday 11 Sept.
As a result of the disaster in the US, SAS announces that it has canceled all flights to and from the US on Wednesday.

Metso strengthens its service operations in China
Metso Paper has opened a new service technology center in Jiangsu Province in China. The center, located in Wuxi about 100 kilometers west of Shanghai, provides expert services related to roll maintenance and process development for the Chinese pulp, paper and panelboard industry. The center, which employs today 60 persons, was officially inaugurated on September 9, 2001 at Wuxi.
The opening of the new service technology center significantly expands Metso Paper's service capabilities in China. The center offers one-stop roll service for all roll types, including, for example, roll overhauls as well as polyurethane and rubber coverings. It also features a consumables base, allowing the rapid delivery of key spare parts and customized consumables such as doctor blades. In addition, the center provides specialized on-site service and support for production line improvements.

Metso Automation has also opened a new delivery and service center in China. The center, which operates in Shanghai's free trade area at Waigaoqiao, employs about 50 persons. The center delivers automation products, valves, positioners, actuators and their spare parts to China and the whole Asia-Pacific region.

Both service centers are part of Metso's Future Care business concept, aimed at maintaining the competitiveness of customer processes throughout their whole life cycles.



Sweden's Gripen International welcomes selection as preferred choice for Hungarian Air Force
Gripen International welcomes today's announcement that the Hungarian Government has selected the Gripen new-generation, multi-role fighter as its preferred choice to meet the national, NATO and European defense needs of the Hungarian Air Force.
Hungary, which joined NATO in 1999, is the first Central European nation to select Gripen to meet its 21st century defense needs. Gripen International, a company in which Saab AB of Sweden and the United Kingdom's BAE SYSTEMS have equal shares, looks forward to supporting the Swedish government's lease of Gripen fighters with a program of offset amounting to 100% of the contract value.

"This is very welcome confirmation that Gripen, the most capable and cost-effective combat aircraft in service today, offers an affordable security solution for national, NATO and European defense needs," comments Ian McNamee, managing director Gripen International.

Already in service with the Swedish Air Force which has ordered 204 aircraft (including 28 two-seaters) and has also been ordered by the South African Air Force which has a requirement for 28.

Telenor ninety years on Spitsbergen
This year, it will be ninety year since Telenor (at that time Telegrafvæsenet) established the first telephone link between Spitsbergen and the Norwegian mainland.
With the exception of a few years during the second world war, Telenor has been present on Svalbard since 1911. This weekend, Telenor, one of Svalbard's pioneers, will be celebrating its continued active role in the island group through several arrangements.

Spitsbergen Radio On May 3, 1911, the Norwegian parliament agreed that a radio telegraph station was to be built on Svalbard. The station was named Spitsbergen Radio and originally built at Green Harbour (now Grønfjorden). It was later moved to Finneset just south of Barentsburg. The station was established five years before Svalbard's first coal mine opened.

The first telephone connection linking Svalbard to the mainland based on the technology of the time was made on November 22, 1911. A corresponding station was built on the mainland. In 1930, the station that had been named Svalbard Radio in 1925 was moved to Longyearbyen.

Telenor on Svalbard today
Telenor today has two manned operations on the island of Svalbard - Telenor Network Services, which is responsible for the coastal radio service, and Telenor Svalbard AS, which is responsible for the development and operation of fixed-line and customer services, and the operation of Telenor's satellite stations. In total, Telenor has 20 employees on Svalbard.



Tesco, UK's largest food retailer, chooses ReadSoft
ReadSoft has won an order to automate the handling of supplier delivery notes at Tesco, Britain's largest food retailer. Eyes & Hands FORMS will read, interpret and verify information on 250,000 delivery notes each month.
Up until now, the handling of supplier delivery notes from Tesco's 692 stores in the UK have been a massive manual process. From now on automatic data capture technology will reduce handling costs and improve data quality. When goods are delivered to Tesco, the store will produce a Tesco receipt note confirming the goods received. The supplier delivery note is then sent to Tesco's finance center in Cardiff, where Eyes & Hands FORMS will read, interpret and verify the relevant information. Previously, personnel at Tesco keyed in the information manually.

"This order from Tesco is in many ways important for ReadSoft. Apart from it being a very large installation this is also the very first order within this segment in the UK. The food industry, with all its information sharing and advanced logistics calls for reduced handling costs, something we can offer. Tesco is a fine reference customer for ReadSoft, says Jan Andersson, MD.



Ericsson introduces T65 - new GPRS phone with one-button access to the Mobile Internet
Today, at the Technology and Strategy Summit in London, Ericsson presented the T65, a new GPRS phone with one-button access to the Mobile Internet.
The Ericsson T65 is a powerful WAP phone with a contemporary design built to offer young people a fast and easy connection with the Mobile Internet. It is also loaded with the latest features for new and powerful ways to socialise and access information. T65 will be available in GSM900/1800 markets in fourth quarter 2001.

One-button-access means instant and easy connection to online WAP services and content. Favourites, such as a preferred WAP page, can be accessed with effortlessly on the phone's large 6-row display. What makes T65 really special is that there are so many ways to personalise its use with images, sounds, and ever-changing content from the web.

T65 has a 1.2.1 WAP browser teamed with fully featured GPRS technology to support connection speeds of up to 43.2 kbps. This means data and file transfers can now move faster. GPRS also makes permanent access to the Mobile Internet a reality.

T65 is small and light. It comes in a choice of 3 colours: Cosmic blue, Polar blue, Stardust yellow. It also has a built-in antenna and battery. The 6-row display is big and suitable for browsing the Mobile Internet or reading messages and e-mail.



Norwegian airline Widerøe Flyveselskap signs agreement with Saab Aviocomp
The agreement between the Norwegian airline Widerøe and Saab Aviocomp of Sweden covers component overhaul, repair and maintenance of Widerøe's current fleet of 27 Dash 8 aircraft.
Saab Aviocomp will complement the in-house capability of Widerøe. Saab Aviocomp and Widerøe will work closely together to increase the Dash 8 maintenance capability with the objectives of further reducing Widerøe's present out-sourced repair costs and improving maintenance services.

"We are very pleased to enter into this agreement with Widerøe - the largest Dash 8 operator in Europe. It will significantly increase business between Saab Aviocomp and Widerøe for our mutual benefit, and provides Saab Aviocomp with a major stepping stone towards the European Dash-8 market" says Jan-Ingvar Johansson, President Saab Aviocomp.

Widerøe operates Norway's largest regional network, complemented with international flights to Denmark, Sweden, Scotland and Germany. SAS is a close partner and majority shareholder in Widerøe.



KF, Skandia and Telia to launch bank
KF, Skandia and Telia are launching a new bank. Coop Bank will offer essential financial services with competitive terms. The bank's main channel of distribution will be the Internet, however deposits and withdrawals can be done in the various supermarkets and hypermarkets belonging to the co-operative group. The goal is for Coop Bank to quickly become one of Sweden's leading banks.
The owners provide the bank with a strong starting point. KF's MedMera customer card will immediately introduce the bank to some 3.5 million potential customers. The co-operative group's geographic reach will make the bank accessible to customers throughout Sweden. Skandia adds banking expertise and a modern IT infrastructure. Telia ensures Coop Bank a position as a leading financial services provider via existing and future telecom services.

"This partnership enables us to offer members an alternative to traditional banking institutions. Our goal is for Coop Bank to be the largest, most customer-friendly bank in the Nordic region - a bank that helps simplify the daily lives of our members. We estimate that Coop Bank will have over one million account holding customers by 2005 - at the latest," said Roland Svensson, President and CEO, KF.

Coop Bank's main channel of distribution will be the Internet. However, customers will be able to withdraw cash in the co-operative group's approximately 1,300 supermarkets and hypermarkets - as well as automatic teller machines - quickly and free of charge. The bank will also offer services via fixed-line and mobile phone.

KF ekonomisk förening, the Swedish Co-operative Union, will own 45 per cent of the new bank, Skandia Liv 35 per cent, and Telia AB 20 per cent. The three partners will invest a total of SEK 700 millio..




SAS appoints new Marketing Head
Jens Wittrup Willumsen has been appointed Senior Vice President for SAS Marketing & Product Management. In this position, his responsibilities include the airline's brand, product development, market communications and loyalty program.
Wittrup Willumsen will be a member of the newly formed SAS management team and Marie Ehrling, SAS's Deputy CEO and airline manager, will be his immediate superior.

Jens Wittrup Willumsen was born in 1960 and is an economics graduate. He returns to SAS after spending the past five years as president of Mediacom in Denmark and president of Denmark's ACNielsen AIM A/S.

"I am pleased to be returning to SAS," says Jens Wittrup Willumsen. "I regard working with market communications at SAS as a challenge, particularly at a time when the spotlight is on the company. Becoming part of the new and relatively young airline management team means a new beginning, as does working with SAS's exciting new products."



Telenor to terminate paging services in two years
Telenor will stop offering paging services 1 September 2003. The reason is that the demand has diminished considerably and that Telenor's technical equipment supplier is closing business in this field.
During the last few years the mobile phone has almost completely taken over the functions of the pager. The number of devices is decreasing, and if this development continues, there will be only 35.000 users left by the time the network is closed in two years.

Telenor Mobil offers ample alternative solutions for paging, and will, in cooperation with other technology companies, continue working on technological solutions that will fully replace today's paging services. These services will furthermore offer a whole new range of possibilities for the user.

The company that has supplied the technical apparatus for Telenor Mobil's paging network has terminated production of this kind of equipment. It is already difficult to acquire spare parts for the network, and after 2002, Telenor will no longer be offered regular maintenance for its paging centre. The result is that Telenor Mobil will not be able to guarantee adequate operation of the network in the long term.

Operators in Denmark and Finland have also announced that they plan to terminate their paging services.



Telia aquires mobile portal Halebop
Telia aquires mobile portal Halebop and streamlines its mobile portal operations in the Nordic countries. The Halebop portal today has a customer base with over 800,000 registered users.
Telia is streamlining its operations and maintenance of its mobile portals in the Nordic countries by creating a joint technical platform. "Considerable synergy effects will be made with the joint technical platform", says Kenneth Karlberg Senior Executive Vice President of Telia Group and head of the Telia Mobile Business area.

Telia aquires Halebop from Drutt Corporation via a transfer of owner shares. Telia has until now had an owner share of 40% in Drutt Corporation of which 15% is now transferred to Drutt Corporation. Telia remains as a minority owner in Drutt Corporation with 25%. "Telia is strongly focusing on the Nordic market and will by this get access to Halebop's considerable customer base", Kenneth Karlberg continues.

Halebop consists of a Swedish company, Halebop AB with five employees and a Norwegian company, Halebop AS with three employees. The businesses will continue as separate legal units under the Halebop trademark. Kent Jonsson, today head of Sales & Marketing at Speedy Tomato, has been appointed acting head of Halebop.

"We are proud of what Halebop has accomplished and to hand it over to Telia. Drutt Corporation will now focus on the core business, i e to develop and deliver mobile technology solutions to network operators and larger companies of which Telia and Halebop will continue to be important customers", says Roland Svensson, CEO, Drutt Corporation.

About Halebop Halebop is an independent mobile portal, providing end users with mobile services offered by partners wishing to reach a mobile audience. The trademark is owned by Telia. On the end user side Halebop aims to be the starting point and home for mobile services. On the partner side Halebop offers the best distribution platform and competence for mobile services. Halebop's services work independent of mobile operator, and independent of device and access technology. Halebop is a result of several years of co-operation between Telia AB and Oracle Corp. At www.halebop.com you will find a large spectrum of advanced mobile services, and the services are available to everyone.



