Business digest

Precious Woods Group has announced increased revenues in 2001 of 65 per cent to SFr17.93 million ($11.32 million).

The increase is due mainly to higher sales in its wood products division. Profits increased by 163 per cent to almost SFr2.38 ($1.5 million).

The company, active in the sustainable use of trees in Latin America, increased the amount of forest managed in Brazil from 80,000 hectares to 167,000 hectares during the period.

Precious Woods has been quoted on the Swiss stock exchange since March.

Sulzer Burckhardt

Sulzer AG unit Sulzer Burckhardt will be renamed Burckhardt Compression after a management buyout.

Five managers from Sulzer Burckhardt, which produces reciprocating compressors, have taken over the company.

Burckhardt Compression, employing around 430, had sales of approximately SFr150 million in 2001.

Unaxis

Unaxis Holding AG has sold three business units within its material division to
Belgium’s Unicore SA.

The three business units, Liechtenstein based Unaxis Marterial AG and two other units in New Hampshire, the United States and Taiwan, posted combined sales SFr53 million in 2001.

If approved, the deal will conclude the sale of Unaxis’ materials division.

swissinfo with agencies