World Champion Austria 2018

WORLD CHAMPION AUSTRIA yearbook 2018

SUR PRIS INGLY INGE NIOUS www.advantageaustria.org

WO RLD CLASS PART NERS www.advantageaustria.org

ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA is the official Austrian trade promotion organisation.

With over 100 offices in more than 70 countries we help over 58,000 Austrian businesses develop their international markets and promote their products and services around the world.

We provide hands-on, practical support for international businesses wishing to build partnerships with and invest in Austria.

We will help you: • establish strong connections and do business with Austrian companies • obtain goods or services from Austrian companies • invest in Austria

www.advantageaustria.org

HAFEN LINZ – the neutral logis Business on the move – day and The port of Linz as a logistics hub with a comprehensive range of services guarantees for an innovative and dynamic economy.

Its central location at the intersection of important traffic routes allows optimum access to the regional and international markets in Austria and Europe. The direct linkage to the highway, connections per rail, the Danube waterway and the proximity to the airport ensure fast connections to all regions. The central location offers strategic advantages for industry, business and commerce in central Upper Austrian and beyond. Excellent traffic connections ensure first-class service for all customers. Expertise regarding storage, transport and transloading and related services distinguish this central logistics hub.

Container Terminal Linz

Warehouse logistics

A strong partner – capable, quick, safe, flexible and, above all, neutral. As a One-Stop-Shop, the Container Terminal Linz offers exactly what is needed (including scales to comply with SOLAS requirements) plus tailor-made services to keep your container moving.

Donaulager Logistics is the only Austrian provider of professional storage conforming to the law for any kind of goods at just one site.

The storage specialist offers optimum conditions for professional storage of food products, pharmaceuticals, hazardous substances and substances hazardous to waters.

The 120,000 m² area is located at the intersection of important international traffic routes and thus offers optimum conditions for combined traffic on water, rail and road.

Container Terminal Linz

Temperature-controlled storage About 16,000 pallet spaces are available for professional storage in temperature-controlled warehouses.

Temperature-controlled storage (-28° C to +25° C)

Cold store With temperature sensitive goods, each degree is important. In the cool and chill stores (-28° C to +25° C), electronic devices create ideal conditions for safely storing perishable goods.

Storage of hazardous substances Storing tons of highly flammable or toxic substances without any worries. Donaulager Logistics is one of the few logistics companies in Europe that fulfils the high standards of safety for storing hazardous substances and substances hazardous to waters.

Special storage facilities for hazardous substances and substances hazardous to waters

tics hub in Upper Austria night

Transport logistics

New horizons

Business on the move – with a firm commitment to sustainability: We are on the road with combined shipments, less-than-truckload and full truckload shipments in the whole of Europe.

Our modern and environmentally-friendly trucks featuring GPS-tracking and hand-held terminals as well as ADR equipment take all kinds of goods quickly to their destination.

The district of the port of Linz is one of the most exciting areas for urban development in the city. At the same time it is of great importance for Linz as a business location. To ensure a prosperous future for the location, a masterplan was established and the project ‚Neuland Hafen Linz‘ was launched.

We also provide temperature-controlled transport (heated and cooled transport) as well as express service and empty packaging logistics.

Over the next years, the port of Linz will become an urban meeting point welcoming both the population and businesses for both leisure and work. For more information check out: www.linzag.at/masterplanhafenlinz

SYSTEMATIC LOGISTICS

Modern, environmentally-friendly trucks take all kinds of goods quickly to their destination.

www.donaulager.at

Port Tower and Portal

www.hafenlinz.at

World Champion Austria

_6

Editorial

Dear Readers, The peak of the economic boom: The upturn of the Austrian economy continued in summer and autumn 2017.

The UniCredit Bank Austria Economic Indicator reached its second highest level in six and a half years with 3.3 points. The atmosphere in the Austrian world of business is excellent and the upward trend of the last few months is continuing.

Export is one of the most important – if not the most important – indicator of a country’s competitiveness.

Here, the Austrian economy (also) benefits from the positive business climate abroad. The global Industrial Confidence Index, which contains an Austrian export share, went up in August 2017 to its highest point in six years. The main driver behind this is the stable economic upturn in Europe, which is built on more and more solid ground. Both the large economies of Germany, France and Italy but also the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe give the Austrian export economy positive impetuses. In some of our neighbouring countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the stronger economy also comes with a higher demand for products “made in Austria”. The Austrian industrial sector also benefits from the continuing upswing in the United States and many emerging markets. This support from the international boom has turned out to be sustainable and is projected to remain at an equally strong level or even improve in 2018. Those exports that strengthen the economic growth in Austria will therefore also make a major contribution to an increase in the GDP over the months to come.

Austria continuously proves its world-class qualities. Thanks to a high productivity, a socio-political consensus and highly productive human resources, Austria managed to break through to the leading group of modern market economies. Furthermore, we managed to realise many classic economic goals such as an increase in the added value and incomes, price stability and low unemployment.

Economic success, innovative and hard-working entrepreneurs, well-trained employees, social peace and security as well as an economy that banks on internationalisation are important qualities of this country. The latest competitiveness ranking by the World Economic Forum (WEF) saw Austria climb one spot among the 137 countries that were evaluated. Austria received the highest assessment in categories that are summarised under the tag “economic maturity”. The reason for this success is the many and foremost very good Austrian suppliers (rank 3 in quality of suppliers). The WEF also considers the Austrian infrastructure to be very good: Both roads and railways are on a high level, which also applies to the mobile networks and the energy supply.

The state also received various good marks: Legal security is high and the crime rate is low.

The Sustainability Contest 2017 crowned Austria as the European Champion of the 28 national economies of the EU. Our country is particularly successful when it comes to corporate environmental management, the use of renewable energies, CO2 emissions measured by the GDP and ecological agriculture.

It is therefore hardly surprising that there are numerous world market leaders in various sectors from Austria! Among the model brands and companies are Red Bull and Swarovski, VoestAlpine and Kapsch, Novomatic and Wienerberger but also FACC and MIBA, and many hidden champions who are sometimes even European or world market leaders in their niche markets. The diversity of Austrian world market leaders includes each type of business ownership and company size. This book tells of their ideas and their achievements

We thank all our partners and hope you enjoy reading this book!

Paul Christian Jezek, Editor-in-Chief

Winning

TECHNOLOGY

This is what our brand ambassador Niki Lauda stands for. Because above all, we owe our success as one of the leading international gaming technology groups to an innovative strength that is continually developed at our headquarters in Austria, as well as at the 27 technology centers and 14 production sites around the globe. www.novomatic.com

World Champion Austria

_8

Table of Contents

At a glance 12

How to become a World Market Leader – starting in Austria Major corporations and many SMEs, often called Hidden Champions, who are globally among the top three in their field.

20

28

62

64

66

69

72

Safely entering the digital World of Today Österreichische Staatsdruckerei is an “export world champion of a special kind“ with its concept “managing identities safely”.

Novomatic continues its Growth Strategy

Foreign Trade stimulates Growth OeKB supports Austrian business in their safe international success.

77 R&D is the Secret of Wienerberger’s Success

High up on the Eiffel Tower Getzner prevents vibrations from being transferred to the rooftop terrace of the Eiffel Tower’s restaurant.

CEO Heimo Scheuch: “We focus even more on urban residential areas and renovations.”

78 “Clear visions and untapped opportunities”: an interview with Bernhard Gröhs, CEO of Deloitte Austria.

European Champions in Real Estate Austrian real estate companies successfully export their know-how too.

Great trousers for China

Opportunity for a long-term Trend Reversal

Environmental World Champion The Austrian cement industry has the lowest CO2 emissions per tonne of produced cement worldwide.

2016 was the most successful business year ever for the high-tech gaming corporation.

48

Global leader in Lightweight Components FACC is, among other things, Boeing’s first global supplier to use “active thermography” for the quality control of components.

74

44

World-class Steels Voestalpine commenced two forward-looking investment projects worth more than 100 million euros for its production site in Donawitz.

Start-up company Breddy’s becomes the “world champion of tomorrow” thanks to its innovative crossover trousers.

40

The Metal Goods Industry Increases Growth The metal goods industry employs 71,000 people and is an incredibly important component of Austrian industry.

Born global Champions Awards for 44 companies for their innovative products, services and quick international growth.

38

60

Top Start-ups become top Businesses Thanks to Vienna as an upcoming hotspot for start-ups, the business location becomes even more innovative.

36

Infineon invests 35 mln euros into R&D and manufacturing of semiconductors based on silicon carbide technology (SiC).

Austria’s Model Companies in the Spotlight The best exporters are awarded with the Austrian Export Prize by ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA.

34

The global Centre of Competence

How to secure the high-flying Exports ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA and its 35 Innovation Centres have an eye for global investment trends.

30

58

CSR is very important to Austrian Hidden Champions What is more important, the economic, the social or the ecological component? And how are “good deeds” communicated?

A Workshop Success Story After 125 years, Kapsch is among Austria’s most successful technology companies.

World Market Leaders from Austria From Burgenland right through to Vorarlberg: Globally leading products and processes, as far as the eye can see!

24

54

ACR wants to optimise Cities with 3D Models Austrian Cooperative Research: Energy efficiency is an important criterion of modern urban planning and optimisation.

kneipp-hof Dussnang AG, Switzerland

District Hospital Begoro, Ghana

VAMED offers a complete project and service portfolio for health care as a developer, planner, contractor and operator. VAMED has already successfully implemented more than 800 hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, health resorts and thermal spas in 79 countries worldwide.

Wu’An Country People’s Hospital Hebei, China

_10

World Champion Austria Table of Contents/Imprint

80

The Future Models of the Rail Cargo Group

93

Single wagons, large containers or whole trains – the Rail Cargo Group connects the markets of major centres of commerce.

A favourable business environment and fiscal impetuses make for a higher economic growth.

96 82

World Market Leader in Translucent Concrete LCT has developed a unique method that makes translucent concrete easily applicable.

84

84 Rising Stars in Medical Technology The Graz-based CNSystems is a world market leader making devices for non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring.

85

The Magic Word is “Omega 3“ Ecoduna AG aims to become the market leader in vegan polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids.

86

Austria’s Automotive Suppliers are growing Austrian companies in this field withstand the high global pressure

88

How Miba makes the World a cleaner Place As a technology leader and global company, Miba actively contributes to technological progress.

90

Premature births and metabolomics research The renowned Houska Prize is awarded to particularly special innovative research projects.