Europolitan Vodafone buys 3G transmission equipment from Ericsson
Europolitan Vodafone has chosen Ericsson to supply transmission equipment for its 3G network. The agreement entails the supply of transmission nodes for Europolitan Vodafone's 3G network in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Karlskrona..
The equipment will be used in the construction of Europolitan Vodafone's 3G infrastructure in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Karlskrona (covering at least 30 per cent of the Swedish population). No supplier has yet been chosen for the remainder of the infrastructure, which is being built by the joint company co-owned by Europolitan Vodafone and Hi3G and known as 3G Infrastructure Services AB.

"Ericsson has been one of our major suppliers for many years," says Europolitan Vodafone's CEO Jon Risfelt. "The company has supplied us with several systems where quality and reliability were crucial, including most of Europolitan Vodafone's transmission equipment for the GSM network and terminal equipment for our Wireless Office."



Europolitan Vodafone chooses Nokia as its systems supplier for third generation mobile networks (3G) in Sweden
Nokia and Europolitan Vodafone have signed an agreement regarding the delivery of UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) networks for Europolitan Vodafone. Nokia will be the systems supplier for both the core network and radio access, and will also deliver implementation and technical maintenance services.
Deliveries will start in August 2001, and the launch of the network is scheduled for 2002. The agreement covers equipment for the infrastructure that Europolitan Vodafone is constructing in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Karlskrona (providing at least 30 per cent of the population coverage for Sweden). The agreement does not cover the remaining infrastructure that Europolitan Vodafone and Hi3G are jointly constructing via the company they co-own, 3G Infrastructure Services AB.

"Our choice of Nokia will give our customers access to all of Europolitan Vodafone's services regardless of which network they use (GSM, GPRS or UMTS), since Nokia previously supplied these as well. Cost-efficiency and quality have also been crucial to our choice," says Jon Risfelt, CEO at Europolitan Vodafone.

Nokia supplied Europolitan Vodafone's first GSM system in 1991 and subsequently also delivered WAP and GPRS services before being selected as the company's 3G supplier. The GSM/UMTS system that is being developed by Nokia and Europolitan Vodafone will gradually progress to become a fully IP based system using UMTS and GPRS elements.

Sony and Ericsson complete joint venture agreement
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications set to start operations on October 1 -Aiming for the world's leading position in mobile phones.
Sony Corporation and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson today announced that they have agreed terms to merge their mobile phone businesses worldwide, subject to final approval of the Boards of the two parent companies and subject to regulatory approvals.

The two companies which signed their Memorandum of Understanding in April are well on schedule and set to establish the joint venture, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, as planned on October 1, 2001. The joint venture's global management will be based in London and, after necessary approvals, Sony and Ericsson will start to merge their respective operations.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications will begin its activity with global product, marketing and sales operations and an initial workforce of 3,500 employees. On a pro-forma basis, the combined mobile phone businesses achieved annual unit sales of approximately 50 million units and sales of USD 7.2 billion last year.



Vitrolife enters co-operation agreement with Millenium Biologix Inc.
Vitrolife has signed an agreement with Millenium Biologix Inc., a private corporation with headquarters in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, concerning the development and testing of Vitrolife's proprietary culture media for use in human tissue engineering, particularly cartilage and bone.

Vitrolife has expertise in the field of specialist media for cell culture; particularly for in vitro fertilization applications; and is expanding this core competence into the wider field of human tissue engineering. Millenium has expertise in the field of skeletal cell culture and tissue engineering with synthetic biomaterials, growth factors, bioreactors and instrumentation and seeks preferred access to high quality proprietary media for human in vitro tissue engineering applications in its field.

This initial agreement is being entered into to cover a period of comprehensive testing and evaluation of candidate media produced by Vitrolife, based on current cartilage and bone cell and tissue culture models established by Millenium. Following successful evaluations and the anticipated development of advanced media for skeletal tissue engineering applications, it is anticipated that the two companies will enter into a further global commercialization agreement. This subsequent agreement will acknowledge Vitrolife's continuing role as developer and exclusive producer of proprietary media for Millenium and may also include a wider manufacturing role for Vitrolife in connection with Millenium's Total System for Tissue Engineering, the cartilage version of which is known as Cartilogic.

"Millenium and Vitrolife have one especially powerful thing in common. Each is fully committed to being the global standard setter in its field of expertise. With the advances in patient care that we will bring through our unique system for hospital based autologous tissue engineering comes an urgent need for new, advanced culture media., which is not only innovative but manufactured to the highest standards of quality and reproducibility. Vitrolife´s high quality media is the most advanced media we have seen by far, and this exciting collaboration between our two companies is going to change the orthopedics industry and lead to significantly improved outcomes and long term quality of life for patients." said Mr. Sydney Pugh, President and CEO of Millenium Biologix Inc.



Finnish Aldata wins two major G.O.L.D. System contracts
Aldata's French subsidiary Aldata Solution S.A. has gained two large orders, in contracts worth a total of EUR 3.8 million, for its G.O.L.D. supply chain application software in August 2001. Aldata will supply Jardiland, the leading retail gardening chain in France, with G.O.L.D. software for the management of its 211 stores. In the UK and marking an important bridgehead for Aldata into the UK retail software market, Lloydspharmacy, part of Gehe AG, the largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in Europe, has selected the G.O.L.D. solution for its 1400 stores.

Delivery of both systems have started and the Jardiland system will be fully deployed by the end of 2003. The Lloydspharmacy system will have the pilot ready by February 2002. The roll-out across the 1400 Lloydspharmacy stores is to be completed in early 2003. Aldata Group's growth and profitability forecasts for 2001 include 2001 revenues from these contracts.

Jardiland will be supplied with the G.O.L.D. modules Central (merchandise management), e-Retail (intranet in-store back-office operations) and Alerts (supply chain event management) for centralised merchandise management, integrated with in-store back-office operations, for Jardiland's operations in France and Spain. Jardiland's headquarters are in Lognes, France, where the company centrally manages its current three retail formats: Jardiland, the largest chain, with 103 stores in France and seven in Spain, Vive le Jardin with 55 stores in France, and the affiliate Semaphor stores in France. Group Jardiland's market share in France is 56 % and the company's net sales in 2000 totalled EUR 533,5 million.

Lloydspharmacy, a subsidiary of Gehe AG, will be supplied with the G.O.L.D. Central (merchandise management) module. The contract also includes options on additional retail outlets in the UK and elsewhere in Europe as well as options on other G.O.L.D. modules.



Nokia makes TV access easier with new digital receiver
Nokia Home Communications has launched a new product in its digital satellite receiver product range, making access to digital television for the consumer easier than ever before. The Nokia Mediamaster 9470 S is the first Nokia receiver to be based on an new product platform, adding to the Nokia Home Communications' offering of high performance digital television products. The Mediamaster 9470 S is based on Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) standards and provides consumers access to hundreds of free-to-air television and radio channels. It has an attractive compact innovative design and a set of new appealing features.

"The Nokia Mediamaster 9470 S is an optimal product to meet the rapid growth of the digital free-to-air satellite market. It is stylish, convenient to use, and has a set of great, new features." said Pekka Kuusela, General Manager Sales, Central Europe, Nokia Home Communications. "Nokia is committed to providing a full range of digital TV receivers that suit the various needs and expectations of our customers. The Nokia Mediamaster 9470 S is a perfect example of how Nokia works to make its products visionary, market leading, flexible and easy to use. With this product we have set a new standard for basic digital satellite receivers."

The Nokia Mediamaster 9470 S implements the Nokia Navi(TM)Bars user interface and comes with a memory capacity for thousands of channels, thereby enabling consumers to create personal favourite lists. It is easy to install, offers some of Nokia's most popular games, Snake and Tic-Tac-Toe, and provides the highest quality video and audio experience, supporting Dolby(R) Digital sound.

The Nokia Mediamaster 9470 S is available in Europe in Q4.



MarineProvider Signs Up Maersk Line, Limited
Maersk Line, Limited, based in Norfolk, Virginia (USA) has today made an agreement with MarineProvider ASA to conduct its procurement electronically through MarineProvider's e-Procurement solution. Maersk Line, Limited owns and operates 32 vessels.

'We are delighted that Maersk Line, Limited selected MarineProvider's e-Procurement solution for handling their technical procurement needs", says Collin Lewis, CEO of MarineProvider ASA.

'After having thoroughly evaluated numerous marine e-procurement vendors, we chose MarineProvider because of their technical competence, financial stability, management capabilities and ability to meet our exacting demands', says Tony Giambrone, Director of Purchasing of Maesk Line, Limited.

Lewis added: 'MarineProvider's highly advanced integration solution will be integrated into Maersk Line, Limited's PeopleSoft purchasing system, resulting in no additional training for the Maersk Line, Limited employees, and will deliver considerable productivity gains".



Kemira and Movere establish joint logistics operation in Lithuania
Kemira Agro Oy and Movere Oy will establish a joint agricultural logistics operation in Lithuania. Movere UAB will begin operations on 1 January 2002, and will be located at the Kemira Lifosa fertiliser plant site in Kedainiai. Kemira's holding will be 80% of the company's shares.

Movere UAB will engage in the handling of logistics and export-import traffic in Lithuania. The company will also manage Baltic transports and, with Movere Finland, ship cargo in the Baltic sea.

The new company will use Movere Finland's information system, functioning by networking with client companies. It will seek out business partners that have a need for a similar type of service concept.

Movere is a logistics management and development company jointly owned by Kemira, Suomen Rehu and Sonera, which provides companies with integrated, international logistics services for purchasing, shipping and distribution. Its net sales in the year 2000 totalled EUR 32 million, and the company employed a staff of 65 at the end of the year.



Munters dries candy in Denmark
Munters has received an order for six Drying Chambers from the Danish confectionery manufacturer Bonbon A/S. Munters will build complete Drying Chambers based on Munters dehumidification technique.

These will be used in the drying process when manufacturing wine-gum and licorice. "Munters equipment is used both when drying, packaging and storing in almost all types of food production processes. That way our customers get a higher and more even quality on their finished products, no matter the climate", says Johan Hasslöf, Sales Director Munters Dehumidification in Scandinavia. The value of the order is SEK 9 million.



Hitachi and Anoto initiate collaboration
Hitachi and Anoto Nippon K.K. have initiated collaboration to evaluate joint business opportunities. By combining the Anoto concept with Hitachi's integrated solutions and technologies including image solution technology, Hitachi will be developing new solutions resulting in unprecedented customer value.
"We recognize that Anoto is a leading company with its innovative and epoch-making technology in the area of digital pen and paper. We are very delighted to have this opportunity to collaborate with Anoto to create highly value-added solutions and services to benefit our customers", says Junzo Nakajima, CEO of Government & Public Corporation Information Systems Division, Hitachi, Ltd.

"There is a large business potential on the Japanese market for the Anoto concept together with innovative IT solutions provided by Hitachi. As one of the most prominent players in the IT area, Hitachi has both the development capacity and market position to implement new concepts effectively. Its broad expertise and large customer base form a strong base for new exciting business opportunities", says Mats Bruzaeus, President of Anoto Nippon K.K.

