Swedish Chutzpah I

Swedish business newspaper "Dagens Industri" reports that Electrolux has sent a letter to all of its global material and service providers "demanding" a 21% price cut retroactive to January 1, and over and above any other price reductions already committed to.  "Dagens Industri" reports the letter was signed by 3 Electrolux Global purchasing executives including US VP of Purchasing, Don Market.  
If you can read Swedish: The Dagens Industri Article  If not, see below.

A joke, no?  Could a supplier read this letter without breaking into a convulsive laughter of blood-vessel-bursting, underwear-soiling proportions?  Why not a 63.9% reduction retroactive to November 11, 1967, reimbursement (with interest) in cash or the slavery of the supplier's woman folk?
A demand for a 3% - 6% cut is a very frightening thing indeed, because it is possible.  A 21% cut is comedy, insanity or farce.  
Our favorite scenario:   3 global "executives", stoned out of their minds, already having affixed both "Out of Order" signs to the elevators and buttock prints on the 6th floor windows, and after having flashed the Turkish night cleaning crew, telephoned bomb threats to the Norwegian embassy, and committed 2 additional assaults on Swedish neutrality....after all of that, the brilliant idea of torturing the suppliers was suggested, and heartily seconded.  After hitting "Send", they laughed for 20 minutes.
Did it happen this way?  Does anything else make sense?
DEAR ELECTROLUX SUPPLIERS:  
What are your thoughts.  You will be kept Anonymous.
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