The Austrian Provinces are still hitting the Gas

The Province of Researchers and Developers Carinthia has focused on (micro)electronics, mechatronics and robotics.

100 BMVIT initiatives all over Austria The Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology subsidises research and development.

108 Fighting Malaria Biochemist Oliver Hayden has won the European Inventor Award 2017 in the category “Industry”.

109 Austrian Model Companies ANKÖ, RESCO, M-U-T, AMMAG, Geislinger, Hofmann, Polytechnik, Sunpor Kunststoff, ILF Consulting Engineers, Industrie Informatik, Neuhofer Holz, fahr(T)raum, J. Meissl GmbH, MK Illumination Handels GmbH, EHG Ennshafen, AHT Cooling Systems, AME, EUROPLAST, Möschl

114 Gregor Rosinger prepares more IPOs The Rosinger Group is one of the better-known, financially sound and influential international players.

116 Major Stocks listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange An overview of publicly traded companies: From Agrana to Zumtobel.

Imprint PUBLISHER Germanos Athanasiadis EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Christian Jezek PROJECT DIRECTOR Erich Danneberg GRAPHIC CONCEPT AND ART DIRECTION Raimund Appl/Grafik medianet WRITERS Georg Jungwirth, Helga Krémer PICTURES see embedded picture credits; pictures on p28 to 37 provided by ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA MEDIA OWNER MN Anzeigenservice GmbH, 1110 Wien, Brehmstraße 10/OG 4, Tel. +43/1/919 20-0, Fax +43/1/298 20-2231, www.medianet.at ADVERTISMENTS Thomas Parger, Michael Stein ADVERTORIALS Helga Krémer MARKETING & SALES Alexandra Otto TRANSLATORS Jörg Michner, Kathryn Michner PRINTER Druckerei Bösmüller Gesellschaft mbH, Josef-Sandhofer-Straße 3, 2000 Stockerau, Österreich ISBN 978-3-902843-92-0 SALES PRICE 27,50 Euro SALES Medienlogistik Pichler-ÖBZ GmbH & Co KG, IZ NÖ Süd, Straße 1, Objekt 34, 2355 Wiener Neudorf MAIL ORDER HOTLINE www.medianet.at or Tel.: +43/1/919 20-2115 or Fax: +43/1/298 20-2231 COPYRIGHT © 2017 by MN Anzeigenservice GmbH. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including translating, photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA

Credit: ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA

Austrian exporters prove that they can handle a difficult global environment. Only recently, they managed to achieve new export records and they keep on flying high. After all, Austrian companies enjoy an excellent image. We belong to the world’s best on the global stage when it comes to quality, innovative power, know-how and reliability. My professional experience and many talks with decision-makers and entrepreneurs tell me that our companies do not have to shy away from international comparisons. But we must not rest on our laurels even though we can be proud of the many hidden champions that call Austria their home. We have to work on becoming even better. As a small country, we cannot win a race for quantity in the global competition for market shares – but we can beat others when it comes to the best quality! It is important for our businesses to expand their export horizon.

Michael Otter, Head of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA

Michael Otter, Head of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA

Supporting you all around the globe ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA is Austria’s official internationalisation agency and represents the entire Austrian economy abroad – that is 500,000 businesses. With its 110 offices in over 70 countries, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA offers Austrian companies and their international business partners an extensive range of services.

“We provide hands-on support for international companies that want to set up business ties in Austria or want to invest in Austria,” says the Head of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, Michael Otter. “Our 800 employees and 35 consultants around the world can assist you in locating the right suppliers and business partners in Austria. We organise about 1,200 events every year to bring business contacts together.”

Other services offered by ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA offices range from introductions to Austrian companies looking for importers, distributors or agents to providing in-depth information on Austria as a business location and assistance in entering the Austrian market.

Don’t hesitate to contact your local office! www.advantageaustria.org Have a look at the high performance of the Austrian economy.

On 200 country-specific pages in 28 languages, you will find: ! Business opportunities with Austrian companies ! Austrian companies sorted by sectors ! Information on Austrian sectors (facts and figures, standards, success stories) ! Business news from Austria and bilateral news ! Events with Austrian participation in your country ! The Business Guide Austria with useful information on importing from and exporting to Austria, investing in Austria, working in Austria and travelling to Austria

World Champion Austria Secrets of success

How to become a World Market Leader – starting in Austria Considering the size of the country, Austria is home to a large number of world market leaders. Some are major corporations with well-known names but there are small and medium-sized enterprises, often called Hidden Champions, who are globally among the top three in their field.

By GEORG JUNGWIRTH

W

orld market leaders have a long tradition in Austria. Look at the silver mine in Schwaz in Tyrol, for example: According to legend the maid Gertraud Kandlerin found a stone containing silver ore in 1409 when she took a bull out to the pastures on Kogelmoos mountain. Around 1420 the first rich ore mines were opened and the immigration of skilled miners from Bohemia and Saxony began. Within a few years, the metal production in Schwaz had become a European economic factor and thus an absolute world market leader in its age. During the heyday of silver and copper mining in the 15th and 16th century Schwaz was Europe’s biggest mining metropolis and the second largest city after Vienna in the Habsburg empire with 20,000 inhabitants.

In the capital itself, the construction of numerous baroque garden palaces for the high nobility around the city walls and also the silk processing industry were remarkable. With the founding of the so-called “Tabakrégie” tobacco monopoly under Joseph II in 1784 the first tobacconists came into existence, which can be regarded as an early type of franchising – and which would have probably made it the world market leader in this sector, back then. In the 18th century the textile factory Linzer Wollzeugfabrik or the porcelain makers Wiener Porzellanmanufaktur were founded, among others.

In the early 20th century, Vienna was arguably the world market leader in culture and liberal arts – ranging from psychoanalysis to Bertha von Suttner’s pacifism and Karl Kraus. In the 1950s the engineering achievements like the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) was adopted all around the world. It is a method where the surrounding rock or soil formations of a tunnel are integrated into an overall ring-like support structure.

Thus, the supporting formations will themselves be part of this supporting structure. Its first practical application with shotcrete took place in 1955 during the tunnelling work for the hydro power plant Prutz-Imst in Austria. In the following decades, numerous reference projects used the NATM, such as the transfer point in the English part of the Eurotunnel (“probably one of the most impressive buildings that has been erected so far by the principles of the NATM”), the Himmelberg Tunnel, the Sitina Tunnel or the Devil’s Slide Tunnel.

2017/18: Hidden Champions as world market leaders “The concept of the so-called Hidden Champions came up in the 1990s, when the consultant and professor for marketing Hermann Simon explored the strategies of these extremely successful yet to the general public hardly known medium-sized European and world market leaders from Germany,” explains Prof Dr Georg Jungwirth of the Campus 02 University of Applied Sciences in Graz, probably the greatest expert of the Austrian “world champions”.

There was no comparable study in Austria until Jungwirth and his colleagues took up the topic with various research projects as part of the course International Marketing & Sales Management at the Campus 02 College. “At first we identified as many Austrian Hidden Champions as possible and then we analysed them from a marketing point of view.” For this, Jungwirth used some of Simon’s criteria (sometimes in a slightly modified way) and further studies of Horst Biallo, Manfred Adamer and Günter Kaindl, Jürgen Meffert and Holger Klein as well as of Eckart Schmitt, among others. “But not only the German-speaking world dealt with medium-sized world market leaders. There is for example also a survey of Greek Hidden Champions.”

12_13

Credit: Miba

Often, they will concentrate only on one niche in order to gain the market leadership there.

The narrow definition of their market allows many hidden champions to enter the international markets very early and to act globally or to even become “world champions”. Jungwirth says: “Some of these medium-sized market leaders are even called ‘born global companies’ as they managed to expand globally from their domestic market already in the same year as they were founded.”

Another factor of success of the Hidden Champions is their permanent pursuit of innovation. Despite limited R&D budgets, they are significantly more productive than most large industrial companies are, when it comes to registering patents.

Yet another very important puzzle piece on the path to market leadership seems to be a large degree of uncompromising closeness The major Austrian World and European market leaders employ 285.000 (!) people globally. to customers. Long-standing and trusting relationships to their customers are named by many of the interIf you compare the results of the most important hidden viewed managers of medium-sized world market leaders as one champion studies, it is obvious that almost every time very of their greatest strengths. similar factors of success were named: 1) It appears to be typical for the founders and managers of Hidden Champions to pursue their ambitious goals with much willpower and energy. These companies usually have a strong leadership that consequently aspires for market leadership based on a long-term vision.

2) These Hidden Champions very often seem to have highly performing employees whose motivation is above average and who are identifying themselves very strongly with “their” company. The fluctuation among staff is usually very low.

Therefore, it comes hardly as a surprise that these mediumsized world market leaders often give their employees more freedom of decision than most large businesses – despite their often relatively authoritative leadership. The organisational structure can often be described as decentralised.

3) Compared to other market participants, Hidden Champions have a much greater depth in terms of value added and production, but also in the field of research and development.

Jungwirth: “It is interesting to note that most medium-sized world market leaders seem to largely avoid outsourcing.”

4) The Hidden Champions are often very clearly positioned and are focussing their resources better than their competitors do.

Mostly unknown – but still world champion In order to learn more about the secrets of success of these companies, the marketing managers of 191 medium-sized Austrian world market leaders were asked about the various aspects of their corporate communications. One question was on the classic and digital communication instruments that these mostly familyrun businesses use to gain such a positive image in their business fields and on their markets. Another one was on how they convince their international customers of their products’ superiority in terms of technology and quality.

But how is it possible that a company can be widely unknown in its home country but at the same time enjoy a high profile around the world among potential and existing customers? What significance do corporate communications have on the international success of Hidden Champions? Which communication instruments do these mostly family-run businesses use in order to get a positive image in their fields and on their markets, and how do they convince their international customers of their products’ superiority in terms of technology and quality?

And: Which role do corporate communications actually play compared to other marketing instruments?

World Champion Austria Secrets of success

From an Austrian point of view The study that this article is based on uses almost the same criteria that Simon (2007) drew up in order to identify a company as a German hidden champion: ! Number 1, 2 or 3 on the world market or number 1 in Europe ! A turnover under 3 billion euros ! Headquarters in Germany ! Not widely known to the public One reason for the seemingly imprecise definition of the market position is that most Hidden Champions operate in the businessto-business field and due to a lack of regular market analyses, are unable to say which position they have on the world market.