"The global presence and competence of Hitachi as a world leader in a number of industrial segments makes this partnership highly valuable for Anoto. Specifically we see this as one of our most important partnerships for enterprise solutions as Hitachi has leading knowledge in form processing, OCR and ICR* for Japanese characters", says Christer Fåhraeus, CEO, Anoto AB.



TDC and CMG launch the first pan-European platform for Interactive Internet-SMS services
Today, a joint venture between TDC Mobile International and CMG Wireless Data Solutions will launch the first European two-way SMS platform, which opens up for interactivity between the mobile and Internet world across the operators networks. The joint venture will be established under the company name MIGway- Mobile Interactive Gateway.
The service will provide simpler access to the some 320 million mobile customers who use a GSM phone today in Europe. This means that content owners only need to link up with MIGway's mobile messaging platform in order to reach all GSM users in Europe. Previously, the content owners were forced to enter into bilateral agreements with each operator.

"All over Europe, customers have adopted SMS and still welcome new interactive SMS services such as mobile access to Instant Messaging and E-mail. It is MIGway's goal to become European content owners' preferred wireless infrastructure provider and we allready have negotiations ongoing with global players. This SMS-platform could be the breakthrough for the pan-European m-commerce," says Henning Vest, President of TDC Mobile International.



Framfab designs new portal for Volvo Group
In stiff competition, Framfab was recently awarded the winner of a contest organized by AB Volvo. Framfab's answer to AB Volvo's challenge - to create a new "look and feel" as well as a new information structure for the Volvo Group's portal volvo.com - serves to strengthen Framfab's position as leading e-branding solution provider.
The competition involved six of the strongest web design bureaus on the Swedish market, and all answers were handled strictly anonymously. After careful evaluation of the answers by the Volvo jury, Framfab's contribution obtained a vast majority.

Based on the winning redesign concept, the process of creating a new design manual for the transport solution provider's Internet portal www.volvo.com is now under way. The new design will support AB Volvo's business in several ways:
- Framfab's contribution was perceived as being the strongest, since it enables flexibility over time and reflects the strategic challenges of the Volvo Group as well as the path of the brand. Such factors are crucial for a solution that will serve a global corporation of Volvo Group's caliber, says Mr Patric Carlsson, Key account manager at Framfab.



Nokia and Caripac.com to supply broadband IP access solution in China
Nokia, working with HongKong based system integrator Caripac.com, have signed an agreement to supply Nokia's D50e broadband access network to JiLin Telecom in China.
The contract is for the provincial broadband access network and in the initial phase JiLin Telecom plans to offer broadband access services in four large cities in JiLin province, in the Northern region of China. Deliveries will begin immediately and the contract includes a wide-range of customer services delivered by Caripac.com and Nokia.

"This agreement outlines the long-term relationship between JiLin Telecom and Nokia and will enable JiLin Telecom to provide high speed Internet service in the whole province," said Antti Ware, President, System Business, Nokia (China) Investment Co. Ltd. "It will also further strengthen Nokia's position as a leading end to end broadband IP access vendor in China, meeting operators' demand for high-quality solutions and services."



Autoliv Relocates Labor Intensive Manufacturing
Autoliv Inc. today announced that it has started compulsory negotiations with the local trade union at its plant in Kungälv, Sweden, to move most of its Swedish airbag cushion cut and sew operations from Kungälv to its existing plant in Olawa in Poland.
Last week, Autoliv announced that similar production in the US, which has 500 employees, will be moved to Mexico. The Swedish textile operations currently employ just over 100 people. Non-production functions such as product development will remain in Sweden. The planned move is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

The plans to move the Swedish and US textile operations are part of Autoliv's previously announced cost efficiency program. So far this year, the company has moved more than 1,000 jobs to low cost countries. In total, Autoliv has 30,000 employees in 30 car-producing countries at 80 facilities.


Norwegian GGS is awarded 2D contracts
GGS ASA has been awarded two 2D contracts offshore Oman and the UAE. The contracts are subject to technical & HSE audit. GGS will use the vessel Odin Explorer for the job. The company considers this to be an important milestone in expanding its business beyond Iran to become a leading geophysical company in the whole Middle East region.
This is GGS' first 2D contract and it is scheduled to start late 3rd quarter 2001. The contract value is between 1 and 1.5 million USD.

At present the company is also into the second month of collecting several 3D contract surveys, which together represent a backlog of more than USD 20 million. This work is being undertaken with the 6 streamer vessel Laurentian, and is expected to be finished 1st or 2nd quarter 2002.



Ericsson and XIRING in license agreement for m-commerce technology
Ericsson has signed an agreement to license its technology for smart card transactions over the Mobile Internet to XIRING, a company specialized in the design and marketing of personal smart card readers and secure transaction solutions for consumers.
Under the terms of this agreement, XIRING receives exclusive rights to further develop the Ericsson Wireless Wallet technology platform, which is based on widely accepted standards, such as Bluetooth. The technology will be incorporated into XIRING future product offers.



Norwegian Competition Authorities will say no to SAS' acquisition of Braathens ASA
SAS has today received a notice from the Norwegian Competition Authorities stating that the authorities will say no to SAS' acquisition of Braathens ASA.
The Norwegian Competition Authority has today issued its preliminary evaluation of SAS's potential acquisition of Braathens. This states that the Authority will take action against the acquisition, that is, it opposes its implementation. The Competition Authority bases its evaluation mainly on the fact that it has not been proved to a sufficient degree that Braathens is a bankrupt company.

Braathens, in turn, had approached SAS because the company believed it was in a difficult financial situation, which it would not be able to survive. Braathens regarded the only solution to be SAS's intervention as an owner - in order to save jobs, the Norwegian civil aviation sector and the offering to Norwegian customers. When SAS entered into an agreement with the majority owners in Braathens, it was on this basis, as well as the opportunity to adapt the Norwegian air travel structure to what is common in Europe.

Braathens' financial situation has been the main feature of the argument that has been made in relation to the Competition Authority. There have been attempts to make it clear that if SAS is not given the possibility to become an owner in the company, Braathens will not survive and jobs will be lost.



Ericsson strengthens management structure and appoints CEO
Ericsson will adjust its organization to benefit from the ongoing globalization trend among operators and drive the technology shift to mobile and broadband Internet. The sales and market organization will better serve global customers, and the product organization will be organized for better synergies.
"This is an important and proactive step for us in strengthening our leading position within the telecom industry," said Kurt Hellström, President and CEO of Ericsson. "Our new organization will put even more emphasis on serving our customers, reduce complexity, and more efficiently apply our resources."

Effective October 1, Ericsson will create a market organization with new global customer units for large global customers. From start there will be five units. The market area organization will consist of three units compared to five today (Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa). The heads of the global customer units and the market areas report directly to CEO Kurt Hellström.

Within the market areas, approximately 100 market units will be consolidated into substantially fewer but larger units before the end of the year. This new structure provides a more efficient organization, combined with an increased competence and flexibility in the customer interface.

Effective September 1, the role of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be established. Per-Arne Sandström, currently head of Market Area North America, is appointed COO, reporting directly to CEO Kurt Hellström.



Water Reuse Expert to Accept 2001 Stockholm Water Prize from HM King Carl XVI Gustaf
Water reuse expert Professor Takashi Asano of the University of California at Davis (UCD), USA, accepted the 2001 Stockholm Water Prize from HM King Carl XVI during a ceremony in the Stockholm City Hall on August 16.
The Stockholm Water Foundation named Professor Asano as the 11th Stockholm Water Prize Laureate 2001 for his outstanding contributions to efficient use of water in the domain of wastewater reclamation, recycling and reuse through theoretical developments, practical research and worldwide adaptation and promotion.

During the last 20 years, Professor Asano has been the world's foremost expert on the safe and beneficial use of recycled water. Water recycling means reusing treated wastewater instead of drinking-quality water for purposes such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, environmental enhancement, and replenishing of depleted groundwater aquifers.

Professor Asano, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was born in Sapporo, Japan, in 1937 and moved to the United States in 1963. He is married to Holly Newcomb Asano and lives in Davis, California.



Smedvig purchases the semi-tender rig West Alliance
Stavanger, Norway based Smedvig today informed Keppel Shipyards in Singapore of its intention to exercise the Company's option to purchase the shipyard's 72 percent ownership interest in the semi-submersible tender rig West Alliance, under construction. Start-up of the drilling operations is scheduled for early November this year. The agreed purchase price is approximately USD 61.5 million.
Smedvig's option to purchase Keppel Shipyard's ownership interest is part of the cooperation agreement that the two parties entered into last summer. Following the exercise of the option, Smedvig will own 100 percent of the West Alliance. The purchase will increase Smedvig's total capital expenditure on the rig to approximately USD 85 million.

The construction of the West Alliance is proceeding according to plan and budget. The unit is based on a design and specification similar to that of Smedvig's newest semi-tender West Menang, but is improved to accommodate for increased deckload capacity, larger accommodation facilities and off-line drilling activities. Capable of shallow water drilling, the unit is also designed for deepwater drilling operations in combination with floating wellhead platforms in benign waters.

The recently secured contract for the West Alliance is for a firm period of one year plus one optional year. .



Bonnier Publications build group-wide content management strategy on the Polopoly platform
Danish media house Bonnier Publications, which publishes magazines, books, videos and multi-media products, will use the Swedish system, Polopoly, as the group-wide content management platform.
Bonnier Publications is one of the Nordic region's leading media players with a wide range of publications, magazines, books, films and multimedia productions.

"Long-term the idea is to make our brands as strong in the digital channels, as they historically have been in the more traditional paper- based channels. Polopoly provides us with a technology platform which enables us to easily and cost-efficiently manage our content and our customers across an arbitrary number of media output channels," says Gert Hannibal Jensen, CTO, Bonnier Web Publications.

"The Bonnier Publications case represents an exciting example of a new way of thinking in the media industry," says Gustaf Sahlman, Polopoly's CEO. "Instead of building separate editions with separate technology and separate editorial teams for the different media output channels, they will coordinate news production and distribution across the different channels. This means that it is possible to publish in more channels, such as interactive tv, Internet, wap and sms, without adding new tasks and new costs."



Candy maker Cloetta Fazer reports dramatic earnings growth
"This represents a substantial improvement in earnings, where the second quarter was even better than the first," says Cloetta Fazer's CEO Lennart Bohlin. "As anticipated, the merger with Fazer Konfektyr has generated additional synergy gains that were realised in the first half of the year.
Cloetta Fazer posted a profit after net financial items of MSEK 182 (138) for the first half of 2001, up 32% on the year-earlier figure. Operating profit improved to MSEK 195 (158). Business Area Konfektyr showed the strongest development with an operating profit of MSEK 162 (114), an increase of 42%.

Export sales outside the Nordic region also developed favourably, with volume growth of more than 50%. The Baltic states, the US and the Czech Republic accounted for most of the increase. Sales in Poland, which make up 11% of the Group's total confectionery sales volume, rose by 8% and these operations reported an operating profit for the first time since the merger.

As announced earlier, at the end of July an agreement was signed with the Swiss-based Valora Holding AG at for the sale of Business Area Handel. The transfer of ownership is expected to take place in September 2001. The sale will leave the Cloetta Fazer Group free of debt, aside from pension liabilities and convertible debentures, with an equity ratio of around 70%. Liquid assets at year-end are expected to total MSEK 500. The sale will provide the Group with a capital gain of MSEK 152 including Lecora (MSEK 17), which was sold earlier in the year.

