saaris has taken over as the new umbrella brand of the former ZPT – „Zentrale für Produktivität und Technologie“, which had successfully lent it support to companies of the Saar economy for many years. The change of name also goes hand in hand with additional tasks to be performed: Besides a comprehensive range of services offered to Saarland-based companies from all sectors and of whatever size as well as start-ups, the responsibility for Saarland marketing has now also been assigned to saaris.

The overriding objective of all of the services is to improve the competitiveness and innovative strength of the Saar economy and thus to secure its continued existence on a long-term basis.The range of services provided by saaris includes further vocational training programmes for skilled members of staff and executives, offering technical and business management advice to companies as well as activities for the development of new sales markets at home and abroad. The registered association also focuses on promoting innovation and technology, on the securing and acquisition of skilled labour as well as on providing consultancy services to companies in view of technological and demographic change.

European Network

saaris is supported and funded by the Land government of Saarland, in particular by the Ministry of Economics, Labour, Energy and Transport (Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit, Energie und Verkehr). The management tasks are assumed by Saarland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which also provides the premises for saaris.

Affiliates also include an Enterprise Europe Network, the eBusiness-Lotse Saar as well as a patent information centre.As a SIGNO partner (an initiative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy concerning the protection of ideas for commercial exploitation) for Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, it provides inventors with information and consultancy services on all aspects of intellectual property.