Another reason is that only few Hidden Champions are listed on the stock market – just like their competitors – and are therefore not required to issue reports and publish their turnover.

The last criterion mentioned above is not exactly quantifiable but a qualitative assessment.

Three of these four criteria have been used for Austrian Hidden Champions though the maximum turnover has to be adapted to the structure of the Austrian economy because in the Alpine Republic businesses that have three billion euros annual turnover are hardly medium-sized nor hidden.

Therefore, companies must fulfil the following criteria in order to be considered for our empirical survey: ! Number 1, 2 or 3 on the world market or number 1 in Europe ! A turnover under 200 million euros ! Headquarters in Austria ! Not widely known to the public Just like Simon, we did not evaluate the market share ourselves but took them from company reports and press reports.

The – compared to Simon – significantly lower maximum turnover of 200 million euros corresponds more to the picture of a medium-sized enterprise on the one hand and on the other hand refers to the findings of Meffert and Klein (2007) who determined that the strategy of specialisation – which is pursued by almost all Hidden Champions – bears the highest potentials for success for businesses with less than 200 million euros annual turnover.

The survey of Austrian Hidden Champions did not focus solely on the communications policies of these internationally

successful companies but also looked at other classic marketing instruments. First, let us have a look at the structural data of Austrian Hidden Champions and a few general results of the survey. The world market leader database of the college Campus 02 in Graz, which was set up in 2007 and is being updated regularly, currently includes about 200 Austrian Hidden Champions.

All the companies have an average annual turnover of 53 million euros and employ on average 405 people. 70.6 percent of Austrian Hidden Champions produce mainly industrial goods, 17.6 percent operate in the field of consumer goods and 11.8 percent offer services. Not less than 63 percent do their business in the three sectors of mechanical engineering, metal and electronics.

Growth even during crises More than 80 percent of Austrian medium-sized world market leaders are family businesses that usually have their headquarters in rural areas and are by far the biggest employer there. As you would expect, their export share is fairly high (median: 88 percent) and also other figures such as the equity ratio (42 percent) and the operating result (about ten percent) are absolutely above-average.

It is a remarkable fact that more than three quarters of the surveyed businesses (76.5 percent) saw their turnover grow in the last five years – annually by 14.3 percent on average. The turnover of another 16.5 percent of Austrian Hidden Champions stagnated in this period of the global financial and economic crisis. Only 7 percent of medium-sized Austrian world market leaders saw their turnover diminish in these economically stiff times.

Among the top in global competition The managers of the Austrian Hidden Champions that were surveyed said that about ten percent of their turnover is invested into research and development, which is one of the reasons that the majority of their products can be put in the hightech category.

The majority of customers are loyal and long-standing regulars (72.5 percent) who generate 75.7 percent of turnover. But the intensity of competition in the respective markets is described as very intensive (32.8 percent) or rather intensive (55.2 percent). Even though almost all of the medium-sized Austrian world and European market leaders operate in niche markets they face a number of competitors. On the European market,

14_15

show that Hidden Champions like to do all their core processes themselves and outsource only few corporate tasks. Apparently, corporate communications is seen as more and more important for international success.

If you ask the heads of marketing at medium-sized Austrian world market leaders about the significance of classic communications instruments, it shows that fairs and exhibitions are considered by far as the most important among these companies.

The communications policy of Hidden Champions Not less than 67.9 percent of those interviewed said that classic In the year 2008, a telephone survey evaluated the marketing communications instruments are very important and 26.4 peractivities of these businesses (Pfefferkorn 2008), which allows cent thought of them as rather important. Internal communicafor comparisons with the results of this study and a deduction of tions and public relations are also considered as very important. trends and developments.

Communications instruments such as specialist magazines, sales The surveyed medium-sized Austrian world market leaders promotions and direct marketing follow behind. Event marketinvest about 4.1 percent of their turnover into communications ing, media advertising and sponsoring are seen as considerably activities; in 2008 that figure was only at 3.1 percent. This comless important communications instruments by the Austrian munications budget is determined by the targets a company Hidden Champions. strives for (43 percent), but available funds (35 percent) also play Essentially, these assessments correspond to the reality of a major role. Only twelve percent of those interviewed gear their companies that operate in the business-to-business segment. communication budgets to the activities of their competitors.

Only the very high importance of internal communications is During the survey of 2008, 55 percent of Hidden Champions deremarkable and was not expected, especially not among meditermined their communications budgets by their targets. Availum-sized businesses. able funds (22 perIf you compare this cent) and a fixed ranking of the most amount of turnover important classic (17 percent) were micommunications innor considerations. struments with the By the way, 63 perresults of the 2008 cent of Austrian Hidstudy, you will notice den Champions emonly little differences. ploy an agency for Four of nine communitheir communications cations instruments (71 percent in 2008), are ranked identically the rest organises with the last survey. their communications Then, as now, fairs activities in-house. and exhibitions were This slight decline the most important could be an indication classic communicaof businesses trying tions instrument for to build their own Austrian Hidden know-how in commuChampions. But right nications. behind them, the poThis would befit sitions have slightly other findings, which One of the most important factors of success: motivated and highly qualified staff Credit: Knapp

there are on average 11.9 relevant competitors and on the world market that number rises to 37.5.

From an organisational point of view, a marketing department (63.5 percent) is in charge of the marketing activities of Austrian Hidden Champions. In 23 percent of the surveyed businesses, marketing and sales are bundled in one department.

_16

World Champion Austria Secrets of success

Credit: RHI

Email marketing and newsletters, however, are considered very important or rather important by almost two-thirds (65.4 percent) of the surveyed Hidden Champions. Still, it is interesting to note that only 22.5 percent of them indicated that they were On average, about 10 percent of turnover is invested into R&D. doing permission marketing. Either there is some kind of misunderstanding about the How about digital instruments? meaning of this specialist term or the companies are risking legal When you ask the heads of marketing at Austrian Hidden Chamconsequences by sending emails or newsletters to clients withpions about the significance of digital communications instruout their consent. ments for their companies, the so-called website marketing is As part of the survey, the managers at medium-sized Ausconsidered the most important one. After all, 39.6 percent of trian world market leaders were shown several statements those interviewed said that website marketing is very important about their company’s communications policies. Most agreed and another 45.3 percent said it is rather important. This is folwith the statement “We integrate many pictures into our comlowed almost equally by the communications instruments that munications”: 43.4 percent of those interviewed agreed fully, are search engine marketing and email marketing or newsletters another 45.3 percent rather agreed. Apparently, pictures have a respectively. The table is propped up by the digital instruments very high significance among companies who operate in the of social media marketing and mobile marketing; the latter was business-to-business segment and who are selling their highnot once considered very important. On top of that, mobile martech products on the world market. keting was considered by the majority of the surveyed companies The statement “We adjust our communications specifically to as rather unimportant (56.6 percent) or even as very unimportant. changed: Specialist magazines have lost in significance while internal communications and public relations have each gained a position. Furthermore, the instruments of sponsoring and media advertising have switched places at the bottom of the ranking.

Hidden champions in Austria There are 181 Hidden Champions in Austria with an annual turnover of less than 200 million euros and 65 large world and European market leaders with a turnover of more than 200 million euros.

No. 1 in the world

No. 2 or 3 in the world

No. 1 in Europe

Austrian Hidden Champions

137

5

39

181

Major Austrian world market leaders

50

5

10

65

187

10

49

246

as of August 2017

The international definition of hidden champions does not “only” include the world’s number one but also numbers two and three as well as the number one on its continent (in our case Europe). Therefore, we have split them up in different categories. If a company is a world and European market leader, it is only listed in the first column (the same applies to the other columns). Companies that are listed in the column “No. 1 in Europe” are not among the top three in the world. All listed companies of all sizes are headquartered in Austria.

To help business grow.

http://group.oekb.at

O eKB GROU P

World Champion Austria Secrets of success

each customer” received a lot of agreement. Only 22.6 percent of those interviewed agreed fully but 54.7 percent of the managers rather agreed. It seems as if these medium-sized world market leaders do not only tailor their products and services to each customer but also their communications.

The statement “Our advertising messages mainly have a technical content” received relatively seen the least agreement.

Here, 22.6 percent of the heads of marketing at Austrian Hidden Champions fully agreed, but only 35.8 percent of those interviewed rather agreed. Still, the communications and in particularly the advertising of these high-tech businesses seem to be dominated by technical contents.

It is worth considering though highlighting the benefit or even the emotional aspects of these already successful companies in their communications.

The key significance of product policies So, which role does the communications policy play compared to other marketing instruments? If you ask the heads of marketing at Austrian Hidden Champions how important the four classic marketing instruments – the so-called four Ps – are for their company’s success, the answer is clear: The product and brand policy seems to be by far the most important marketing instrument of the medium-sized Austrian world and European market leaders. On a scale of 1 (very important) to 5 (very unimportant)

The expert on “world champions” Prof Dr Georg Jungwirth has masterminded several detailed and comprehensive studies on Austrian hidden champions and even to detailed aspects such as innovation management and customer satisfaction.

Campus 02 University of Applied Sciences Course International Marketing & Sales Management 8010 Graz, Körblergasse 126 Tel: +43/316 6002 687, Fax: +43/316 6002 1230 georg.jungwirth@campus02.at www.campus02.at

_18

the product and brand policy achieves the very high mean value of 1.34. Distribution policy (mean value of 1.83), communications policy (1.89) and price policy (1.98) follow with a distance.

Previous studies (Jungwirth 2009, 2012) have already shown that the product policies of Hidden Champions have a key significance. As mentioned above, the high expenditure for research and development seems to be the basis for the products and services of these companies being superior in quality to those of their competitors on the world market. Not only the managers of Austrian Hidden Champions think so (Pfefferkorn 2008, Stocker 2015), their international customers also confirm this (Jungwirth, Kraus 2010).

67.9 percent of the interviewed heads of marketing at Austrian Hidden Champions consider their product policy as very important for their company’s success. Another 30.2 percent say that the product policy is rather important. The other three marketing instruments are also seen as mostly very and rather important, respectively, but the product and brand policy appears to take up a special role. Communications policy is considered as very important by 39.6 percent and as rather important by 47.2 percent of those interviewed.

Convincing clients of world-class quality Even if the product and brand policy of Hidden Champions appears to plays a key role for a company’s success, 86.9 percent of the interviewed managers regard the communications policy as very important or rather important. Its task is to convince the international clients of the medium-sized Austrian world and European market leaders of the high quality of their products and services with the help of various classic and digital communications instruments.