"The financial resources that are created will be used for continued expansion in the confectionary trade in the Nordic region and other European countries," concludes Lennart Bohlin.



Autoliv moves it's US air cushions operations
Autoliv Inc. today announced it is moving its North American airbag cushion cut and sew operations from Ogden, Utah, to its existing plant in Queretaro, Mexico. This move comes as part of the company's previously announced cost efficiency program.
"Autoliv is committed to achieving significant cost savings through better utilization of resources," said Autoliv CEO Lars Westerberg. "Airbag cushion cut and sew operations are highly labor intensive. We can therefore reduce manufacturing costs for this process by relocating to our Queretaro facility. In Europe, we have already started to move this kind of production to Poland from Holland and other high cost countries."

Autoliv plans to phase cushion production out over the next twelve months at its Ogden, Utah, location beginning with sewing operations in September 2001 and continuing with cutting operations through September 2002. The plant, which currently employs 500 associates, will continue to operate with approximately 40 people in non-production areas such as Research and Development, Marketing, Prototyping and Purchasing.



Skanska secures water project in Argentina
Skanska's Argentinean subsidiary, Sade Skanska, has been contracted for the construction of the Colorado River Water Pipeline. A fiber-optic cable will also be installed parallel to the pipeline.
The total contract is valued at USD 82.5 M (SEK 850 M), of which Sade Skanska's share amounts to SEK 425 M. The contract is denominated in USD. The customer is the province of La Pampa in Argentina.

Sade Skanska is leading the 50/50 joint venture with Techint, an Argentinean company.

The project comprises a 156-km pipeline supplying Santa Rosa and other cities in the province of La Pampa with water from the Colorado River, approximately 500 km southwest of Buenos Aires. The pipeline, with a diameter of 1.1 meters, will have a maximum capacity of 2 cubic meters per second. The assignment includes the construction of an intake and treatment plant, two larger pump stations and a number of smaller ones, as well as operations buildings and electrical installations.

A fiber-optic (broadband) network will be installed parallel to the route of the pipeline. The network will connect 20 cities and will comprise a total of 595 km of fiber-optic cable. This portion of the total contract amount is valued at approximately USD 8.5 M (SEK 87 M).



Metso extends its offer for Svedala
The process to obtain clearance from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for Metso Corporation's offer for Svedala Industri AB is still ongoing. Metso has not yet received the final written draft of the terms of the consent decree from the FTC but expects that it will be forthcoming shortly. Following final consideration of these terms by Metso, the consent decree would, if agreed, subsequently be submitted to the Federal Trade Commissioners for approval.
This process is expected to take up to three weeks from submission. As a result, Metso has decided to extend the offer until September 7, 2001 and intends to make a further communication on or before September 4, 2001.

Assuming that approval from the FTC is obtained within this time frame, closing and settlement of the offer is expected to begin around September 14, 2001. Further information in relation to completion of the offer will be communicated upon receipt of the FTC approval.

Metso remains committed to its conditional offer as now extended to September 7, 2001. With the exception of the extension, the terms of the offer by Metso to the shareholders in Svedala Industri AB, announced on June 21, 2000, are unchanged.



Sandvik strengthens its position in the mining and construction industry
Sandvik's Mining and Construction business area has concluded an agreement with the US company, Smith International, Inc. of Houston, Texas, regarding the establishment of a jointly owned company for the development, manufacture, marketing and service operations for roller cone bits for the mining and construction industry.
The venture will involve the business sector Sandvik Tamrock's roller cone bit business in Köping, Sweden, and the Smith Bits Mining and Industrial Tools division of Smith International. The new company - Sandvik Smith (Sandvik 50%, Smith 50%) - will have slightly more than 200 employees and annual sales of approximately SEK 360 M. The manufacturing units are located in Sweden, the United States and Italy. The head office will be located in Köping, where the largest plant will be located. Activity in this jointly owned company will commence on 1 October 2001, and will be consolidated in its entirety in Sandvik Mining and Construction.

Sandvik Smith will be a world-leading manufacturer of roller cone bits for the mining and construction industry with a comprehensive product range, and broad market coverage. The company will have full access to Sandvik's and Smith International's R&D resources globally.

"Through Sandvik Smith, customers gain access to the market's most comprehensive and advanced product range which increases their productivity noticeably. Formation of the new joint venture is also part of Sandvik Mining and Construction's aim to increase operations in the area of cemented-carbide tools," says Anders Ilstam, President of Sandvik Mining and Construction.



Volvo invests in new and innovative technology
Volvo Technology Transfer, a wholly-owned subsidiary in the Volvo Group, has made an investment in Wipcore AB, a Swedish company which has created a platform for efficient e-business and information management.
Wipcore AB, a Gothenburg-based company founded in 1997, has focused on developing its own e-commerce and information management platform, Wipcoretm. During the last year, despite the dominating market trends, Wipcore AB has landed many new customers and partners.

"We like our business to be associated with new and innovative technology. Wipcore AB has a strong product that we firmly believe in. The technology is, in fact, already in use within the Volvo corporation: the Volvo Ocean Race merchandise solution is created using Wipcoretm," says Anders Brännström, President of Volvo Technology Transfer.

"The investment means that we now have resources for a proper expansion in the Nordic countries and the rest of Europe during the coming two to three years," Staffan Hansson, President of Wipcore AB explained. "Our goal is to establish our product, Wipcoretm, as the industry standard for its market. We are confident that the cooperation with Volvo Technology Transfer and our other investors will help us achieve that goal."



Nokia Signs USD200-million GSM Expansion Contract with Smart Communications, Inc. in the Philippines
Nokia has signed an agreement valued at USD 200 million with Smart Communications, Inc. for the expansion of its nationwide GSM network in the Philippines. Nokia has been the sole supplier for Smart's digital mobile network since Smart launched its GSM service in April 1999.
Under the contract, Nokia will supply and install several mobile switching centers, home location registers, base station controllers, advanced Ultrasite base stations, short messaging systems and a new network management system.

The Nokia Ultrasite base station solution answers the increasing demand for higher voice and data traffic in today's mobile networks and evolution to the Mobile Internet era. An industry-leading product, Nokia Ultrasite can support GSM and higher level mobile communication technologies.

This expansion program will enable Smart's network to handle a subscriber base in excess of six million subscribers by end of 2001, and up to 10 million subscribers by 2002.

Upon the conclusion of this expansion phase, Smart expects to realize substantial savings on a capacity-per-subscriber basis on account of the advanced, high-capacity network facilities being deployed by Nokia.

"This expansion agreement with Nokia is vital to our efforts to further raise service quality levels and increase our subscriber base by substantially increasing the subscriber capacity of our network," said Napoleon L. Nazareno, President and CEO of Smart.

Roxar delivers Multiphase Meters for Deepwater Gulf of Mexico
Roxar has won a contract for three subsea multiphase meters to the Nakika development in the deepwater part of the Gulf of Mexico. Shell is the pre-development operator of Nakika, and Roxar's contract is with Kongsberg/FMC. BP will be the leading operator of the Nakika field.
Says Torkell Gjerstad, CEO of Roxar; "We are very pleased with this order for the Nakika development. This will be the first deployment of subsea multiphase meters in the Gulf of Mexico. This is an important step towards a wider acceptance and use of multiphase metering technology in deepwater developments worldwide. Subsea multiphase metering solutions offer significant CAPEX savings with improved reservoir and production management, and we believe their use will be increasingly commonplace as the subsea market expands."

"When operators select a vendor for critical subsea equipment such as multiphase meters, they carefully review track record and robustness of the proposed solution. This is particularly the case for first time deployment in a high profiled area such as the Gulf of Mexico. We are pleased to see that we passed the exam", says Managing Director of Roxar Flow Management, Øyvind Isaksen.



Aspiro provides GlobalDining with key application and revenue stream
Aspiro has signed an agreement with application provider GlobalDining for its worldwide restaurant directory and reservation network. This unique agreement provides Aspiro with revenue streams as well as an attractive key application.
This unique agreement, which is entirely subsidized by participating restaurants, will, for the first time, provide Aspiro with a revenue stream from an application provider.

"We're excited by the opportunity to market GlobalDining's restaurant directory and services to our customers. Recent wireless use studies indicate that finding a restaurant is the most popular use of mobile data services in Europe. GlobalDining's service is by far the best available," says Lena Wittbjer, CEO at Aspiro.



NCC receives order in Singapore for approx. 720 MSEK
NCC is partner in an international joint venture which has been awarded a contract, C825, for the extension of the Metro system in Singapore. The total value of the contract is approximately SEK 2 billion, of which NCC's portion is 720 MSEK. The Client is LTA, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore, a statutory board under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
The Joint Venture, of which NCC is the technical leader, comprises of Woh Hup Private Ltd, a well-established Singaporean construction company and Shanghai Tunnelling Engineering Company Ltd, a Chinese based company experienced in soft soil TBM excavation.

"We are very pleased to have received this order," says Mr Göran Landgren, President of NCC International. "Singapore is one of our prioritized markets for project operations internationally and this type of project is totally in line with our strategy of specializing in underground works. NCC has been been present in Singapore since 1999 and this prestigous project is very important to our position in the region."

C825 of the Marina rapid transit line, consists of two parallel, 1,5 km long bored tunnels, 700 metres of cut-and-cover tunnel and four underground stations. The line starts at the existing station Dhoby Ghaut station, runs under the wellknown Bras Basah Road and stops at the new Millenia station. The works will be executed close to a number of well known buildings such as the Singapore Art Museum, Raffles Hotel and Chijmes.

The design phase of this Design and Build contract will start immediately, with project completion in 2005. Approximately 1 000 persons will be engaged in the project, the majority of which will be locally employed.



Top SAS Executive resigns after cartel disclosure
Vagn Sørensen, Executive Vice President at SAS, Scandinavian Airlines, has today informed SAS President and Chief Executive Officer Jørgen Lindegaard that he wishes to leave SAS Management with effect immediately and to be allocated to another part of SAS.
"The cartel affair with Maersk is very unfortunate and burdening for SAS. Personally, I have not been an integral part of the illegal agreements, but they were made in my part of the organization. Therefore, I feel a moral responsibility for what has happened and I hope that my decision will help decrease the present negative pressure on SAS" says Vagn Sørensen.

Jørgen Lindegaard, President and Chief Executive Officer, has accepted Vagn Sørensen's decision and wishes Vagn Sørensen to be at his disposition for the time being.

Marie Ehrling, has been appointed new Executive Vice President SAS Group. and Gunnar Reitan, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer SAS Group



Wilson Racquet Sports launch new technology in tennis racquet and tennis ball
Wilson Sporting Goods Co., part of Finnish Amer Sports, has launched Triad, a new technology in tennis. Triad is designed in multiple components, which maximises comfort and power without compromising one for the other.
When hitting the ball all the racquets produce shock followed by uncomfortable vibrations and sensations when reaching the arm. Racquets in one continuous piece act as a conduit of vibration from head to handle. This new design maximises comfort and power without compromising one for the other. In Triad, the hoop and handle never touch as they are buffered by Iso-Zorb that isolates shock in the hoop reducing 66% of the vibration from ever reaching the body.

The new Triad technology includes 4 new racquets: Triad Hammer 2.0; Triad Hammer 3.0; Triad Hammer 4.0 and Triad Hammer 5.0.

