Scania

History

Vabis and Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania

AB Scania-Vabis was established in 1911 as the result of a merger between Södertälje-based Vabis and Malmö-based Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania. Vagnfabriks Aktiebolaget i Södertelge (Vabis) was established as a railway car manufacturer in 1891, while Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania was established as a bicycle manufacturer in 1900. Both companies had tried their luck at building automobiles, trucks and engines, but with varied success. In 1910, Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania had succeeded in constructing reliable vehicles, while Vabis was at the brink of closing down. An offer from Per Alfred Nordeman, managing director of Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania, to steel manufacturer Surahammars Bruk, owner of Vabis, led to an agreement in November 1910, and in 1911 the merger was a reality.

Development and production of engines and light vehicles were set to Södertälje, while trucks were manufactured in Malmö. The company's logo was redesigned from Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania's original logo with the head of a griffin, the coat of arms of the Swedish region Scania (Skåne), centered on a three-spoke bicycle chainset. Initially the headquarters were located in Malmö, but in 1912 they were moved to Södertälje.

First World War and 1920s

Because there were many inexpensive, imported cars in Sweden at the time, Scania-Vabis decided to build high-class, luxury cars, for instance the type III limousine from 1920 that had a top hat holder in the roof. Prince Carl of Sweden owned a 1913 Scania-Vabis 3S, a type which was fitted with in-car buttons so the passenger could communicate with the driver. Scania-Vabis also built two-seat sports cars (or "sportautomobil").

For the next few years the company's profits stagnated, with around a third of their orders coming from abroad. The outbreak of the First World War, however, changed the company, with almost all output being diverted to the Swedish Army. By 1916, Scania-Vabis was making enough profit to invest in redeveloping both of their production facilities.

Following the war, in 1919, Scania decided to focus completely on building trucks, abandoning other outputs including cars and buses. However, the post-war market was affected by an influx of surplus military vehicles, and by 1921 the company had declared bankruptcy.

After some economic difficulties in 1921, new capital came from Stockholms Enskilda Bank owned by the Wallenberg family, and Scania-Vabis became a solid and technically, high standing, company.

Denmark

Towards the end of 1913, the company established a subsidiary in Denmark. The following year the first Danish-built car, a four-seater Phaeton, was built at the company's Frederiksberg factory in Copenhagen. In 1914, the factory produced Denmark's first Scania-Vabis truck, and following this developed a V8 engine, one of the first in the world. In 1921, having sold around 175 trucks, and 75 cars, ... the Danish operation was closed down.

Norway

In 1917 an agreement was established with the newly formed Norwegian company Norsk Automobilfabrik A/S about production under license of Scania-Vabis cars and lorries. Production began in 1919, but was ended in 1921 after production of only 77 lorries, mostly built from Swedish produced parts.

1930s and 1940s

During the Second World War, Scania produced a variety of military vehicles for the Swedish Army, including Stridsvagn m/41 light tanks produced under licence.

1950s and 1960s

During the 1950s, the company expanded its operations into new customer segments, becoming agents for the Willys Jeep and the Volkswagen Beetle, the latter being very profitable for Scania-Vabis. It also started to become a genuine competitor to Volvo with their new L71 Regent truck which was introduced in 1954.

During this period, Scania-Vabis expanded its dealer network and country-wide specialist workshop facilities. By the end of the 1950s, their market-share in Sweden was between 40 and 50%, and was achieving 70% in the heaviest truck sector – helped by the entrepreneurial efforts of their dealers into the haulier market.

Probably their largest impact was in export markets. Before 1950, exports accounted for only 10 percent of production output, but a decade later, exports were at 50% of output. Beers in the Netherlands became a very important partner. Beers became official importers for Scania-Vabis in the Netherlands, and established a dealer network, along with training programmes for both mechanics and drivers. Beers also offered free twice-yearly overhauls of their customers vehicles, and offered a mobile service throughout the Netherlands with their custom-equipped service trucks. Due to Beers concerted efforts, Scania-Vabis market share in the country remained at a consistent 20% throughout this period. Scania-Vabis were to adopt the business model of Beers in their own overseas sales operations.