The challenge is to visualise the technological advantages of the usually highly innovative products with the help of pictures among other things. In an ideal case, this will not only convey rational reasons but also emotions. Furthermore, these companies aim to communicate with their usually long-standing and loyal regular customers on the international business-to-business markets in a customised way.

Even though the heads of marketing and communications at Austrian Hidden Champions face great challenges due to these framework conditions, they manage time and again to make an indispensable contribution to the global success of these widely unknown world market leaders! ◆

24/7/365

Head free for the daily challenges.

T. +43 1 21166-0 www.simacek.com

Your Real Estate Management Expert

World Champion Austria Hidden Champions

At a Glance: World Market Leaders from Austria From Burgenland right through to Vorarlberg: Globally leading products and processes, as far as the eye can see!

A

large number of companies in all nine Austrian provinces are playing in the economic Champions League and are among global technology leaders. Here is a selection of more than 60 of these top companies (the majority are Hidden Champions) but the list is by no means exhaustive.

Burgenland

Credit: Geislinger

! Isosport Verbundbauteile GmbH: plastic composite materials for the ski and snowboard industry; www.isosport.com ! Lumitec: LED – Light Solutions: lumiteclighting.com ! Swarco Futurit Verkehrssignalsysteme GmbH: polycarbonate traffic lights; www.swarco.com ! Tupack Verpackungen GmbH: plastic tubes and lipstick covers for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry; www.tupack.at ! Unger Stahlbau GmbH: European market leader in steel engineering; www.ungersteel.com

Geislinger makes makes torsional vibrations dampers and couplings in Hallwang.

! Vossen GmbH & Co.KG: European market leader in terry cloth products; www.vossen.com Carinthia ! Alpina Sicherheitssysteme GmbH: safety materials for high-speed sports; www.alpina.at ! GREENONETEC Solarindustrie GmbH: collectors for solar thermal plants; www.greenonetec.com ! Hirsch Armbänder GmbH: leather watchstraps; www.hirschag.com ! S.A.M. Kuchler Electronics GmbH: cutting systems for sausages and cheese; www.sam-kuchler.com ! Wild GmbH: Optomechatronic systems; www.wild.at Lower Austria ! Biomin (part of the Erber Group), Getzersdorf: producer of livestock nourishment; www.biomin.net ! FHW Franz Haas Waffelmaschinen GmbH: waffle and biscuit making equipment; www.haas.com ! Jungbunzlauer Austria AG: worldwide leader as a producer of biodegradable natural ingredients; www.jungbunzlauer.com ! LiSEC Group: flat glass processing; www.lisec.com ! Novomatic AG: world market leader in the production and operation of electronic gambling equipment; www.novomatic.com ! OVOTHERM International Handels GmbH: transparent packaging for eggs; www.ovotherm.com ! Pollmann International GmbH: (electro-)mechanical components for sliding roofs; www.pollmann.at ! Riegl Laser Measurement Systems GmbH: laser measuring devices for the civil sector; www.riegl.com

Credits: Palfinger, Rosenbauer, Wintersteiger

20_21

Two publically listed world market leaders and a specialist one: a maritime crane by Palfinger, a “Panther” by Rosenbauer (top right) and a high-tech machine by Wintersteiger

! Test-Fuchs GmbH: testing systems for aviation and aerospace, GSE (ground support equipment) and AGE (aircraft ground equipment); www.test-fuchs.com ! Zizala Lichtsysteme GmbH: headlights for cars, lorries and two-wheeled vehicles; www.zkw.at Upper Austria ! Alois Pöttinger Maschinenfabrik GmbH: loading trucks for the agriculture sector; www.poettinger.at ! Fill GmbH: ski production machines; www.fill.co.at ! Hitzinger GmbH: individual power supplies; www.hitzinger.at ! Lenzing: world market leader in cellulose fibres; www.lenzing.com ! Numtec-Interstahl GmbH: marking and reading machines for the steel and non-ferrous metal industry; www.numtec-interstahl.com ! PC Electric GmbH: industrial connectors, plugs and distribution boxes; www.pcelectric.at ! Rosenbauer International AG: fire service technology in the areas of fire fighting and disaster management; www.rosenbauer.com ! Rubble Master GmbH: building material recycling plants www.rubblemaster.com ! Teufelberger Seil GmbH: ropes for boats and ships, crane ropes; www.teufelberger.com ! Trench Austria GmbH: dry insulated air core reactors; www.trenchgroup.com

! Trodat Holding GmbH: self-inking stamps and laser engraving machines; www.trodat.net ! WFL Millturn Technologies GmbH & Co KG: world market leader in multifunctional complete machining centres; www.wfl.at ! Wintersteiger: machine building specialist; www.wintersteiger.com Salzburg ! Atomic Austria GmbH: alpine skies; www.atomicsnow.com ! Geislinger GmbH: couplings and dampers for large engines; www.geislinger.com ! Copa-Data GmbH: software for automated controls of industrial plants and building technology; www.copadata.at ! Eisenwerk Sulzau-Werfen: high-tech rollers for the international steel industry; www.esw.co.at ! J. Meissl GmbH: umbrellas and umbrella bars with the focus on custom products; www.meissl.com ! Orderman GmbH: wireless electronic ordering and billing systems; www.orderman.com ! Palfinger AG: mounted loading cranes; www.palfinger.at Styria ! Anton Paar GmbH: measurement of density, concentration and CO2, rheometry; www.anton-paar.com

World Champion Austria

_22

! Binder + Co AG: screening and glass recycling; www.binder-co.com ! CNSystems Medizintechnik: devices for non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring; www.cnsystems.com ! DiTEST Fahrzeugdiagnose GmbH: emission testing; www.avlditest.com ! IBS Holding GmbH: dewatering systems for the paper industry; www.ibs-ppg.com ! Inteco special melting technologies: plants for specialist metallurgy; www.inteco.at ! ISOVOLTAIC AG: foils for photovoltaics modules; www.isovoltaic.com ! Komptech GmbH: waste treatment and processing of biomass; www.komptech.com ! König Maschinen GmbH: baking machines, www.koenig-rex.com ! LCT GmbH: translucent concrete, https://lct.co.at ! Pieps GmbH: avalanche rescue systems, www.pieps.com ! Remus: sports exhaust pipes; www.remus.eu ! Schaller GmbH: biomass and water measuring in recycled paper; www.humimeter.com ! Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG: tungsten carbide and tungsten metal in powder form for the high-tech industry; www.wolfram.at ! Wollsdorf Leder Schmidt & Co GmbH: high-quality leather upholstery for the automotive industry; www.wollsdorf.com

Credit: Vamed

Hidden Champions

Vamed is worldwide top at building clinics (pictured: Zihlschlacht, Switzerland)

Vorarlberg ! Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Co. KG: plastic packaging; www.alpla.com ! Bachmann electronic GmbH: controls for wind power; www.bachmann.info ! Baur Prüf- und Messtechnik GmbH: high voltage, testing and measuring technology; www.baur.at ! Doppelmayr: ropeway systems; www.doppelmayr.com ! Getzner Werkstoffe: vibration insulation; www.getzner.com ! WolfVision GmbH: high-end visualizers; www.wolfvision.com

Tirol

Vienna

! Julius Blum GmbH: metal fittings; www.blum.com ! Glockengiesser Grassmayr: bell foundry established in 1959 (!) in Innsbruck, delivered bells to 100 countries; www.grassmayr.at ! Kompass Karten GmbH: hiking maps; www.kompass.at ! Pirlo GmbH: metal packaging; www.pirlo.com ! Riedel: crystal glasses; www.riedel.com ! SPGPrints Austria GmbH: laser engraving systems for the textile, carpet and packaging industry; www.spgprints.com ! Sunkid Skilift Fördertechnik GmbH: ski conveyor belts; www.sunkid.at ! Swarovski Optik KG: long-range and military optics; www.swarovskioptik.com ! Vizrt: graphic art for TV and visual studios; www.vizrt.com

! Dietzel GmbH: installation systems for electrical engineering; www.dietzel-univolt.com ! Frequentis AG: information and communication systems for air traffic safety; www.frequentis.com ! Plasser & Theurer: track renewal machines; www.plassertheurer.com ! Schiebel Elektronische Geräte GmbH: mine detectors and UAVs; www.schiebel.net ! Starlinger & Co GmbH: woven plastic bags; www.starlinger.at ! Thomastik-Infeld GmbH: strings for instruments; www.thomastik-infeld.com ! VAMED: single source supplier for health facilities; www.vamed.com ! Vienna Symphonic Library: virtual orchestra music; www.vsl.co.at ◆

Foto: Š Shutterstock

Your enterprise.

Simply safe.

More inside.

Partner

www.tuv.at inquiry@tuv.at +43 504 54-0

for industry & progres s

World Champion Austria Hidden Champions

CSR is very important to Austrian Hidden Champions What is more important, the economic, the social or the ecological component? And how are “good deeds” communicated?

H

idden Champions and world market leaders, respectively, can do much more than offering “only” the bestpossible products and services on the global markets, as this book shows extensively. Georg Jungwirth of FH Campus 02 is particularly committed to also research soft skills such as customer loyalty and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

In 2017, he conducted a telephone survey among the senior managers of 72 Austrian Hidden Champions on the significance of corporate social responsibility in their respective companies. An important aspect of the study was the possible differences between family-owned and non-family-owned Hidden Champions. Therefore, 38 of those surveyed medium-sized world market leaders were

family-owned and 34 were non-family-owned. The people interviewed were mainly managing directors/CEOs (47 percent), heads of marketing (26 percent), sales managers (10 percent), heads of human resources (6 percent) and managers responsible for corporate social responsibility (4 percent).

Credit: Miba

CSR is becoming more and more important The phenomenon of Hidden Champions shows that small and medium-sized companies can be successful market leaders. “Researching Hidden Champions in Austria indicated various factors of success,” says Jungwirth to “World Champion Austria”. “It showed that no topic has become as significant as corporate social responsibility and sustainability in the past few years. Therefore it is inevitable to research this issue among Hidden Champions.”