Earlier this summer, Wilson introduced a new premium tennis ball, called Double Core. The technology is butyl-based sealant, which reduces air permeation by 200%. Along with a brand new premium felt, this allows the ball to last twice as long as other pressurised tennis balls.



Postgirot Bank to be acquired by Nordbanken
Posten, the Swedish postal service and a corporation owned by the Swedish State, has agreed to sell all of its interests in Postgirot Bank AB to Nordbanken AB for MSEK 4,100 plus earnings retained in the company from the beginning of 2001 until the closing of the transaction. This values the transaction at approximately MSEK 4,400 - 4,500.
As early as in 1999, Posten decided to withdraw from banking operations in order to focus on its core business area. Posten lacked the necessary means to develop both the operations of the Postgirot Bank and Posten's core business sector.

-The purchase-sum of MSEK 4,100 including the profits in the company up to the time of the take over, in all approximately MSEK 4,400 - 4,500, will actively contribute towards a necessary strengthening of Posten's finances. A stronger financial position and improved equity ratio are essential requirements if Posten is to maintain and develop it's core business - letters and parcels, says Lennart Grabe, CEO and Group Executive Manager in Posten and chairman of the board of Postal Giro Bank.

However, the proceeds alone will not be sufficient for the requisite strengthening of finances. This will require additional sales of assets in the form of real estate (which will be implemented) plus an agreement with the state regarding compensation for cashier services.

The sale implies that the Postgirot Bank will acquire a strong financial owner that has the means to develop the business, says Lennart Grabe. In addition, Nordbanken will supply the synergies within the banking sector that the Postgirot Bank requires but that Posten is unable to offer.



Nokia completes World's first GSM 850 call in a live network
Milestone indicates further global success of GSM technology and will provide full global roaming
"This is a logical step in our ongoing Push for profit action plan," says CEO Niklas Flyborg. "Among other things, it means that we are selling or closing units that are not deemed able to achieve profitability within a reasonable time."

The call was conducted in Nokia's research and development facilities in Texas and was made with Nokia GSM 850 MHZ base stations and handsets. It is anticipated that an end-to-end solution will be available for North, Central and South America carriers operating GSM 850 MHz networks later this year.

"This is a major milestone in the expansion of GSM services in the Americas as GSM is the most widely deployed standard in the world," says K-P Wilska, President, Nokia, Inc., Americas, "A major benefit of GSM 850 is that it enables existing TDMA carriers as well as new GSM carriers to benefit from the global success of GSM."

"Nokia believes that a solution offering GSM and GPRS with evolution to EDGE and WCDMA will allow carriers to maximize both market share and profit margins in the Third Generation," he adds.



Cell Network sells French company
Cell Network transfers all its shares in Cell Network France to the former owners.
"This is a logical step in our ongoing Push for profit action plan," says CEO Niklas Flyborg. "Among other things, it means that we are selling or closing units that are not deemed able to achieve profitability within a reasonable time."

With the deal Cell Network will be able to reduce its future financial commitments by up to SEK 35-40 million, and avoid a considerable loss for the second half of the year.

The sale means capital losses of SEK 85 million, already allocated in the balance sheet at the end of June through goodwill being written down to zero.

The deal is covered by an act on private placements known as the Leo Act, meaning that it is conditional upon finding approval from a general shareholders' meeting of Cell Network.

Earlier this year, Cell Network sold its Swedish subsidiaries, Cell Interactive TV, Propello and Journalistgruppen, plus German subsidiary, Aperto. In Sweden, the Västerås and Örebro offices have been closed, the e-learning unit in Gothenburg has been sold, closures have been made in Borlänge and Malmö, and Cell Network's head office has been rationalised. In Spain, half the staff have been laid off and closures have been made in Norway.



TDC gains DKK 550m by divesting Pannon, Hungary
TDC gains approx. DKK 550m by selling its minority shareholding in Hungary’s second-largest mobile company, Pannon GSM.
”Pannon has been a pure financial investment for us for several years, and we have not taken part in the operations of the company,” says Henning Vest, who besides being Senior Executive Vice President at TDC is also President of TDC Mobile International.

Through its wholly-owned subsidiary TDC Mobile International, TDC has entered into a framework agreement with Pannon’s other owners on divestment of TDC’s ownership share in Pannon. The ownership share is 6.6 percent. The other owners of Pannon are KPN, the Netherlands, Sonera, Finland and Telenor, Norway.

With the profits from the divestment in Hungary, TDC increases its possibilities of pursuing the company’s overall strategy of gaining influence within the company’s strategically important ownership shares.

”We intend to consolidate our business and in the long term only participate where we have direct control or can gain control in a positive partnership with other investors,” Henning Vest points out and adds: ”In order to obtain the best possible synergies and economies of scale it is necessary for us to have influence on the companies we own. If we cannot obtain influence, we will sell when the time is right.” In addition to TDC’s ownership share of 6.6 percent, Telenor acquires a 44.7 percent stake from KPN and a 23 percent stake from Sonera. The transaction is made in cash. When the transaction is in place, Telenor will have increased its ownership share in Pannon GSM from 25.8 percent to 100 percent.



Stora Enso’s results reasonable in view of weaker market conditions
Stora Enso’s sales for the quarter at EUR 3 388.4 million were about 7% less than the previous quarter’s EUR 3 637.0 million. The operating profit excluding non-recurring items was EUR 346.4 million, which is 33.8% less than the previous quarter’s EUR 523.0 million and 10.2% of sales. The profit before tax and minority interests excluding non-recurring items was EUR 248.3 million (EUR 429.5 million in previous quarter). Foreign exchange losses decreased the second quarter profit by EUR 44 million.
Commenting on the results, Stora Enso’s CEO Jukka Härmälä said, "Markets were demanding, as anticipated when announcing the first quarter results. In addition to seasonal curtailments, such as the midsummer standstill that is compulsory in Finland, production was curtailed to adjust to the market demand. Demand in June was also lower for normal seasonal reasons. The impact of the curtailments is apparent in the second quarter figures. Paper and board prices have held up fairly well. Profitability should recover fairly quickly, if prices can be maintained."

Jukka Härmälä is confident about the recent acquisition of Consolidated Papers in North America. "The USD 40 million of synergies are a good achievement in the challenging economic environment, especially since the product range includes primarily coated paper, which has suffered most from the market situation. The USD 90 million synergy target will be difficult to achieve in 2001 unless demand significantly improves in North America during the second half of this year."



Ericsson signs Bluethooth deal with Taiwan
Ericsson Technology Licensing AB and Arima, Taiwan, have signed a licensing agreement involving BluetoothTM Intellectual Property (IP). Under the terms, Arima will license Ericsson's Radio and Baseband IP products. Integration into products such as PDA's, handsets and mobile phones is planned to start during next year.
"The agreement falls in line with Ericsson's overall plan to strengthen its foothold in the Asian market," said Maria Khorsand, president of Ericsson Technology Licensing. "Our goal is to integrate our Bluetooth solutions into as many mass market consumer products as possible. The contract with Arima is a testimony proving our commitment to reach the mass market for all mobile handheld devices."

Ericsson's radio transceiver, designed in 0.18-micron CMOS technology, and the Baseband Core Product, named EBCP CherryRed, will be integrated into most of the products manufactured by Arima, including PDA's, handsets and mobile phones.

"The Bluetooth transceiver from Ericsson provides an exceptionally compact radio solution and since EBCP CherryRed is already qualified the time-consuming qualification work is virtually done," said Mr. Stephen Lee, CEO, Arima. "This together will enable us the fastest, most valuable way of getting Bluetooth capability into our products."



Norwegian air fares are sky high
The Norwegian Competition Board is to examine the large difference in cost of SAS air fares from Norway compared with those from Sweden.
Norwegian Nettavisen has checked both the regular and the low season fares on several destinations from Oslo and Gothenburg, and found that the air fares are cheaper from Sweden.

The most remarkable difference was for a low season ticket to New York. According to Nettavisen, it is possible to purchase the ticket 29 per cent cheaper in Gothenburg than in Oslo.

Director Lasse Ekeberg of the Norwegian Competition Board commented to Dagens Naeringsliv that this difference seems unusually big, but says that the Board now will look into the matter.

Consumer Council Director Tom Bolstad says that the difference in price is a clear indication of the lack of competition on the Norwegian market.

SAS spokesperson Trine Loevberg remarked to Nettavisen that competiton on the Swedish market is different, but that it must also be remembered that it is more expensive to operate in Norway, with higher taxes and salaries.



Munters strengthens the position in fire and water damage control in France
Munters, Swedish leader in humidity control, with services and products for dehumidification, humidification and cooling of air, has agreed to purchase all shares in M´Renov SA. M´Renov is a French supplier of fire damage restoration services based in St Etienne. The purpose of the acquisition is to expand Munters service offering in the region Rhones-Alpes-Centre in France.
M´Renov is a service company specialized in the restoration of commercial and industrial properties after fire and water damages in the regions Rhone-Alpes and Auvergne. The company is located in St Heand, next to St Etienne and has approx. 20 employees. The turnover for the financial year ending May 31 2001 was FRF 10 million with an EBIT of FRF 1.2 million. M´Renov SA was founded in 1987 by the two owners Marc Morel and Marc Peyrard. The business has had a positive development during the last years and the company today has a strong position in this part of France. M´Renov is recognized for high quality services and strong relations with the insurance industry.

An increasing demand from the insurance industry for services both in fire and water damage restoration has been the driving force of the merger. - The acquisition of M´Renov SA is in line with our strategy to offer our customers complete service solutions by being able to offer both fire and water damage restoration in all areas of France, says Laurent Duval, Managing Director of Munters France SA. -The combination of Munters and M´Renov will make us more competitive. It will give us a larger platform for our organic growth, and a more optimal cost structure for our operation in the central and south-east of France.mbro BCT to assist in improving the safety of the world's blood supply."



Aspiro delivers SMS services to Canadian Microcell
Swedish Aspiro signs an agreement with Canadian Microcell i5 regarding the delivery of SMS-based services at an order value of MSEK 3.2.
The agreement, which includes delivery and hosting of SMS-based mobile services at an order value of at least MSEK 3,2 (~300 000 USD), constitutes Aspiro's largest order to date in the Canadian market. The two-year agreement is non-exclusive.

Aspiro's interactive SMS applications will be incorporated into Microcell i5's present platform, some of which will be customized to serve i5's specific needs and requests. Hosting and maintenance of the services will be handled by Aspiro's hosting facilities in Karlskrona, Sweden.

"We chose Aspiro because of their extensive portfolio of attractive mobile services, which will contribute to making Microcell's offer unique in Canada," says François-Charles Sirois, President and Chief Operating Officer, Microcell i5.



Gambro awarded US patent for its unique process of inactivation of pathogens in blood components
Swedish Gambro AB, leading international medical technology and healthcare company, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Gambro BCT, has been awarded a US patent for its unique process for inactivation of pathogens in blood components. The patent encompasses a method of inactivating viruses and bacteria in fluids that contain biologically active protein, blood, or blood components. Gambro BCT's method adds an effective, non-toxic photosensitizer to the fluid and then exposes it to light. The light can be within either the visible or ultraviolet spectrum. The inactivation method does not destroy the biological activity or effectiveness of the protein, blood or blood component.
In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that its top priority is finding a way to ensure a zero-risk blood supply, i.e. blood and blood components that are free from bacteria and viruses. The pathogen inactivation technology is one way Gambro BCT seeks to improve the safety of the world's blood supply. The technology is applied to each of the blood components to minimize viral, bacterial and parasitic contamination worldwide.