The 1960s saw Scania-Vabis expanding its production operations into overseas locations. Until now, all Scania-Vabis production had been carried out solely at Södertälje, but the 1960s saw the need to expand production overseas. Brazil was becoming a notable market for heavy trucks, and was also dependent on inter-urban buses, with particular requirement for Brazil's mountainous roads which became nigh-on impassable at times. On 2 July 1957, Brazilian subsidiary Scania-Vabis do Brasil S.A. (today known as Scania Latin America Ltda.) was established and started assembling some vehicles themselves in 1958. On 29 May 1959, a new engine plant was inaugurated in the Ipiranga district of São Paulo, and from June 1960, Scania-Vabis do Brasil assembled all vehicles themselves. Scania-Vabis vehicles had already been assembled in Brazil by a local company called Vemag (Veículos e Máquinas Agrícolas S.A.) for several years. Scania-Vabis established its first full manufacturing plant outside Södertälje, by building a new facility in São Bernardo do Campo near São Paulo, which was opened on 8 December 1962, and this was to set the standard for Scania-Vabis international operations.

1970s and 1980s

In 1976, the Argentine industrial complex was launched. A few months later, on 10 September, the first gearbox outside of Sweden was manufactured and finally in December an L111 truck became the first Scania made in Argentina. Soon the plant specialised in the production of gearboxes, axles and differentials that equipped both the units produced in Tucumán and those built in Brazil.

Also in Argentina, in 1982 the Series 2 was launched as part of the "Scania Program", consisting of the T-112 and R-112 trucks with two cab versions and different options in engine and load capacity. In 1983, was launched the K112 made in Tucuman (like the rest models) for replace the BR-116.

In mid-1985 Scania entered the US market for the first time (aside from having sold 12,000 diesel engines installed in Mack trucks from 1962 until 1975), starting modestly with a goal of 200 trucks in all of 1987 (121 trucks were sold during calendar year 1986). Scania limited their marketing to New England, where conditions resemble those in Europe more closely.

Many examples of Scania, Vabis and Scania-Vabis commercial and military vehicles can be seen at the Marcus Wallenberg-hallen (the Scania Museum) in Södertälje.

Presidents and CEOs

Leif Östling (1994–2012)

Martin Lundstedt (2012–2015)

Henrik Henriksson (2016–2021)

Christian Levin (2021–present)

Ownership

Saab-Scania AB (1969–1995)

On 1 September 1969, Scania merged with Saab AB, and formed Saab-Scania AB. When Saab-Scania was split in 1995, the name of the truck and bus division changed simply to Scania AB. One year later, Scania AB was introduced on the stock exchange, which resulted in a minor change of name to Scania AB (publ).

Aborted Volvo takeover

On 7 August 1999, Volvo announced it had agreed to acquire a majority share in Scania. Volvo was to buy the 49.3% stake in Scania that was owned by Investor AB, Scania's then main shareholder. The acquisition, for US$7.5 billion (60.7 billion SEK), would have created the world's second-largest manufacturer of heavy trucks, behind DaimlerChrysler. The cash for the deal was to come from the sale of Volvo's car division to Ford Motor Company in January 1999.

The merger failed, after the European Union disapproved, announcing one company would have almost 100% market share in the Nordic markets.

Aborted MAN takeover

In September 2006, the German truckmaker MAN AG launched a €10.3bn hostile offer to acquire Scania AB. Scania's CEO Leif Östling was forced to apologise after comparing the bid of MAN to a "Blitzkrieg". MAN AG later dropped its hostile offer, but in January 2008, MAN increased their voting rights in Scania to 17 percent.