Let us quickly recap the definition: Hidden Champions are medium-sized companies who are at the top of global markets. They operate mostly in niche markets, which require a high degree of specialisation, product quality and intensive research and development. Hidden Champions also have highly performing staff, a high customer orientation and a high export ratio. In addition, the majority of Austrian Hidden Champions is familyrun. “If we want to research the significance of corporate social responsibility among Austrian Hidden Champions, we first have to observe that sustainability consists of an economical, a social and an ecological component,” Jungwirth explains. “All these aspects play a major role in sustainable economic activities.”

The empirical survey of FH Campus 02 found out that corporate social responsibility is highly Miba, a family-owned business with international success (pictured: Peter F. Mitterbauer)

Credit: Lieb Bau Weiz

24_25

A model for a family-run business with international ambitions from the building sector: Lieb Bau Weiz (pictured: Doris Enzenberger-Gasser, 4th generation)

important to Austrian Hidden Champions and is therefore one of their factors of success. Austrian world market leaders carry out several activities when it comes to sustainability and draw various benefits from such a policy. “We have to stress, that the existence of corporate social responsibility in family-owned Hidden Champions differs strongly from that in other Hidden Champions,” Jungwirth says. “All in all, the factors of success that are research and development, employee and customer orientation as well as product quality still dominate. But corporate social responsibility is seen as an essential component that supports those factors of success.”

Better sustainable than too much too fast The survey first scrutinised the type of profit orientation: “Is a sustainable revenue growth more important than higher, faster growth?”

A remarkable three out of five of Austrian Hidden Champions put their money, so to speak, explicitly on sustainability. Less than 15 percent agreed partially or not at all. About a quarter remained undecided.

Particularly worth mentioning: More than half (53 percent) of the interviewed family-owned Hidden Champions considered sustainable revenue growth more important. Among non-family-owned businesses, this figure drops to about a quarter (26 percent). Fur-

thermore, almost 20 percent of non-family-owned Hidden Champions disagreed explicitly with sustainability being more important – compared to only 10 percent of the family-owned Hidden Champions.

There are hardly any differences in “general” CSR The second question tried to find out whether corporate social responsibility is part of the general strategy of corporate governance.

Overall, more than 60 percent agreed that CSR is part of the overall strategy of the company. About a quarter was indecisive and less than 20 percent partially or entirely disagreed.

Hardly any differences between family-owned and non-familyowned Hidden Champions could be identified.

CSR is soon to become even more important The final question concerned the importance of corporate social responsibility for the Austrian Hidden Champions and whether this importance will increase in the near future.

All in all, slightly less than 90 percent saw a future increase in the importance of corporate social responsibility. Only 2 percent disagreed with the statement. Differences between family-owned and non-family-owned Hidden Champions could not be identified.

“Thus, there is an overall consensus regarding the growing impor-

WeltMeister Österreich Hidden Champions

tance of corporate social responsibility in the future among Austrian Hidden Champions,” Jungwirth says.

Credit: Prangl

It runs in the family Where are the differences in corporate social responsibility between companies that are run by families (often for decades, sometimes for centuries) and those that are not owned by a family?

According to Jungwirth family businesses have two systems that exist simultaneously and influence each other: the business and the family itself.

Therefore, the business is influenced by outside (family-related) factors (cf. Baulenas et al. 2010, p. 7-9) such as values, objectives, and culture of the family (cf.

Felden/Hack 2014, p. 35f.). “From a CSR In 2017, successful family-run business Prangl moved back to Vienna from Lower Austria. standpoint, this means that the family rate social responsibility. At the other end of this ranking charity and might have extensive impact on the action field of corporate governvoluntary work can be found with only 15 percent each. On average, ance,” Jungwirth explains. An example could be an influence on the companies in the sample engage in six different action fields. the guiding themes that are derived from the culture, values, etc. (cf. Braun/Lotter 2011, p. 68f.) of the business and in family-owned The significance of the single segments Hidden Champions, the values, culture and objectives of the family.

Jungwirth and his team ranked the three essential action fields or “Consequently, the entire execution of CSR might be different in dimensions. The analysis reveals that the economic dimension with family-owned businesses.” a value of 1.31 is the most significant one for Austrian Hidden Another characteristic of family-owned businesses is their disChampions, whereas the ecological dimension with a value of 2.58 tinctive culture of less competition and the sense of collectiveness is the least significant one. The social dimension ranked in the midamong the staff (cf. Berninghaus/Habig 2004, p. 10). “This aspect dle with a value of 2.11. could be enforced by the fact that CSR results in organisational Overall, there was no vast difference between family-owned and commitment,” adds Jungwirth. non-family-owned Austrian Hidden Champions in this regard. However, the economic dimension tends to be slightly more significant The most important single factors in non-family-owned Hidden Champions.

In addition to these three questions, the action fields implemented

by Austrian Hidden Champions were analysed. The action fields of What’s important in the end “sustainable HR” and “sustainable product management” where Based on the success factors of Hidden Champions, two action used the most with 82 percent each, followed by “ecological acfields within the economic dimension can be highlighted: corporate tions” and “cooperation” with 81 percent each. governance and product management. These action fields might Moreover, more than two thirds (71 percent) of the Hidden Chamsupport the success factors superior product quality and high cuspions engage in “sustainable corporate governance”, over half entomer orientation (enhanced by product management) and leadergage in communication (61 percent) and risk management (60 pership (supported by corporate governance). cent); and approximately 50 percent offer training regarding corpo-

26_27

Credit: Welser Profile

education, among others. For the success factor of research & development, and in particular the innovative power of Hidden Champions, actions such as idea management, integration of foreigners, and promotion of women can be supportive when executed appropriately.

Furthermore, corporate volunteering might be supportive of high-performance employees via schemes to encourage them to engage in social work for society, such as crediting working hours or awarding them bonuses for their voluntary work.

Lastly, no direct connections are visible between charitable foundation and the characteristics or success factors of Hidden Champions. However, this acHidden Champions and family-owned business run by the eleventh generation: Welser Profile tion field might still be executed by Hidden Champions as this has often been for years of major signifiFrom a CSR perspective, product management addresses issues cance for family-owned businesses. such as choosing suppliers that fulfil the CSR requirements to offer an end product that reflects the social, economic, and ecological Make good deeds and talk about them! dimensions (cf. Berens/Hietbrink/Van Rekom 2010, p. 295). DependLast but not least, it is of course relevant to communicate your CSR ing on the customer demands, this might be an essential aspect of activities externally. Overall, almost two thirds of the Austrian Hidthe product quality. den Champions communicate their CSR activities externally. The Corporate governance addresses issues around the value orienpercentage of family-owned Hidden Champions that communicate tation and a clear CSR strategy formulation. Leaders of Hidden these activities is slightly higher compared to that of non-familyChampions are uncompromising when it comes to values, objecowned Hidden Champions. tives, etc. (cf. Simon 2012, p. 400f.). Since CSR requires a strong Less than one out of five Austrian Hidden Champions in the value orientation, corporate governance might be an action field sample uses a CSR report for external communication. However, strongly exercised by Hidden Champions. over 20 percent of the non-family-owned Hidden Champions do, Finally, Hidden Champions might also use the action field of risk compared to only approximately 10 percent of their family-owned management. In this context, stakeholder dialogue and cooperation counterparts. About half of the Austrian Hidden Champions in the might be a decisive aspect for these companies to be crisis-proof. sample use their homepage for external communication of CSR Therefore, three action fields can be seen as supportive of the activities. success factors of Hidden Champions: stakeholder dialogue and Furthermore, public relations and flyers are significant means of cooperation, corporate volunteering, and human resources. communication for over 40 percent. With about 20 percent or fewer CSR activities related to the action field of human resources, using them, videos, customer magazines and business reports are when conducted, might influence the success factors of high-perless frequently chosen for external CSR communication. formance employees and research & development. Employee loyOn average, the Austrian Hidden Champions that do communialty, motivation and qualifications might be reached with activities cate externally use five to six different communication channels. â—† such as promoting equal opportunity, integration efforts and further

World Champion Austria Focus on Forward

How the Export Market keeps going from Strength to Strength A step into the future: As an innovation agency, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA has a keen eye on trends and innovations around the world.

I

nnovation secures long-term success. ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA therefore puts a special focus on the areas of innovation, international technology cooperation as well as start-ups. In addition, ADVTANTAGE AUSTRIA expands its partner networks in the world’s most important technology and innovation hotspots, and has set up partner agreements with international universities and research institutes.

Five Innovation Centres and 70 further locations all around the world

New platforms between Austrian companies and these organisations encourage information and know-how exchanges regarding the latest technology, innovation and management trends, and facilitates new research & development cooperation projects. Increasing numbers of innovations arise from global teams and international research and development partnerships. ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA’s worldwide network acts as a hub for global cooperation

28_29

ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA is the internationalisation and innovation agency of the Austrian economy.

and supports Austrian companies in finding the right international partner.

New business models from around the world “Demographic changes, limited resources, digital transformations and technological upheavals have ensured rapid social and societal and economic change,” explained the new head of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, Michael Otter, who significantly helped shape ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA’s new business field “Innovation”. “Urbanisation, mobility, sensor technology and continuous data connectivity create new business models and markets but also a shift in global economic power.”

The convergence of the industrial sector requires interdisciplinary solutions and forces companies to find new business ideas outside of the traditional boundaries of their sector. ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA supports this by providing an overview of possible topics as well as being giving impetuses and ensuring compact “access” to the knowledge fields of a new business environment. The godfather of innovation, Josef Schumpeter, called them the “creative destroyers”: Those companies, who are looking for creative areas

where “something new” creates a unique selling point, which in turn generates money.

All new things start with a good idea and almost all good ideas start out with profound knowledge about the things that are changing our world at an increasing speed.

But an idea alone is of no value. Ideas only become profitable when products, services or processes are made out of them, which hold true to the market. Very often the “right” partner is needed for market maturity, someone who has strengths where the “destroyers” themselves are at a disadvantage.

With more than 100 bases worldwide, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA has a lot to offer innovative companies in their race to success. ◆ Head office in Vienna: ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Innovation management, T +43 5 90900 – 4187 | – 4307 wko.at/innovateaustria Start-ups / New Corporates, T +43 5 90900 – 4190 wko.at/aussenwirtschaft/startups International Technology Cooperation wko.at/aussenwirtschaft/scitech

World Champion Austria Export Prize 2017

Austria’s Model Companies in the Spotlight Every year, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA awards the best exporting companies with the Austrian Export Prize.

T

he award of the Austrian Export Prize is made from finest Augarten porcelain and represents stylised eagle wings – the perfect symbol for upswing and farsightedness.