Gambro BCT's unique pathogen inactivation technology uses light stimulation of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) to alter the nucleic acids of pathogens, rendering them inactive. Gambro BCT's pathogen inactivation technology is the first that can inactivate viruses and bacteria in all three major blood components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Non- toxic and non-mutagenic, riboflavin is ingested in normal diets. In fact, riboflavin is considered essential for human health.

David Perez, President of Gambro BCT commented, "This represents a major milestone in Gambro's journey to supply the blood community with a natural, safe and efficacious alternative for pathogen inactivation. This marks the beginning of a new direction for Gambro BCT to assist in improving the safety of the world's blood supply."



Framfab Continues to Divest According to Plan
Framfab sells the main part of Framfab Labs, its subsidiary Framfab Spain S.L. and divests its stakes in the Dutch companies Coin and Plinq. Framfab also divests its eleven-percent stake in Framfab S.p.A. in Italy. These divestments are part of the action programme that has been communicated earlier.
The software development operations in Lund with 54 employees that was part of Framfab Labs and that mainly has been engaged in the development of the Internet portal platform BRIKKS will be sold to employees and external investors. Framfab will retain approximately 20 percent in the new company, but will not be represented on the board. Jonas Birgersson will have an indirect ownership of 10 percent. The exact terms will be communicated in the notice for an extraordinary general meeting. The new company will have Jonas Birgersson as its CEO and he will thus leave the Framfab Group. Jonas has also left the board of B2 Bredband, where he was Framfab's representative. Sven Skarendahl, Framfab's chairman, replaces him there.

"We are happy that we have found new owners for Framfab Labs' operations in Lund and wish Jonas Birgersson and his staff the best of luck. We are looking forward to a successful partnership around BRIKKS and other products. As Jonas Birgersson will be leaving Framfab, I want to express our gratitude for his achievements over the years," said Sven Skarendahl, the chairman of Framfab.



Nokia to supply 3G system to Italian operator Omnitel Vodafone
Omnitel Vodafone and Nokia have signed an agreement for the delivery of the Nokia 3G network solution. Nokia will deliver Omnitel Vodafone's complete 3G mobility core network, including packet switched and circuit switched elements and related support services. In addition Nokia will supply 3G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment.
The agreement is over three years. The value is approximately EUR 150 million in the initial period of deliveries. As part of the agreement, Omnitel Vodafone and Nokia will also establish a Service Creation Centre for 3G application development in Milan. This will be complemented by a Technology Centre to test the evolution of 3G technology and equipment. Deliveries will begin immediately and the commercial launch is expected to take place during second half 2002. It will enable Omnitel Vodafone, which has currently more than 16 million subscribers nationwide, to be among the first to offer subscribers the very latest in future generation mobile services and applications.

"Nokia was chosen as our 3G network supplier because it offers the most advanced, high quality and reliabile technology, and the most competitive economic solution, to enable us to smoothly evolve to future generation networks and stay ahead in the tough Italian market," says Vittorio Colao, Chief Executive Officer, Omnitel Vodafone.

"This cooperation with Nokia is more than just network supply. The 3G Service Creation Centre will enable us to offer innovative services, based on the best technologies available and in line with the expectations of our clients for multimedia services and applications".

"Nokia and Omnitel Vodafone have been working together since 1994 during which time Omnitel Vodafone has become one of the largest mobile operators in Europe," said Giuseppe Donagemma, Omnitel Vodafone Account Director, Nokia.



SAS and Maersk Air fined for infringement of Competition Rules
The European Commission today decided to fine SAS and Maersk Air, 39,375 MEUR and 13,125 MEUR respectively, for having infringed European Competition Rules.
SAS has admitted to the Commission that infringements have been made, and has co-operated actively with the competition authorities in order to find all relevant facts related to the case. "I deeply regret that SAS has infringed the Competition Rules of the European Union in this case," says Mr. Jørgen Lindegaard, President and CEO of the SAS Group, in a statement today. "However, for SAS at this time, the most important thing is now to look to the future, put this very unfortunate case behind us, and ensure that this will never ever happen again." SAS finds however that the fine imposed on it, is disproportionate, and not at all related to the effects the infringements have had on the market, nor to previous case law of the European Commission. The decision seems to be politically influenced, and should be looked upon as a signal to the entire airline industry and its market practices.

SAS is seriously considering appealing the decision related to the level of fine to the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg, while still accepting the substance of the decision.

SAS also concludes that consumers have not been negatively affected as a consequence of the infringements. Fares have not been raised on the routes that were subject to the discussions, and the total number of destinations served from Copenhagen and Billund has actually been increased as a consequence of the overall cooperation between the two companies.

It is however clear, that these types of infringements of the competition rules are totally unacceptable. SAS has therefore initiated a comprehensive internal compliance programme, aimed at key staff involved in commercial issues, which should ensure that such an incident is not repeated. Certain decision-making processes and organizational structures have and will also be carefully reviewed as a consequence of this case.



The European Commissions continues investigation of the proposed merger between FöreningsSparbanken and SEB
The European Commission today announced its decision that it will start an in-depth investigation of the proposed merger between SEB and FöreningsSparbanken. The Commission's final decision about the merger is expected by the end of November.
The Extraordinary General Meetings in the two banks, where the proposed merger will be put forward for the shareholders to decide upon, are planned to be held during the fourth quarter 2001..

"The case is extensive and we understand that the Commission wants to perform a thorough investigation", says Nils-Fredrik Nyblæus, responsible for the integration process and CFO of FöreningsSparbanken.

"We want our shareholders to have access to information that is as complete and well founded as possible in order to decide on the proposed merger. We therefore have decided to postpone the Extraordinary General Meetings to a later date ", adds Lars Gustafsson, responsible for the integration process and CIO of SEB.



Skanska wins new partnering agreement in the UK, valued at SEK 460 M
Skanska has been awarded a new partnering agreement with CLASP, the UK body behind one of the longest-running building systems for schools and public buildings, to join in the new drive to deliver best value property solutions to its communities.
CLASP has entered a framework agreement with Skanska as its partnering contractor under an exclusive 3-year program worth in excess of GBP 30 M (approximately SEK 460 M).

For more than 40 years, CLASP has provided a rapid-build structural system in Britain and Europe, covering schools, university, healthcare facilities, defense and various public buildings.

In launching the new agreement, CLASP is establishing a new era of partnership between the public and private sectors. Skanska was chosen for its management skills and strong commitment to achieving the highest environmental standards.



Munters mitigates losses after Texas storm Allison
Allison, the worst rainstorm to hit Texas in 22 years, dropped over 900 mm of rain in the Houston area in four days in early June. The storm killed 17 people and caused an estimated SEK 10 billion in damages. Munters MCS operation (Moisture Control Services) was called to more than 40 sites in less than three days. By the end of the fourth week after the storm, 120 projects, using thousands of pieces of drying equipment, had been completed. The total order value is estimated to be in excess of SEK 50 million.
Over 40 schools, universities, numerous hospitals as well as a number of large building management firms was helped by Munters. Munters also helped restoring some 300 m3 of books and documents at the Houston Medical Center.

"From a disaster management point of view this was a milestone in the way that it proved that customers now know that prompt action to begin drying after water damage will significantly reduce losses and minimize business interruption. Building management professionals also understand the danger of micro biological contamination. Mold, mildew and bacteria can grow rapidly in flooded buildings, causing serious long term health hazards, particularly if the outside temperatures are warm. Houston buildings were rife for contamination with temperatures between 20-30 degrees Celsius.", says Lauren Reid, Munters General Manager of Moisture Control Services in the US.

Nearly 5000 dehumidifiers and air movers were working at one time. With the need to press all possible equipment into service, Munters unveiled a new mobile drying system called Emergency Response Unit (ERU). The ERU can be installed in a building that has lost all power and immediately go into service.

"With an estimated amount in excess of SEK 50 million in orders, this is one of the largest projects in Munters MCS history. However, weather related damages are only a small part of our business. The largest segment by far in this division is the every day insurance claim like bursting pipes and leaking household appliances in houses, stores and industrial buildings", says CEO Lennart Evrell.



Schibsted ASA - 20 Minutes Cologne shuts down
The free newspaper 20 Minutes which was launched in Cologne, Germany at the end of 1999 by the Norwegian Media group Schibsted will be closed down with immediate effect. The last issue will be published on Wednesday July 11.
The decision to stop publication must be seen in relation to the decision earlier this year not to proceed at the present time with launches in several German cities. 20 Minutes Holding's analysis shows that the entry in the German market can only be successful if done on a national level. In 2000 20 Minutes Cologne was forced to suspend publication for several weeks due to legal challenges from several established players. These legal challenges together with the difficult competitive situation in the advertising market have also contributed to the decision to stop the publication of the newspaper in Cologne.

A stand-alone operation in Cologne does not appear to be economically viable, and further resources will not be allocated to this project. 20 Minutes Holding will focus its resources towards projects in other European countries and towards the further expansion of the Swiss operation, which is very successful.




Nokia and Sonera to pilot Multimedia Messaging in the live network
Nokia and Sonera, the largest mobile operator in Finland, announced today they have started piloting Multimedia Messaging (MMS) technology and services. The pilot Sonera is conducting with Nokia MMS products is one the very first in the world evaluating end-to-end MMS technology in the live network environment.
In the MMS pilot Sonera is using the Nokia Artuse (TM) MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) Center, a high-capacity platform which enables new multimedia messaging services combining rich content, such as audio and video clips, photographs and images, with traditional text messaging. In addition, Nokia provides Sonera with the Nokia 9210 Communicators' special software which supports the MMS technology.

"Earlier this year Nokia introduced the world's first MMS solution for operators - the Nokia Artuse (TM) MMS Center. The multimedia messaging concept is built on the undisputed success of Short Message Service and will be one the key services leading the market to 3G," says Pekka Salonoja, Vice President, Mobile Internet Applications, Nokia Networks.

"We are pleased to further enhance our strong relationship with Sonera in this important pilot and to explore the full possibilities of the end-to-end MMS solution before the expected commercial roll-out of MMS next year", added Mr Salonoja.

Multimedia messaging is the industry-standardized 3G service and both companies have been actively contributing the standardization work both in WAP Forum and 3GPP.



Saab sells technique for Bloodcentrifuging to Gambro
"Orbisac System is based of patents that has been further developed at Saab Bofors Dynamics in Karlskoga, Sweden and is another good example of how military technology and Saab's wide knowledge can be used to develop commercial products", says Göran Widén, member in Saab's Venture Capital Council.
Saab is one of the world's leading high-technology companies, with its main operations focusing on defence, aviation and space. The group covers a broad spectrum of competence and capability in systems integration.



Ankari Adds Support for Precise Biometrics Fingerprint Readers to Trinity™ Software
Ankari and Precise Biometrics combine complementary technologies to deliver convenient solutions for enterprise authentication.
Ankari Inc., a market leader in enterprise network authentication products, and Swedish Precise Biometrics AB, Europe's leading biometric company, today announced that Ankari's Trinity(TM) authentication and single sign-on software now supports hardware from Precise Biometrics. The Precise 100 A fingerprint reader and Precise 100 SC integrated fingerprint and smart card reader offer Ankari and Precise Biometrics customers a family of compact, award-winning, USB-based devices that when combined with Trinity's authentication framework deliver unparalleled flexibility in a network security solution..

