Cluster: Archive

Helsana’s profits suffer

This content was published on Apr 18, 2001 Over the same period the number of people insured by the company increased by 0.5 per cent to 1.5 million. According to figures published on Wednesday, the group received 0.8 per cent more in premium income from its clients over 2000, coming in at SFr3.5 billion. Payouts increased by 8.8 per cent over the same…

Court case over cut-price drugs continues in South Africa

This content was published on Apr 18, 2001 The case has led the United Nations programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) to call on pharmaceutical companies to consider new ways of doing business. The hearing, which is taking place in the capital, Pretoria, was postponed last month. It centres on a South African law adopted in 1997 – but never implemented – which gives the…

Lower aluminium prices undermine numbers at Alcan

This content was published on Apr 18, 2001 Montreal-based Alcan, now the world’s second largest aluminium maker, said it had a net income of $137 million in the first quarter, down from $178 million in the same period last year. Results also included a $70 million after-tax charge related to the sale of bauxite and alumina operations in Jamaica. Alcan is in advanced…

Unexpected rise in Valora’s profit

This content was published on Apr 18, 2001 The company has three main activities: its Swiss-based Kiosk chain of convenience stores, its European photo development business Fotolabo, and its food distribution business Alimarca. Valora, based in Bern, said that costs tied to the sale of its Slumberland bedding business were lower than expected, leading to an extraordinary charge of SFr46 million last year,…

Swissair wins prestigious quality award

This content was published on Apr 17, 2001 The national flag carrier was presented with the World Travel Award for Europe’s leading airline, an honour it has enjoyed for the past five years. It also won the World’s leading Economy Class award at a prize-giving ceremony in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. “These important awards reflect the first-rate standard of quality that our…

Sulzer sees orders rise amid takeover worries

This content was published on Apr 17, 2001 The Winterthur-based company said the rise was “mainly attributable to Sulzer industries core business on which Sulzer will be based in the future” and that it expected “an ongoing positive trend in order intake for the current year”. Sulzer, which is facing a hostile bid attempt from Swiss investment group InCentive, has been under pressure…

Swiss firms urged to drop case against cut-price drugs

This content was published on Apr 17, 2001 The two multinationals are among 40 pharmaceutical companies taking the government to court over a law allowing South Africa to import cut-price drugs. The High Court in Pretoria is due to resume its hearing into the case on Wednesday. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the non-governmental organisations said it was “shocking that Novartis and…

Georg Fischer expands in Japan

This content was published on Apr 17, 2001 The existing joint venture, Kubota Georg Fischer, has been run as a 50/50 joint venture for the past 15 years and focused on the industrial and building technology markets. Georg Fischer said in a statement that the joint venture had been profitable for many years and that annual sales had now reached about SFr50 million…

Sales up at Vögele

This content was published on Apr 17, 2001 The Pfäffikon-based group, which gave no absolute levels over the first quarter, revealed its figures for 2000 last month. At that time the company said it expected a sales rise in 2001 of 29 per cent, an increase in earnings before interest and taxes of 12 per cent, and a net profit margin of between…

Studies support genetic link to suicide

This content was published on Apr 16, 2001 Researchers from psychiatric hospitals in Geneva, Montpellier and Nîmes said the altered gene disrupted the brain’s ability to absorb the chemical serotonin, which regulates mood and anxiety levels. It is well known that low levels of serotonin can lead to depression, eating disorders and other mental illnesses. “These genetic data are consistent with a correlation…

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Helsana’s profits suffer

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Court case over cut-price drugs continues in South Africa

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Lower aluminium prices undermine numbers at Alcan

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Unexpected rise in Valora’s profit

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Swissair wins prestigious quality award

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Sulzer sees orders rise amid takeover worries

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Swiss firms urged to drop case against cut-price drugs

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Georg Fischer expands in Japan

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Sales up at Vögele

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Studies support genetic link to suicide

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