The 15th Austrian Export Day at the Austrian Economic Chamber on 26 June 2017 is the country’s largest export information event and was a real success. 3,000 visitors set a new attendance record; the 69 economic delegates and the 30 external exhibitors conducted about 2,800 consultations and were kept busy the entire day. “This meeting was the ideal opportunity to get an overview of business opportunities and developments in foreign markets, but also to discuss individual questions and requests,” says Sigmund Nemeti, the organiser of the Export Day at ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA. The Export Day was concluded with the Exporters’ Nite and the award ceremony for the Austrian Export Prize with the Minister for Economic Affairs, Harald Mahrer, and the President of the Austrian Economic Chambers, Christoph Leitl. During the Export Day itself, 44 start-ups had already received the award “Born Global Champions” for their successful internationalisation measures.

“After the Export Day is before the Export Day: We are already busy planning the Export Day 2018,” says Nemeti. Companies can apply from December 2017 onwards at exportpreis.at.

The six winners 1) Imagotag is one of the world’s leading companies in the field of digital solutions for retail and for centrally controlled, electronic price marking systems. The group develops and markets all components of its systems and thus offers holistic solutions. Imagotag has implemented its systems in about 12,000 stores in 55 countries all around the world – from digital price tags to real time warehouse administration. Together with its strategic partner Store Electronic Systems (SES), the company has already installed more than 150 million digital price tags.

The Export Prize award by Augarten.

The most important foreign markets of this globally operating business are Germany and France, the export ratio amounts to about 98 percent.

2) There is hardly any skiing resort, underground car park or football stadium in the world that does not use the access systems from Skidata. More than 10,000 Skidata systems in more than 100 countries ensure the quick and safe access of people and vehicles to sports facilities, airports, shopping centres, trade fairs and amusement parks.

The company has a concept that has been working successfully for years: “We concentrate on selected growth areas and managed over the last few years to increase our global presence to 25 subsidiaries,” says CEO Hugo Rohner. 40 years ago, Skidata developed its first cash register and the first printed ski tickets.

30_31

Second place in the category Trade: Sonnentor Kräuterhandelsgesellschaft GmbH

3) AVL has been a household name in the automotive industry for a long time. The family-run business has a network of 54 subsidiaries and 16 centres of technology around the world. The company has been working for almost 70 years on the improvement of engines; it is one of the most intensive researchers in Austria and also the world’ largest independent company to develop drive systems.

Primary shareholder and CEO Helmut List believes that the company’s path to successful exporting has been on the horizon for a long time: “More and more globally operating customers expect the same standard of project management across all business locations.”

4) In the three decades after its foundation, Copa-Data established its modular integrated control, visualisation and evaluation software Zenon as one of the leading international software products in this field. Its 11 subsidiaries, 16 distributors and more than 200 partners implemented about 100,000 software installations in 90 countries around the globe. Among them are nations where other market participants outsource the programming, such as South Korea and India. Today, Copa-Data generates 95 percent of its turnover abroad.

Numerous internationally operating providers of energy and

environment technologies as well as industrial automation use the Zenon software for their complete systems, which is developed exclusively at the company’s headquarters in Salzburg. The globally operating energy and automation corporation ABB, for example, decided in 2016 to accept Zenon under the name ABB Zenon in its portfolio. Thanks to joint ventures and projects with renowned international customers, the export ratio is expected to further increase in the years to come.

5) Donhauser is a catering pioneer. They obviously didn’t invent this type of gastronomy but became an absolute model company in touristic foreign trade by undertaking the brave step of being Austria’s first company to establish a joint venture in Iran.

Dona Catering, based in Teheran, is the joint venture between Donhauser and the largest private Iranian railway company Rail Pardaz to cater for passengers. Up next will be the catering contract for one of the country’s most spectacular tourism facilities, the luxury train “Persian Phoenix”.

6) The newest hotspot for Cargo-Partner is Ljubljana. Together with a customer from the healthcare sector, the company will erect a new warehouse at the city’s airport with a size of 25,000 sqm.

World Champion Austria

_32

Export Prize 2017

Cargo-Partner from Fischamend will thus add another place to its world map of international presence. By now, the company operates in about 100 countries with 2,588 staff. There are 54 offices in Europe, 20 in Pacific Asia, 15 on the Indian subcontinent and 12 in North America.

The company’s focus on foreign markets was almost a given right from the start: The first locations were set up in Eastern Europe in 1983, a littler later overseas. Among Cargo-Partners most remarkable large-scale projects are – apart from the new location in Ljubljana – a bonded warehouse in Shanghai and an almost 14,000 sqm big warehouse in Clarksville (United States) for a customer from the automotive sector.

The Global Player Award “We recognised fairly early that we have to expedite our export activities in order to have sustainable success,” says the managing director and owner of the Vorarlberg-based metal fittings specialist Julius Blum GmbH. His company has been operating for decades on all continents with subsidiaries and representations. Production takes place in Vorarlberg, Brazil, Poland and the United States for exports to more than 120 countries.

EXPORT PRIZE WINNERS 2017 (Gold/Silver/Bronze) Crafts & Trades imagotag GmbH/motion06 gmbh/Lithoz GmbH Commerce Skidata/Sonnentor Kräuterhandel/Polychem Handels GmbH Industry AVL List/TGW Logistics Group/BRP Rotax GmbH & Co KG Information & Consulting Copa-Data/Stream Unlimited Engineering/Inlibris GmbH Tourism & Leisure Donhauser/Spanische Hofreitschule (Piber)/Schloss Esterhazy Transport & Traffic cargo-partner/ACS Logistics/Hämmerle Spezialtransporte Global Player Award Julius Blum GmbH Expat Award Rudolf Amerstorfer (Miba Far East) exportpreis.at

The Export Day and the Exporters’ Nite took place on 26 June 2017.

Julius Blum explains that seeing internationalisation not only as a sales strategy but also as a mind-set is one reason for his company becoming a successful global player: “The decisive factor for success is to approach the different mentalities with an open mind and thus appreciate other cultures.”

The Expat Award When Rudolf Amerstorfer started his career more than 30 years ago, he soon sold generators from Hitzinger GmbH on two continents: In Africa and in the Far East. Despite having a good job, he decided at the age of 34 that he wanted to try something new. Eventually he went to Miba in the Far East; when the company was looking in the late 1980s for the right man in the right place to build up their Asian business, they found Amerstorfer – and Singapore. He has been heading Miba Far East Pte Ltd for 28 years as the managing director and wants to further expand the company’s presence in Asia.

“When I retire I want to do so with a smile on my face because I know that what I helped to achieve here will be safe in future,” says the father of four – and “proud grandfather”, he adds. The business in the Far East being safe means mainly one thing to him: always being able to adapt to the faster and faster changing customer demands. Amerstorfer calls this dynamic development and considers four factors the most important: technological leadership, lifelong learning, entrepreneurial thinking and most of all passion for success. ◆

OTHER PUBLICATIONS IN THE FRESH VIEW SERIES NO 161

Renewable Energy (English I German)

NO 160

Aviation Technologies (English)

NO 159

Traffic Infrastructure (English I German)

NO 158

Organic Food (English I German)

NO 157

Smart Cities (English I German, English I Spanish, English I Chinese)

SPECIAL EDITION NO 156

Austria’s Born Global Champions I, II, III (English)

Environmental Technology (English I German)

SPECIAL EDITION

Austria’s Hidden Champions (English)

NO 155

Life Sciences and Medical Technology (English I German)

NO 154

Machinery and Plant Construction (English I German, French | Spanish)

NO 153

Sustainable Building (English I German, English I Chinese)

NO 152

Plastics (English I German)

NO 151

Tourism lnfrastructure and Know-How (English I German, English I Russian, English I Chinese)

Please contact us at fresh-view@advantageaustria.org to receive free hard copies or view online on www.fresh-view.at

World Champion Austria The start-up ecosystem

Top Start-ups become top Businesses Vienna has transformed itself into a hotspot for start-up businesses.

This has (also) brought about a radical innovation of the business location.

T

he biggest accelerator in Austria is WeXelerate. The Vienna-based innovation hub received over 1,000 applications from 72 countries for its first batch at the end of August 2017. 52 start-ups from 14 countries were accepted onto the four-month programme following a multiple stage selection process. To be considered for a spot, disruptive solutions in vertical media, banking, insurance, Industry 4.0 and energy & infrastructure had to be submitted. WeXelerate was on the lookout in particular for start-ups in the fields of blockchain, IOT/big data, mobility/AR/VR, cyber security and artificial intelligence & bot technology. Most of the batch participants were from the world of banking. AI & bots was quantifiably the strongest field of technology.

young companies can be given the opportunity to raise funds in a targeted manner. Start-ups that are already investment-ready in particular will be given priority in the selection process, i.e. those companies that have already presented a proof of concept or who have a functioning prototype.

Already over 100 events in all of Europe have taken place with more than 10,000 participants. This, along with a network of 500 mentors and more than 1,000 presented ideas, has made Startup Live an outstanding event for the networking and promotion of start-ups. Some of the most famous “alumni” include Runtastic, Shpock, mySugr, Conda and V-play, among others. Startup Live supports start-ups via a strong network comprised of Business Angels, VCs and industry experts.

Investment-ready Dynamic development AustrianStartups is an independent non-profit platform for Austria’s ABA (“Invest in Austria”) confirms that Vienna as a business locastart-up community. It collects relevant information and resources, tion is becoming a central European hub with great appeal for inmakes them available to start-up companies and raises awareness novative entrepreneurs from of the significance of innovative Austria and abroad. They gear companies for the entrepreneurial themselves towards global marenvironment, therefore strengthkets with new products and serening the situation for entreprevices and for their part, absorb neurs. inspiration from investors workIn September 2017, Austrianing on the global stage.