"Trinity software from Ankari provides customers with a convenient and secure authentication software platform to counter the negative productivity effect and security exposure of massive password proliferation," says Christer Bergman, President and CEO, Precise Biometrics. "By providing a sophisticated level of compatibility with our fingerprint readers, Ankari and Precise Biometrics can now offer customers more choices for meeting their network security needs."

"Flexibility and a range of options are essential for enterprise authentication deployments," says Jason Wright, Industry Analyst of Security Technologies for Frost & Sullivan. "Broad support for third party hardware devices is critical for enterprise authentication in a wide range of organizations. Trinity software is well positioned to address such unique system and security requirements."



Volvo Bus and Autodromo sign long-term Cooperation Agreement
Volvo Bus Corporation and Carrozzeria Autodromo Modena have signed a co- operation agreement for the marketing of Midibuses in the European market and for the marketing of City and Intercity buses in Italy.
Volvo Bus Corporation and the Italian company Autodromo (based in Modena and offiically known as Carrozzeria Autodromo Modena Scarl) have decided to pool their experience and skills in the Citybus segment by signing a co-operation agreement for the development, production and marketing of Midibuses on the European market, as well as for the marketing of City and Intercity buses in Italy.

The co-operation foresees that Volvo Bus Corporation will supply engines and components to Autodromo and, in turn, will market complete midibuses from Autodromo across the European market, through the Volvo Bus sales network. Volvo Bus Corporation will also take care of all Aftersales activities across Europe.

Commenting on this co-operation, Lars Blom, Vice President in charge of European Marketing at Volvo Bus Corporation said: "In Autodromo, we have found an innovative partner that shares our values and our determination to exceed our customers' expectations. The synergy across our product ranges will enhance our total offering and I look forward to a very successful cooperation".



New, Oslo insider trading rules effective as from 1 July
Oslo Børs draws attention to the new rules on insider trading which went into effect on 1 July 2001. The new rules substantially tighten the prohibition of insider trading.
Inside information need no longer be likely to have a significant effect on prices for the prohibition to apply. Moreover, such information has been redefined from
information of "a precise and confidential" nature to information "which is not publicly available or generally known in the market".
Tn June the Storting passed amendments to the rules of the Securities Trading Act dealing with insider trading - Chapter 2. The new rules impose more stringent requirements on market players´ handling of price-sensitive information.

The principal changes are:
- Inside information, which was previously deemed to be information which would be likely to have a significant effect on prices, is now deemed to be information which would be likely to affect prices.
- Primary insiders, employees, advisers etc., who possess inside information are now subject to a specific duty of
care to prevent such information passing to unauthorised parties (leakage rule).
- The prohibition of trading for a specified period prior to the release of annual and interim accounts is revoked.
Queries regarding the new insider trading rules can be directed to Oslo Børs, Legal Department or Surveillance Department.



Swedes are positive towards globalisation
Sweden is one of the nations in the world who has a highly favourable opinion of free trade. This is confirmed in a report from the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. The Swedes are also positive to globalisation. Very few Swedes view globalisation as a threat, according to the report.
The report is based on a survey, which has looked into the Swedes' attitudes towards globalisation. The survey shows that 48 percent of Swedes have a positive or very positive attitude towards globalisation and only 10 percent perceive it negatively.

According to the survey, over 90 percent of Swedes believe that international trade is important. Fifty-four percent imply that trade liberalisation is a better path to employment and prosperity than import restrictions. "The Economist" has posed this very same question in 22 other countries. On the whole, these surveys show that Swedes, together with Taiwanese, South Koreans and Hong Kong Chinese, have the most positive attitude towards free trade.

The surveys also show that globalisation critics do not have great support in Sweden. There are nearly four times as many Swedes who have a positive view of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, than those who support globalisation critics, such as Attac. In addition, over 60 percent of Swedes - contrary to many globalisation critics - regard free movement of capital across borders of great importance.



Norwegian Ementor becomes strategic supplier to Barclays Bank
Ementor, Merkantildata's e-business consulting company, has signed a framework agreement with Barclays for the delivery of core banking software products and Internet based development expertise to the bank's Business Banking division. The contract establishes Ementor as a development partner with Barclays and has an initial value of approximately GBP 6.5mil (approx. NOK 86,4 m).
The first two projects included in the agreement are the implementation of core components from Ementor's Provida Banking Software portfolio, the development of an Internet based delivery system, and integration services for the Barclays Business Internet Banking programme and the Customer Liquidity Management Project. Both projects are expected to run into 2002.

In addition, the contract includes the provision of a Support and Maintenance service agreement to assist Barclays in the live running of the applications.

Gary Edwards (Director of Business Internet Banking, Barclays) says; "Ementor was chosen by the bank for its unique combination of flexible banking software components and tried and tested expertise in the development of Internet based solutions."



Saab announces the sale of Celsius Aerotech Inc. to Reliance Aerotech Inc.
Saab AB announced today the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary Celsius Aerotech Inc. to Reliance Aerotech Inc. with headquarters in USA.
- This is a further step in Saab´s refining its activities after the procurement of Celsius, said Gert Schyborger, Group Senior Vice President of Saab.

"Celsius Aerotech Inc. with operations in Nashville, Tennessee and Teterboro, New Jersey, provides comprehensive aircraft maintenance and modifications, aircraft painting and overhaul and repair of numerous aircraft components for the regional and corporate market. Celsius Aerotech is a designated approved dealership for many components and airframe manufacturers.

Reliance Aerotech Inc. with operations in the USA and Canada is an independent provider of technical and maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the regional, commercial and business aviation markets. With the new acquisition the Reliance group of companies has more than 300 000 square feet of hangar and operations facilities and a workforce of more than 450 people.



Swedish Cell Network selling Cell Interactive TV
Cell Network's subsidiary, Cell Interactive TV, with its 20 staff, is being sold to London-based Sparkidea Consulting. This sale is one step in refining the core activity within Cell Network and creating profitability within all sections of the group.
"This is the optimum solution for Cell Network and our customers. Cell ITV will have an active and focused owner who will give them a strong position in the new group, and the potential to further develop our joint ventures," says Pehr Andersson, head of the Media/Communication business segment at Cell.

Sparkidea Consulting specialises in digital media and entertainment and with this acquisition will gain access to advanced solutions for interactive TV and greater coverage on the Nordic market. Cell ITV's staff are being offered the chance to remain in Stockholm, integrated with Sparkidea's European network.

"Cell ITV is way ahead in digital development," says Willard Ahdritz, working chairman of Sparkidea Consulting. "Among other things, they have developed interactive services for the Olympic Games 2000, plus the advanced voting application for the Eurovision Song Contest. In other words, we are acquiring a highly skilled company. "



Huhtamaki sells Italian molded fiber operation to Luxembourg-based investor group
Finnish consumer packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki, has agreed to sell its Italian molded fiber operation, Keyes Italiana S.p.A., to Medeur S.A., a Luxembourg-based investor group. The operation is located in Fiumefreddo, Sicily, and employs approx. 60 people, producing mainly egg trays and cartons. Its sales in 2000 amounted to approx. EUR 7 million.
"This operation is small by our standards and offers limited potential for growth or synergies as part of Huhtamaki's Italian organization," said Mr. Matti Tikkakoski, Huhtamaki's Executive Vice President for Europe. "As a stand-alone entity, it will be able to focus on consolidating its position in the Italian and Mediterranean markets for egg packaging."

Huhtamaki is the world's leading provider of molded fiber packaging and technology, and has agreed to maintain strong technological and commercial links with the divested unit. Accordingly, Medeur will continue to source machinery and complementary molded fiber products from Huhtamaki. Similarly, Huhtamaki will continue to sell and distribute some of its products outside Italy.

The transaction will not materially affect Huhtamaki's position in the Italian consumer packaging markets. In 2000, the company's sales in Italy amounted to EUR 124 million, mainly derived from the well- established plastic and paper packaging operations in Torino and Parma.



Metro Today to be launched in Toronto
Metro International S.A. ("Metro"), the international newspaper group, today announced that the new title, 'Metro Today', will be launched in Toronto on 9 July 2001. The launch follows the previously announced joint venture between Torstar Corporation and Metro International. 190,000 copies of the new newspaper will be printed and distributed on Monday, immediately making Metro Today the second largest daily newspaper in the Greater Toronto area.
Metro's partnership with Torstar Corporation reflects the requirement under Canadian law for international publishers to have local partners. The new title will replace the existing 'Metro' and 'Today' newspapers, which are distributed free of charge in the City of Toronto by Metro and Torstar respectively. ´Metro Today´ will maintain the same style and format, as well as the same number of employees as all other Metro editions. The newspaper will continue to be distributed from racks within Toronto's subway system and commuter train network, as well as in other commuter zones in the City.

Pelle Törnberg, President & CEO of Metro International, commented: "We are delighted to have now received confirmation of our joint venture in Canada. Our partnership with Torstar combines the strengths of both organisations and, together with our operation in Montreal, gives us a strong position in the Canadian media market."



Telia becomes a key supplier for Europes research network GÉANT
Telia International Carrier has been appointed one of the main suppliers for the build-up of the new GÉANT network. Telia International Carrier has, in competition with 15 other major players, won the contract to provide a significant part of the pan-European research network GÉANT with international capacity through a long-term agreement with the co-ordinating partner of the project, DANTE.
GÉANT is a four-year, 220-million Euro project co-funded by the European Commision set up by a Consortium of 27 European national research and education networks with DANTE as its co-ordinating partner. Reaching over 3,000 research and education institutions in over 30 countries, GÉANT will provide the highest capacity and will offer the greatest geographic coverage of any network of its kind in the world. It will be fully operational in November 2001.

- That DANTE chose Telia International Carrier as a supplier shows that we can meet their high demands. DANTE is an important client to us and we are proud to get this prestigeous assignment in today's tough competition, says Lars Rydin, Head of Telia International Carrier.

- DANTE's demands on the GÉANT suppliers are technically immense and the GÉANT network is one of the most sophisticated IP backbones to be built in Europe, concludes Olof Joos, Key Account Manager at Telia International Carrier.


Evox Rifa starts capacitor production in China
Evox Rifa and the Chinese Jianghai Capacitor Factory have concluded an agreement to start a joint venture specializing in the production of electrolytic capacitors. In two years' time the parties will invest in total approximately EUR 4 million in the joint venture in which Evox Rifa has 80 percent holding. The JV is expected to reach a yearly sales of EUR 20 million.
The new joint venture supports Evox Rifa's growth strategy and is expected to improve Evox Rifa's competitiveness and financial result during the second year after the start up of production. Finnfund (The Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd.)is the main funder of this transaction.

Production is expected to start up gradually in the first quarter of 2002. The company will lease a 2,000 square meter production space in Nantong, near Shanghai. The new plant will utilize Evox Rifa's and Jianghai's technological know-how in the manufacture of snap-in and screw terminal capacitors.

Mr. Björn Rundlöf is appointed Managing Director of the newely established joint venture. He has been in various positions from R & D to factory management for the last 30 years at Evox Rifa and is currently R & D manager at Evox Rifa's plant in Gränna, Sweden.