Volkswagen Group era

The German automotive company Volkswagen Group gained ownership of Scania by first buying Volvo's stake in 2000, after the latter's aborted takeover attempt, increasing it to 36.4% in the first quarter 2007. It then bought out Investor AB in March 2008, raising its share to 68.60%

The deal was approved by regulatory bodies in July 2008. Scania then became the ninth marque in the Volkswagen Group. By 1 January 2015, the Volkswagen Group controlled 100% of the shares in Scania AB. In 2018, Volkswagen Truck & Bus was rebranded Traton.

Controversies

Price-fixing fines

In September 2017, Scania was fined 880 million euros (8.45bn Swedish krona) by the EU for taking part in a 14-year price fixing cartel. The other five members of the cartel – Daimler, DAF, MAN, Iveco and Volvo/Renault – settled with the commission in 2016.

Business in Russia

On 13 September 2022, Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Scania declared a cease of operations since the 13 September 2022 in Russia after export sanctions and restrictions were enacted on Russia making it not profitable. In March, Scania stopped deliveries of trucks and parts to Russia, and all production in the country. Scania announced the sale of assets of their company in Russia for 560 million USD, thus dissolving their Russian branch. They sold their assets in Russia to local partners.

Products

Trucks and special vehicles

Scania develops, manufactures and sells trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 16 tonnes (Class 8), intended for long-distance haulage, regional and local distribution of goods, and construction transport. The company offers vehicles powered by conventional internal combustion engines, including diesel and alternative fuels, as well as hybrid and battery-electric powertrains. In 2025, Scania delivered 602 zero-emission vehicles globally.

The 1963 forward-control LB76 helped establish Scania-Vabis internationally and was among the first truck models to feature extensive crash-tested cab design.

All current Scania trucks are part of the PRT range, marketed as different series based primarily on cab height and application.

L-series – Introduced in 2017, the L-series features a low-entry cab optimised for urban distribution, waste collection and other short-haul duties requiring enhanced driver visibility and accessibility.

P-series – Introduced in 2004, the P-series is designed for regional distribution, construction and specialised transport operations. It is available with multiple cab configurations, including day cab, sleeper cab and crew cab variants.

G-series – Introduced in 2007, the G-series targets national long-haul and construction applications. It is offered with several sleeper and day cab configurations and a range of chassis and axle options.

R-series – Introduced in 2004, the R-series is primarily intended for long-haul operations and has received multiple International Truck of the Year awards, including in 2005 and 2010. The R 730 variant is powered by Scania’s 16.4-litre DC16 V8 engine producing 730 PS (540 kW; 720 hp) and 3,500 N⋅m (2,600 lb⋅ft) of torque.

S-series – Introduced in 2016, the S-series features Scania’s highest cab configuration, with a flat floor design aimed at long-distance transport.

Buses and coaches

Scania’s bus and coach operations have traditionally focused on the manufacture of chassis for a wide range of applications, from tourist coaches to urban and regional public transport. Since the 1950s, when the company operated under the name Scania-Vabis, it has also produced complete buses for its home markets in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. From the 1990s onward, complete bus production expanded to additional European markets.

Scania-Vabis was involved in bus production from its earliest years, producing mail buses in the 1920s.

In 1946, the company introduced the B-series of bus chassis, featuring an engine mounted above the front axle, which allowed a short front overhang and positioned the door behind the axle. The first generation included the B15/B16, B20/B21/B22 and B31 models, differentiated primarily by weight class and wheelbase. These were updated in 1948 as the 2B20/2B21/2B22 and 3B31. A trolleybus chassis, the T31/T32, was introduced in 1947.

A new generation followed in 1950 with the B41/B42, B61/B62/B63/B64 and later the B83. From this period, Scania-Vabis also offered the BF-series (BF61/BF62/BF63), which had the engine mounted ahead of the front axle, providing a longer front overhang and different door placement. Subsequent updates in the 1950s included the B51/B71 and BF71/BF73, followed by the B55/B65/B75 and BF75 in 1959, and later B56/B66/B76 and BF56/BF76 from 1963.

