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The business week in Switzerland

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 Almost 400 workers are to lose their jobs following Thursday’s announcement that Europe’s largest toy-maker, Lego, is to close its two factories in Baar. Management blamed the failure of a recent reorganisation to boost sales and strong competition from companies making more modern toys and games. Swiss Lego production is to be concentrated in the…

Car industry grateful for Swiss contribution

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 Visitors to the Motor Show, which runs until March 11 at the Palexpo exhibition centre, come to marvel at the high-tech concept cars and technical innovations developed by German, Italian and Japanese firms. But what they are almost certainly unaware of is that these are often produced with Swiss help. Some 120 Swiss companies, employing…

Swisscom selling off property interests

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 Most of the buildings are located in prime city areas across the country. Swiss Prime Site, which announced its merger with Feldschlösschen-Hürlimann Holding a few days ago, is putting up the lion’s share of the asking price with SFr706 million. By selling its property portfolio, Swisscom hopes to concentrate on its core activities. Negotiations are…

Construction market for housing remains sluggish

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 Figures released on Friday showed housing construction weaker across most parts of the country. One exception was in communities with a population of less than 2,000 where 20 per cent more apartments were built. In the fourth quarter of last year, the rate of new apartments being constructed in the country’s five biggest cities fell…

Revenue heads upwards at Zurich airport

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 The newly privatised “Unique Zurich airport” said on Friday that revenue from non-aviation sources – such as duty-free sales, advertising and parking – overtook earnings from aviation sources for the first time. Non-aviation revenue was up 12 per cent to SFr271 million. Aviation revenue, primarily from taxation, grew by 7.3 per cent to SFr251 million…

Waste water management comes out the closet

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 Traditionally, waste water management has been an end-of-pipe system where any problems are dealt with in treatment plants. Now researchers are trying to tackle the problem at source with a recycling strategy using special urine-separating toilets. The project is promoted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (EAWAG). “Waste water treatment in…

A matter of taste

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 Switzerland’s first-ever Semaine du Goût, or Taste Week, is an opportunity to revive interest in traditional local dishes and also to experiment with more exotic flavours. “We have lost many traditional recipes. This is a battle against the standardisation of our food,” says parliamentarian Joseph Zisyadis, one of the organisers of the week, which runs…

Leuenberger opens Geneva motor show with call to cut pollution

This content was published on Mar 1, 2001 In his address on Thursday, Leuenberger – who is also transport and environment minister – said the technology was available for a much cleaner hybrid vehicle, which runs on fuel cells, to be introduced on to the market. He added that it was up to the automobile industry to push ahead with the vehicles because…

Author moves world’s great mysteries to Interlaken

This content was published on Mar 1, 2001 Visitors to Interlaken will soon be able to journey back in time to ancient Egypt or the Mayan kingdom, or travel to Mars. At a ceremony at a disused airfield outside of the resort on March 1, von Däniken and his partners laid the foundation for the “Mysteries of the World” park. They say they…

Swiss stocks end at year-low

This content was published on Mar 1, 2001 Receding prospects for a quick cut in US interest rates continued to depress Swiss stocks through the session. Early losses on the New York Stock Exchange also encouraged the negative tone seen across European bourses. The US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s comments on Wednesday suggested to markets that the central bank would probably wait…

Cluster: Archive

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Cluster: Archive

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The business week in Switzerland

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Car industry grateful for Swiss contribution

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Swisscom selling off property interests

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Construction market for housing remains sluggish

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Revenue heads upwards at Zurich airport

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Waste water management comes out the closet

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A matter of taste

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Leuenberger opens Geneva motor show with call to cut pollution

More

Author moves world’s great mysteries to Interlaken

More

Swiss stocks end at year-low

Popular Stories

Most Discussed