FAQ - Owner Foundations and VBG GROUP

Who are the owner foundations?
The founder of the Company, Mr   Herman Krefting, created in the eighties three foundations to which he assigned shares. The largest one is the Herman Krefting Foundation for Allergy and Asthma Research. The other two foundations are the SLK Employees´ Foundation and the VBG-SLK Foundation.

Who was Herman Krefting? Read more here!

Who is the largest shareholder in VBG GROUP AB?
The Herman Krefting Foundation for Allergy and Asthma Research is the largest owner, both in holding and votes. The other two owner foundations have a lower holding of shares.  

What is the purpose of the owner foundations?
The purpose of the Herman Krefting Foundation for Allergy and Asthma Research is to support scientific research in the field of allergy and asthma.   The main purpose for all three foundations is to safeguard the development of VBG GROUP AB, whose shares are the foundations most important assets.

The Herman Krefting Foundation for Allergy and Asthma Research
The Foundation has earlier given support in forms of grants but today it is mainly as contribution to research projects. Significant contributions have been given to financially support professorships at Sahlgrenska Akademin in Gothenburg.   During 2008 an agreement was made with Sahlgrenska Akademin  regarding contribution to a new research centre for allergy and asthma  - Krefting Research Centre.

Dividend of grants and contribution from the Herman Krefting Foundation for Allergy and Asthma Research MSEK

2010  2009    2008    2007    2006    
  3,7    3,7      9,3      8,5       4,0            

How are the owner foundations managed?
Each foundation is regulated by statutes and administered by a Board of Directors. The County Administrative Board is the supervisory authority. Members of the Herman Krefting Foundation for Allergy and Asthma Research are Staffan Ekelund (chairman). Göran Bengtsson, Dan Wiklund, Peter Hansson and Anders Birgersson.

The foundations shall act with a long-term perspective and a social responsibility to ensure a persistent profitable growth of the company.

How large dividends have the foundations received from VBG GROUP AB in the past few years?

The foundations´ dividends from VBG GROUP AB, MSEK

2010  2009    2008    2007    2006    

  2,6    5,3      13,2    10,6      7,3            

Can the foundations sell their shares in VBG GROUP AB?
As stated above the foundations´ main task is to safeguard the continuance of the company.  According to present statutes the foundations cannot sell their shares in VBG GROUP AB.

Is it prescribed in the statues that the head office of VBG GROUP AB must always be in Vänersborg? Vänersborg?
No,   there are no such provisions. Instead, this issue is regulated by the Articles of Association, which at present prescribes that the Board of Directors shall have its registered office in Vänersborg.   For this to be changed, a decision of the Annual General Meeting is required in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act.

What other ownership interests do the foundations have?
In addition to the shareholding in VBG GROUP AB, the foundations´ assets approx amount to MSEK 14 MSEK.
There are no holdings in any other company.

To contact the Owner Foundations:        info@vbggroup.com