Trelleborg 6-month earnings up 70%

TRELLEBORG, Sweden (July 20)—Trelleborg A.B.´s first half operating profits rose 70 percent, while sales on a direct comparative basis rose 6 percent. The firm´s operating profits rose to $87.3 million, as all of the company´s business areas reported improvements over 1999, the company said. Additional earnings attributable to the newly acquired AVS operations more than offset the decrease resulting from the divestment of units in 1999. Sales of $755.2 million were slightly more than half those reported a year ago, but represent