Major bus orders for Volvo´s new joint venture in Shanghai
Volvo Buses has received orders for 200 buses from major bus operators in the city of Shanghai. On 30 June 2000, it was announced that the Volvo Bus Corporation and local industrial group Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) had signed agreements concerning the establishment in Shanghai of a joint-venture company for the manufacture and sale of city and commuter buses. Since then the new company, Shanghai Sunwin Bus Corporation (Sunwin Bus) has been established and production of Volvo buses has started. The orders symbolise a breakthrough for the Shanghai joint venture.
As a result of the earlier joint venture, Xian Silver Bus Corporation, the Volvo brand already has a strong position on the Chinese coach market. "The large orders that Sunwin Bus has secured prove that our new company has an attractive range of modern city buses to offer emerging markets. We are extremely happy about these milestone orders," says Jan Engström, President and CEO of the Volvo Bus Corporation.

Following the signing of the agreements on 30 June 2000, the joint venture company was established in September. Employees were recruited in the autumn and the new joint Volvo and SAIC management team was formed.

The production of Volvo buses got under way in the past few months. The new buses consist of Volvo B7R chassis and bodies which have been developed jointly by Sunwin Bus and Volvo, based on an earlier Chinese body model.

The municipal authorities and local Shanghai bus operators are anxious that as many new Volvo buses as possible are delivered before the APEC summit meeting, which will take place in Shanghai in October this year. "This request is an honour as well as a challenge for Sunwin Bus" says Mr Jan Engström.



SKF expands in China
SKF has signed a joint venture contract with Shanghai Bearing (Group) Co. Ltd, (SBC), part of Shanghai Electrical Group Corporation, to establish a company to manufacture and sell high performance deep groove ball bearings. SKF holds 60 percent in the new joint venture and SBC 40 percent.
The market segment to be served is mainly household appliances, electrical motors, automotive electrical components, power tools and two- wheelers. This is a fast growing market in China and the production is planned to start in 12 months' time.

The joint venture will rent the new 9 000 sq meter factory building that is to be built in Shanghai. The joint venture will invest some SEK 125 million in the project and will employ 200 persons when the factory is working at full capacity.

SKF has, together with SBC, since six years a joint venture company manufacturing automotive bearings. With this new investment SKF has five joint venture companies, one sales company, seven representative offices and one holding company in China. SKF is also holding 20 percent of the shares in China's biggest bearing manufacturer, Wafangdian Bearing Co., Ltd.
Total turnover of SKF in China will, with the new joint venture, increase with some 15 percent and SKF will become the third biggest bearing company in the Chinese bearing market.a



Telenor to manage Volvo Ocean Races homepage
Nextra AS, which is a part of Telenor Business Solutions, has signed an agreement with the organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race sailing race for the management of their website. The contract involves providing capacity for the delivery of live images on the website that is being constructed to meet the demand of periodically being among the world's most highly visited websit
The Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) starts in September 2001 and finishes in July 2002. In periods, VOR's homepage is most likely to be among the most highly visited websites in the world. Heavy traffic is expected during the first and last stages of the race. Nextra has therefore designed the website to be able to handle more than 120 million hits per day.

Nextra will both manage VOR's web pages and provide capacity for the delivery of live images (so called streaming) from the vessels, which audiences all over the world will be able to view via their PCs.

"We are very satisfied with the agreement with VOR, which we see as a confirmation that Nextra is among the leading suppliers of hosting and streaming services," said Diego Mackee, head of sales and marketing at Nextra AS. "We have delivered equivalent video services to the 'Big Brother' TV series, and the agreement demonstrates that we have the capacity and the competence to deliver some of the market's most advanced solutions," said Mackee.



Carlsberg Breweries A/S closes public tender in Poland
16th May 2001 Carlsberg Breweries A/S increased it's shareholding in the Polish brewery Okocimskie Zaklady Piwowarskie S.A. (Okocim) to 50.01 per cent and 17th May 2001 announced a public tender for the outstanding shares at the price of PLN 16.25 per share.
The tender was open until closing of the Warsaw Stock Exchange on 2nd July 2001. At the price of PLN 108.6 million. (DKK 238.9 million) Carlsberg Breweries has bought the amount of 6,680,478 shares which equals 30.37 per cent of the share capital. This means Carlsberg Breweries now owns 80.38 per cent of the share capital.

According to the Polish Securities Commission Carlsberg Breweries ownership is not allowed to exceed 75 per cent of the share capital and Carlsberg Breweries therefore has to sell 5.38 per cent of the share capital, when it is possible without economic losses.



Active ISP Completes Acquisition of Carambole
Norwegian Internet-related services company Active ISP announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Carambole, Sweden's leading web hosting and domain name registration company.
The combined company will be among the largest web-hosting companies in Europe with expected annual revenues of over NOK 200 million, (25 Mill. Euros). Selling shareholders in Carambole are receiving 2.800.000 Active ISP shares and 950.000/500.000 (in total 1.450.000) stock warrants with a strike price of NOK 14/16.50. The total consideration was valued at NOK 41.0 million resulting in goodwill for accounting purposes of NOK 35 million.

"This culminates our first step in a very strategic process that will render our combined company into one of the largest and best positioned web hosting companies in Europe", says David Chartier, Chairman of Active ISP.



Assa Abloy acquires MAB, Italian market leader in door closers
Assa Abloy has acquires MAB Masellis SpA,Italian market leader in overhead door closers and floor springs. The acquisition strengthens ASSA ABLOY's position in Italy considerably.
Through the previous acquisitions of the Yale Intruder Security Group and effeff, Assa Abloy has established a good position in Italy. The acquisition of MAB strengthens this position considerably and increases opportunities to develop the market, including the introduction of products for higher levels of security.

Assa Abloy has the ambition of establishing a leading position and offering a complete range of products in all major markets. Door closers form an important part of a lock package, providing secure operation of a door.



Ford selects Tupy and SinterCast for new engine programme
Ford Motor Company has awarded Tupy Fundições of Brazil, one of the world's leading iron foundries, and the high-tech Swedish company SinterCast, the production contract for the compacted graphite iron (CGI) cylinder block of its new V6 diesel engine. The state-of-the-art 2.7 litre V6 engine will be the first ever volume engine produced with a compacted graphite iron cylinder block.
Scheduled for production start during 2003, the new V6 engine will become the range-topping powerplant in the combined Ford-PSA (Peugeot- Citroën Group) global diesel engine strategy. With target applications including Jaguar, PSA, Land Rover and Ford vehicles, high volumes will be achieved during the first full production year, 2004. The selection of Tupy, SinterCast and compacted graphite iron for this flagship programme is particularly significant in the light of Ford's stated ambition, together with PSA, to become the largest diesel engine manufacturer in the world.

Mr. Mário Egerland, President and C.E.O. of Tupy said, "The Ford decision is of great significance for Tupy. It confirms our belief in compacted graphite iron as a key engine construction material for the future and acknowledges and rewards our strategy to become the CGI foundry for the worldwide automotive industry. With this production programme leading the way, we anticipate considerable growth both within the Ford-PSA alliance and with other car and truck manufacturers in Europe, America and Asia. Tupy Fundições is committed to leading this trend toward CGI".

Mr. Bertil Hagman, President & CEO of SinterCast said, "Following years of technical achievements, and successful low-volume production, this first volume production order signals the beginning of a new era for SinterCast, compacted graphite iron, and the world foundry and automotive industries. The selection of SinterCast CGI confirms the industry confidence in our process control technology for the reliable volume production of high quality CGI, and rewards our long-standing role as the CGI technology development partner to the industry. This important decision from Ford verifies that the entire CGI manufacturing process, including machining, satisfies mass production requirements and economics".



ReadSoft closes global reseller agreement with SPSS MR
ReadSoft has closed a strategic agreement with SPSS MR (Market Research), a division of the US based software company SPSS Inc. SPSS MR will integrate and resell Eyes & Hands FORMS, ReadSoft's product for automatic data capture. The agreement is initially worth 200 000 USD.
SPSS MR offers a broad variety of market research solutions to customers on a global market. When setting up a model for a market survey with SPSS MR, ReadSoft's Eyes & Hands FORMS will automatically be put into work to capture, interpret and verify the scanned information on paper forms. The global agreement makes Eyes & Hands FORMS a fully integrated part of the SPSS MR portfolio.

"The market research industry was an early adopter of automatic data capture technology and is one of our largest segments. The agreement with SPSS MR will further improve our penetration of the market research segment. SPSS MR has a considerable share of the global market and has previously worked with competitors of ours," says Jan Andersson, MD of ReadSoft.

Ian Durrell, MD of SPSS MR, comments the agreement: "We are excited about the agreement with Readsoft. Our new Dimensions range of data collection products has been built to interface seamlessly with Readsoft software. We believe we can add substantially to the number of users of Readsoft software through the integration of our two products."

SPSS MR analyzes data within, for instance, telecommunications, healthcare, banking and insurance. ReadSoft's Eyes & Hands FORMS is specialized in capturing and interpreting data on forms and is therefore well suited for the market research segment. Eyes & Hands FORMS is already an integrated part in market research projects run by companies such as GFK and Infratest Burke.

Nicholas Mead


Nokia announce wireless GPRS launch in USA
Nokia today announced that its first GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)-enabled wireless phone is expected to be available in the Americas by the end of 2001. The
feature-intense Nokia 8390 (GSM/GPRS 1900) combines the newest high-speed packet data technology with the signature style that has become the hallmark of Nokia's wireless products
GPRS technology allows users to stay connected to the Internet using packet switching technology that transmits information via short bursts, or packets. This allows for faster downloads of information and no time spent completing a dial-up connection. Users can stay connected to their favorite information and entertainment services, and are able to stay logged in to the Internet or e-mail account without having to maintain a continuous phone call.

"As the next step on the road to the third generation, GPRS will bring a new level of wireless connectivity that will deliver advanced wireless services that consumers in the Americas want and need." said K-P Wilska, president of Nokia Inc.. "Equally as important as the new GPRS technology used in the Nokia 8390 is that, as a Nokia product, this phone is also designed to be intuitive to the user. After all, technology is only valuable if people can easily use it in their everyday lives."

The GPRS-enabled Nokia 8390 can quickly access data by using its Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) mobile Internet browser, or by connecting to a PC using its integrated infrared port. The Nokia 8390 supports the most recent WAP release, WAP 1.2.1, which enables the possibility of 'push' services like continuous news updates. Allowing for a more convenient mobile Internet experience, this newest WAP release also allows for the optional use of 'cookies', so that information from a previous session can be recalled without entering information for a second time.

Nicholas Mead


Switchcore share issue fully subscribed
SwitchCore of Sweden, developers of integrated switching devices for data and internet communication, have carried out a new stock issue with preferential rights for stockholders, during June. The issue, worth SEK 242 million, was fully subscribed. The lead manager was Handelsbanken Investment Banking.
"It's very satisfying that the issue was fully subscribed," states Jan Gustavsson, chairman of SwitchCore AB.

"Our stockholders have shown us great loyalty and this naturally spurs the company on to achieve its goals," he concludes.

The issue has provided a capital injection of SEK 242 million before issue-related costs. The total number of stocks after the issue is 85 513 702.

Nicholas Mead


Sense integrates Site Communications
Site Communications of Norway have announced they are integrating the company "to achieve synergies and reduce total operating costs and position the company for future growth.
The WEB channel in Site has proved to be an efficient sales channel, and will further enhance the company's distribution power. Before acquisition costs, Site contributes positively, before integration synergies, to the company's cash-flow when incorporated in the results by 1st of June 2001. Sense