Neustadt in Sachsen (dpa/sn) – One of the last traditional sled builders in Saxony is feeling the effects of the increased costs for energy and raw materials. “The prices for wood, metal, paint and oil have risen by at least a third,” said Gerd Klingner from Neustadt in Saxony (Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district) on Tuesday. Unfortunately, this has to be passed on to the customers.
Sledges have been made by hand in the company since 1899, before reunification several hundred sledges were made each year. The 72-year-old stressed that demand dropped enormously in the 1990s, but has been rising again for a number of years. “People are putting value on good craftsmanship again.” About 150 sleds are currently produced each year.
Klingner started building the ash tree in the spring. “The runners have to be bent and then dried out over the summer.” Then the steel edges are mounted and the sledge is weatherproofed with oils and varnishes. The cheapest product is available for around 50 euros, the “Nostalgic sled like in grandma’s time” costs 200.