Startups launched a new series of Dynamic development has events together with “(Digital) been demonstrated by the inHealth” and the AAIA (Austrian crease in the number of start-ups Angel Investor Association) as as well as in the growing amount well as with “Vertical Uncovered”. of those that manage to make it These events will invite investors out of the incubation stage and selected start-ups from a parthanks to involvement from fiticular sector to meet, so that innancially strong partners, very dustry-specific start-ups and suitoften from abroad. In 2016, the WhatAVenure and WeXelerate are scouting start-ups. able investors can network and

34_35

The WeXelerate Spaces by Vienna’s Danube Channel opened in September.

federal government agreed to provide a new start-up package. This offers more advantages to international start-ups that want to establish their companies in Austria. The foundations for the dynamic development of successful start-ups lie in the synergy of several factors that give a business location international prestige and make it attractive: t 5IF XPSMEXJEF OFUXPSL "%7"/5"(& "6453*" XJUI PWFS 100 international bases, makes Austria an ideal global stepping stone. t 5IF WFSZ IJHI MFWFM PG FEVDBUJPO JO UFDIOJDBM GJFMET XIJDI JT ensured thanks to the universities of technology as well as the universities of applied sciences. t 5IF HPPE TFMG PSHBOJTBUJPO PG FOUSFQSFOFVST JO TUBSU VQ DMVTters and co-working spaces as well as promotion thanks to events and large events, such as the Pioneers Festival. t 5IF TVQQPSUJWF OFUXPSL PG FBSMZ TUBHF JOWFTUPST CVTJOFTT JOcubators and business angels, which is taking on an increasingly professional character. t 5IF iQSJWJMFHF GPS GPVOEFST PG MJNJUFE DPNQBOJFTi XIJDI makes it easier to start a company thanks to a reduced minimum deposit (down from 17,500 euros to 5,000 euros). t 5IF JOWFTUNFOU GSJFOEMZ UBY TZTUFN XJUI B QFSDFOU UBY credit for investments in research as well as a standardised corporate tax rate of 25 percent.

t %JGGFSFOUJBUFE GJOBODJOH BOE B TVCTJEZ TZTUFN JO XIJDI UIF "VTUSJBO 3FTFBSDI 1SPNPUJPO "HFODZ ''( BOE UIF "VTUSJB 8JSUTDIBGUTTFSWJDF (NC) "84 QSPWJEF TUBSU VQ GJOBODJOH GPS high-tech company founders via specified programmes and start-up funds. â—†

Austin, Berlin ... and Vienna!

According to experts, the entire “ecosystem� is working on bringing international start-ups to Austria. Today, along with Austin and Berlin, Vienna is one of the most important international business locations for the development of chatbots – and the leading international technology and start-up media platform Techcrunch named Austria as the up and coming “Early-stage Capital� of Europe. Thanks to attractive funding and the low cost of living, Vienna is considered a good location to found a start-up and develop it when the first customers are acquired and venture capitalists show an interest. Startups from Austria are able to scale themselves up internationBMMZ UIBOLT UP UIF HMPCBMJTBUJPO QSPHSBNNF i(P *OUFSOBUJPOBMw XIJDI IBT QSPHSBNNFT TVDI BT (P 4JMJDPO 7BMMFZ $&& 1JUDI -POEPO 5FM"WJW )BDLBUIPO (P"TJB BOE PUIFST

World Champion Austria

_36

Globally innovative right from the start

Born Global Champions 44 “Born Global Champions” were awarded for their innovative products and services as well as their quick international growth.

During ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA’s 15th Export Day at the Austrian Economic Chamber in Vienna 44 start-ups were awarded as “Born Global Champions”. These awards went to companies that have served the Austrian economy particularly well thanks to their internationalisation successes.

“They are young businesses, founded in 2012 or later, that were operating globally right from the start, offer innovative products and services and show fast international growth,” explains Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian Economic Chamber.

The prizes for being “Born Global Champions” were awarded first in 2015. Since then, more than 120 businesses received such an award. In 2017, the category “Born Global Supporters” was added for medium-sized or large companies that helped to successfully found or support a “Born Global Champion”.

Excellent examples Kreisel Electric has already taken up a globally leading role in developing advanced technologies in the field of e-mobility. Together with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the company from Rainbach (Upper Austria) presented an electric version of a luxury offroad car in 2017 based on the Mercedes G Class. Kreisel’s vision is to integrate electric drives into all areas of mobility and is therefore developing the world’s lightest and most-efficient high-performance batteries. Its projects range from e-karts to cars, from busses to lorries and even from boats to planes. Plus, the company works on stationary storage solutions.

The micro loudspeaker pioneer USound also deserves the label “excellent” as it managed to make the world’s smallest loudspeakers ready for the market within a few years and secured several patents in doing so. The company produces an extremely small, highly energy-efficient and for the first time digital version of a loudspeaker thanks to MEMS technology (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems). “The market for headphones is only the first step,” CEO Ferruccio Bottoni says. “Uses in smartphones and numerous other areas of everyday life will follow.”

Kreisel Electric develops and builds highly innovative batteries and electric vehicles.

Nuki Home Solutions has found success with access systems, becoming the European leader in this field. The company aims to make existing door locks smart and thus replace physical keys. Nuki Home Solutions was founded in 2014 in Graz and already sells its products in Germany, Switzerland, France and the Benelux countries; the next wave of internationalisation will include Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

The Viennese company KnowledgeFox developed learning software for organisations of every size who want to offer their own courses on their own servers. KnowledgeFox offers learning with a special didactic approach, so-called MicroLearning. It is based in part on the neuroscientific findings of Nobel Prize Winner Eric Kandel and Sebastian Leitner’s learning model. Premium customers include Samsung Austria, Credit Suisse, the Austrian Railways ÖBB and VoestAlpine. Universities and public authorities (e.g. in Macedonia) also use KnowledgeFox. ◆

World Champion Austria

_38

Start-up

Great Trousers for China

“Optimum use of business potential” Seeing as Breddy’s potential stands out so much, this start-up is also the first to participate in the new growth initiative of the Austrian Business Association ÖGV. “Once a start-up has presented the proof of concept, is established and has a fullydeveloped product, then it fulfils the most important criteria for admittance,” say mentors of the programme, Klaus Mec and Markus Ott. “What’s more, there should be no superficial financial requirements, the project should be scalable and the business owners open to new suggestions.”

To kick-off the ÖGV growth initiative, Breddy’s had already presented its proof of concept with “optimum use of business potential” in its first sales of the crossover trousers via different distribution channels. Further measures could be implemented successfully with the support of the growth initiative: Some immediate

One of Austria’s best women’s football teams, USC Landhaus/Austria Vienna, in Breddy’s trousers.

benefits were its own store in Mödling, a thriving online shop, expanded marketing and sales activities as well as positive customer feedback and media response. “The outcome resulting from this collaboration allows us to continue this expansion strategy at full force and concentrate on it in an even more focussed manner,” confirms managing director Claus Bretschneider. “What helped me the most was being able to view our company from new perspectives.” In the meantime, the start-up has already taken its crossover trousers to the renowned ISPO sports fair in Shanghai and wants to also “conquer” China.

Breddy’s was awarded the “ISPO Brandnew Award 2017” and also received the Trigos Award for “Best CSR Newcomer”. Other awards at Trigos Lower Austria went to Adamah Biohof, Cuitec and Umdasch Group, by the way. ◆ Credit: Breddy’s

Breddy’s was created by Claus and Manuela Bretschneider in Vienna and produces crossover trousers. This innovative product combines the advantages of functional materials with the chic style of fashionable trousers. Sustainability and the conservation of resources along with quality are the focus of their production, which is carried out 100 percent in Europe in monitored family enterprises.

Brady’s crossover trousers are great for active and fashion-conscious people who do all kinds of action-packed activities and who don’t want to forego comfort and design. The prices for such a climate-regulated, ergonomic, water and dirt repellent pair of trousers vary according to the model at 139 to 169 euros.

Credit: Stefan Horak

Start-up company Breddy’s was only founded in 2016 but could become the “world champion of tomorrow” thanks to its innovative crossover trousers.

Paneele die verbinden

World Champion Austria Leading company

Novomatic continues its international Growth Strategy The high-tech gaming corporation recorded a turnover of 2.3 billion euros in 2016, making it Novomatic’s most successful business year ever.

N

ovomatic is internationally successful but is proud of its Austrian roots: Founded in 1980 by Johann F. Graf in Gumpoldskirchen, the corporation now employs more than 25,000 people worldwide and has kept its headquarters in Austria. The Novomatic Group is active in all segments of the gaming industry thanks to its numerous international subsidiaries. The spectrum ranges from casino equipment, systems and cash management solutions, to arcade and pub products, sports betting, lotteries, and online, mobile and social gaming offerings.

Its dual strategy as a producer of high-tech gaming equipment and operator of more than 2,100 electronic casinos, regular casinos and sports betting facilities, is the foundation of the company‘s success. This provides the perfect opportunity to test new developments in Group casinos. Innovations are only brought to market once the technical nuances are refined and confirmed by player enthusiasm.

The Novomatic Group generated a turnover of about 2.3 billion euros in the last business year, the majority thereof in the core markets of Germany, Italy, Spain and Great Britain. The aim is to improve on this market position with strategic acquisitions in these countries. In early 2017, Novomatic’s takeover of British gaming venue operator Talarius was green-lighted by the British Competition Markets Authority CMA. Talarius operates 162 locations in the UK with a total of 7,500 gaming terminals, employing about 1,000 people.

By concluding this transaction, Novomatic is now the largest operator of gaming facilities in the sector of so-called “Adult Gaming Centres” in the UK. The acquisition of the Casino Royal Group in Germany further paved the way for a sustainable expansion of the market position. The Casino Royal Group employs about 1,000 people and recorded a gross turnover of 102 million euros in the business year 2016.

In the future, the technology group will focus on expanding its market position, particularly in the US, Australia, Asia and South America. The planned acquisition of a majority stake in the Australian company Ainsworth Game Technology Ltd. offers an important lever for the development of these markets. Novomatic and Ainsworth have been working together to complete this merger since receiving the approval of the minority shareholders in June 2016. Both companies are currently in the process of obtaining the approval from various gaming authorities required for the completion of the acquisition.

Research and development Thanks to its many technology centres, the Novomatic Group is a pioneer in the development of innovative products and systems

The world-class gaming technology keeps on expanding.

Credits: Novomatic (2)

40_41

“Investing into the future secures Novomatic’s strong position in the global market in the long run,” says Novomatic-CEO Harald Neumann.

solutions in the area of gaming. The company owns more than 4,000 registered IP rights. With these investments into growth, Novomatic wants to conquer new markets but also strengthen its position in its core markets. Research and development make a major contribution to this. In the last three years alone, Novomatic invested more than 250 million euros into research and development; more than 1,200 experts work in its worldwide technology centres.

In addition, the whole industry sees a trend of implementing well-known themes from pop culture such as TV shows and blockbusters. Novomatic also has a stake in the field of branded games and has licenses for Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and the Sherlock Holmes films by Guy Ritchie.

