The Sarna group (European headquarters: CH-6060 Sarnen; www.sarna.com), a specialist in the development and manufacture of high-quality functional car interior components and decorative surface components, saw its sales slump significantly to CHF 403.8m (EUR 262.7m) in the first half of 2003 from CHF 476.5m in the 2002 period. The most disappointing sales result was posted by Sarnamotive Division America, which experienced a 29.9% drop to CHF 104.4m (CHF 148.8m). The divestment of Sarnatech AG (CH-1337 Vallorbe) – see PIE 26, 2002 – added to the negative development, as Sarnatech´s sales of CHF 22.6m still contributed to the group´s overall result in the first half of last year. The group´s operating result for the 2003 first half declined to CHF 10.4m (CHF 26.2m). While turnover is expected to pick up again in the second half of 2003, Sarna anticipates a “significantly lower sales result” for the full year, compared with 2002.

In June, the German subsidiary Paulmann & Crone (D-58513 Lüdenscheid; www.sarnamotive.de) opened its new competence center Timberg at Lüdenscheid, with production, assembly and paint shops. The EUR 20m facility is planned to take over functions formerly located at the company´s Marienheide facility. Options for a relocation of functions from the Lösenbach facility at Lüdenscheid to the new centre are currently under consideration. The facility at Liberec in the Czech Republic is planned to come on stream in October 2003, creating 60 new jobs. It will produce injection moulded components for split-folded central arm rests used in Volkswagen´s new Golf V.