Shortly before the company adopted the Scania name in 1968, a limited number of CR76 chassis frameworks were delivered for external bodying, based on the complete CR76 bus. From 1968, this platform was marketed as the BR110. Other chassis models were renamed, with model numbers aligned to engine displacement, such as B80/B110 and BF80/BF110.

In 1971, Scania introduced a new range of longitudinal rear-engined chassis, including the BR85 and the V8-powered 14-litre BR145 aimed at the coach market. In Brazil, a variant known as the BR115 used the standard 11-litre engine. The BR111 replaced the BR110 and was derived from the CR111 complete bus. Model updates in the mid-1970s led to revised designations such as 86 and 111, with the BR145 later replaced by the BR116.

Metro Cammell Weymann (UK)

In 1969, Scania partnered with MCW to produce the Metro-Scania single-decker for the UK market, based on the BR110MH and later the BR111MH chassis. In 1973, it was replaced by the Metropolitan double-decker built on the BR111DH chassis. Production ended in 1978 when the BR111 was replaced by the BR112.

East Lancashire Coachbuilders (ELC) introduced the MaxCi in 1993, based on the CN113 chassis, followed by the European on the L113 in 1995. In 2003, ELC launched the OmniDekka double-decker and OmniTown midibus using Scania chassis.

Irizar

From the mid-1990s, Scania entered a long-term cooperation with Spanish coachbuilder Irizar, distributing Irizar coaches through Scania’s network. For many years, Scania held exclusive distribution rights for Irizar coaches in Northern Europe. Key models included the Irizar Century and later the Irizar PB.

Norway – Ajokki / Carrus

In 1985, Scania’s Norwegian distributor collaborated with Finnish builder Ajokki to launch the Scania Classic, a coach built exclusively for Norway. Later generations were produced under Carrus after Ajokki’s restructuring. Production ended in the early 2000s following Volvo’s acquisition of Carrus. Additional Norway-exclusive models included the Scania Cruiser, Scania Universal and Scania InterClassic.

Higer Bus (China)

In 2006, Scania and Higer Bus announced the A80 coach built on Scania chassis in China. Variants from the Higer A series were marketed in Asia and Europe. The A80 later became known globally as the Scania Touring.

Van Hool

Since 2012, Scania has offered selected models from Belgian manufacturer Van Hool’s TX series on Scania K EB chassis, including the Astronef, Astromega and Altano. Since 2014, the Exqui.City BRT concept has been available on Scania N UA chassis, including compressed natural gas (CNG) variants.

Diesel engines and power solutions

In addition to engines for buses and trucks, Scania produces industrial and marine power solutions used in construction, mining, material handling, agriculture, power generation and maritime applications. These offerings include internal combustion engines as well as hybrid and fully electric power systems, including industrial battery solutions for selected applications. Scania’s involvement in internal combustion engine development dates back to the late 19th century, when the company produced engines for early motor vehicles. Over time, Scania expanded its portfolio to include power units for trucks, buses, marine propulsion and industrial applications supplied to markets worldwide.

Years in parentheses indicate the first year of application in road vehicles.

Other products

Scania licenses branded merchandise such as clothing and scale models.

Production sites

The table below lists current and former production facilities of Scania AB, including vehicle assembly plants and component manufacturing sites. As of 2025, Scania operates production facilities in Europe, South America and Asia, organised around a modular production system that enables shared components across different vehicle platforms. In October 2025, the company inaugurated a manufacturing hub in Rugao, China.

Notes: The second column of the table lists factory VIN ID codes, which are indicated in the 11th digit of a vehicle’s 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number. These codes are assigned only to plants producing complete vehicles; component and sub-assembly factories do not have VIN ID codes.

In 2015 Scania opened its first Asian Plant in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. This plant specialises in bus and coach making.

In November 2020, Scania acquired Chinese truck manufacturer Nantong Gaokai in Rugao, Jiangsu province, as part of its plans to establish vehicle production in China.