Development is supported by hardware and software development teams in Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Argentina, Canada and Poland, working either in-house or related to the Group, as well as by exclusive partnerships with developers in Slovenia, Greece, the United States and Australia.

Experts in online, mobile and social gaming The Novomatic gaming portfolio has also established itself in the area of so-called “social gaming” across all the media channels

described above. In this extremely popular segment, games are played exclusively for entertainment purposes, i.e. without any payout of winnings. The area of online gaming is one of the fastestgrowing sectors – not least because new technological innovations and developments are continuously introduced to the market.

More and more capable end devices, including versatile smartphones and tablet computers, offer new opportunities for consumers while at the same time creating completely new challenges for providers.

Europe’s leading gaming technology group The first half of 2017 saw a record turnover and simultaneously the highest number of staff in Novomatic’s history. The group’s turnover rose in the first six months by 11.3 percent to 1,218.7 million euros (Q1 and Q2 2016: 1,094.9 million euros). Acquisitions in the core markets of Germany and Spain have driven Novomatic’s growth in the first half of the year.

There were further, smaller acquisitions e.g. in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands too. www.novomatic.com

World Champion Austria

The Novomatic Group’s online specialist Greentube Internet Entertainment Solutions GmbH tackles all these challenges head on, working tirelessly to further develop successful products.

Greentube is not only one of Europe’s leading B2B providers for gaming content, but also one of the leading social gaming operators in Europe. Its comprehensive portfolio includes casino slots, table games, bingo, poker, live dealer gaming, AWP slots, server-based gaming and social casino solutions, allowing terrestrial casinos to stay in touch with their guests after they have left the premises.

Credit: Novomatic

Leading company

Being a leading Austrian company, Novomatic also accepts social responsibility.

Novomatic Sports Betting Solutions True to its company philosophy of “building trust through bookmaking competency, payment security and respectability,” subsidiary Admiral Sportwetten has been a competent provider of sports betting services for 25 years. The company offers its customers a comprehensive range of betting services, either at one of its about 250 betting shops or via smartphones, sports betting terminals or online. After its foundation, Admiral rapidly managed to conquer a share of more than 50 percent in its domestic market, thereby becoming the clear number one within the Austrian sports betting facilities business.

Novomatic Sports Betting Solutions (NSBS) constitutes a further milestone. This umbrella organisation was established in 2015 with the objective of marketing the Novomatic Group‘s sports betting activities within the international B2B segment.

NSBS currently supports the international activities of Admiral Sportwetten, Na Zvezi and SBT through e.g. joint marketing activities and the coordination of collaborative efforts within the Group. In autumn 2015, NSBS organised the first joint trade show appearance, presenting a superior omni-channel sports betting solution for the management of an unlimited number of self-service terminals and checkouts for the terrestrial segments, as well as secure online and mobile sports betting solutions using responsive web design and platform-independent configurations.

All three companies under the NSBS umbrella are pursuing an international expansion strategy.

For this, the innovative betting systems are constantly being updated, in order to adapt them flexibly to the individual regional requirements and to make the betting experience as attractive as possible for customers.

Novomatic increases its expertise in international lotteries As a gaming technology group, Novomatic has always strived to expand its competencies in all areas of modern gaming. With the acquisition of Betware Holding hf., an Icelandic pioneer in the field of lottery technology, Novomatic took the ultimate step towards full integration in November 2013.

A logical consequence of this development is continued expansion in the classic lottery segment. With the establishment of the subsidiary Novomatic Lottery Solutions GmbH (NLS) in mid-2014, the Novomatic Group has now bundled its lottery competence in one place. Thanks to the combined resources, experience and know-how of Novomatic and Betware, NLS can offer any lottery operator an innovative 360 degree solution for all sales channels, including online and mobile solutions. With its innovative “bring your own terminal” solution, NLS clearly stands apart from its competition.

The objective of this strategy is to minimise the investment expense for lotteries, in particular regarding hardware. The general approach at NLS is to keep the costs for equipment per location as low as possible. This makes it easier to establish new facilities, as the costs per location remain low. This is supported additionally, for example, through the use of tablets, wirelessly connected to the ticket printer. ◆

World Champion Austria

42_43

Companies introduce themselves

CHECK – RECHECK – SIMACEK Extraordinary quality, service and safety for our customers This long-established family business is one of the most important groups in the facility management industry today and sums up its philosophy as: “Excellent cooperation achieves excellent services“. Now in its third generation, the family business is managed by the company founder’s granddaughter, Ursula Simacek, and is one of Austria’s leading companies, employing more than 7,000 people in Austria, Central and Eastern Europe.

SIMACEK offers unlimited services in the areas of cleaning (maintenance and special cleaning), pest control, security, public transport cleaning, catering, technical services, hygiene services and products as well as in green areas, explains Ursula Simacek: “We offer customers everything they need to operate a property or building. We deliver building-related services as well as surveillance, catering and industrial services. We can manage the entire infrastructure of the property. We would like to offer our customers maximum comfort. Our slogan is CHECK – RECHECK – SIMACEK, which also represents our holistic focus.”

In order to accommodate the growing importance of infrastructure costs and quality, SIMACEK Facility Management Facts & Figures Employees in Austria: ~5,000 worldwide: ~7,000 Turnover in Austria: Forecast EUR 165 mn Turnover worldwide: Forecast EUR 184 mn Social projects: 45 ONR 192500, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 13001, Cepa Certified, EMAS, ÖKOBusiness Plan 2014, WEISS Golden Ethics Seal, Leitbetriebe Austria (Leading Companies Austria), UN Global Compact Austria, Nestor Gold, Audit “business and family”, Charter of Diversity SIMACEK Facility Management Group GmbH Ignaz-Köck-Straße 8, A-1210 Vienna, Austria Tel. +43 1/211 66-0 Website: www.simacek.at

“I am deeply convinced that upholding and respecting Simacek’s values will also form the foundations of our success in the future.”

Ursula Simacek CEO SIMACEK Facility Management Group

Group developed a comprehensive benchmarking system while carrying out the “Infrastructure Management 4.0” project. Its goal is to examine current costs in terms of adequacy, conformity, efficiency and value for money and to compare this to other companies. Based on this benchmarking system, SIMACEK specialists develop optimisation proposals and, when necessary, manage the implementation of the suggested measures in the project.

“We created a software platform with SIM 4.0 to support our services online. In SIM 4.0 we are able to update every contract, location, maintenance interval, service level in surveillance, in technology or energy management. Depending on the stage of expansion, customers can log in and view their property at any time and coordinate service level equipment,” explains Ursula Simacek.

CHECK – RECHECK – SIMACEK Our name stands for quality, safety and satisfaction for people and buildings in more than 40 cities across Europe.

When it comes to its sustainability strategy, SIMACEK’s focus remains on education, health, social, demographics and inclusion.

“SIMACEK is able to contribute to society and the economy thanks to active integration, diversity and sustainability. I am convinced that practising social responsibility in a company leads to success,” says Ursula Simacek and echoes her company’s philosophy once again: “Excellent cooperation achieves excellent services, this is the standard I set myself.”

World Champion Austria Leading company

R&D is the Secret of Wienerberger’s Success CEO Heimo Scheuch was happy with the performance in the first half of the year. Here he speaks primarily of the future in an interview with Paul Christian Jezek.

A

t the time of this exclusive interview, Wienerberger had just acquired the Preflex Group, which is a leading provider of pre-wired electrical installation conduits.

This acquisition should strengthen business in the fast growing sector of electrical conduits for electrical uses. Furthermore, Wienerberger took over the Reetz von Röben Klinkerwerke GmbH brickworks, located roughly 100 kilometres southwest of Berlin. It produces high quality bricks filled with mineral wool as well as different types of bricks. This factory’s sales markets lie mainly in the Eastern region of Germany as well as Western Poland.

growth through customer contact, knowledge of the local market and innovation. In 2016, the R&D expenses were 14.9 million euros, which corresponds to 0.5 percent of our turnover. During the same period, innovative products and system solutions made up around 27 percent of total turnover for Wienerberger and I am proud of the progress we have made in previous years. We also see further great potential that we can exploit in this area in order to shape construction and the infrastructure of tomorrow with future-orientated solutions

“Baked soil” has existed for many centuries though. What makes a Wienerberger product different to an old brick?

A lot! We have developed the brick into a highly technological Mr. Scheuch, how would you strategically categorise “daily product and at the same time business” such as the two busikept its innate and sustainable ness examples above? characteristics. Buildings, esAttention has been paid to repecially in Austria, are often search and development, covered in artificial, non-suswhich is definitively part of our tainable insulation. Our top strategic priority and is of key product already has insulation importance to Wienerberger. material integrated into the When it comes to the building brick. materials industry, I have genThis allows the wall to erally spotted a positive “breathe” and offers people a change. Trends, such as enerpleasant living atmosphere. gy-efficient construction or This filled brick is particularly digitisation in past years have suited to multi-storey housing, contributed to it becoming where people live in close highly innovative. quarters.

Wienerberger and in parOur brick saves energy, proticular our corporate culture tects against noise, creates a have made huge progress. ToFlexible cohabitation: division of space combining communal rooms and private good atmosphere indoors and sanctuaries in the form of mini apartments. day, we focus on organic

44_45

regeneration of entire urban districts with a balance of renovation, demolition and new construction and also the renovation of roofs.

is easy to handle. This product fulfils all the requirements of modern housing today. Our declared goal in recent years of entering the field of urban living space and renovation with innovative products and concepts has been very fruitful.

Credits: Wienerberger (2)

What are the Wienerberger trends in regard to infrastructure?

When it comes to pipes and tubes, we are also having success thanks What does innovato innovation: In Lübeck, tion look like at WienerGermany, we carried out berger? a drainage project with As international leaders clay pipes, using microof innovation in the area tunnelling procedures. of construction and inAt a depth of eight frastructure, we address metres, pipes are laid current challenges, such underground using proas climate change, urpulsion, without having banisation and demoHeimo Scheuch (born 1966) from Mölltal being interviewed; he has been CEO of Wienerberger AG to dig up the soil beforegraphic change. We can since 2009 and will continue to be until 1 April 2018. hand. This procedure is offer our customers a relief to both local residents and the earth’s surface. In addition, complete solutions, not “only” product innovations. A good exam200 homes in Lübeck use wastewater heat for heating thanks to ple of sustainable design in urban living space comes from Belintegrated heat exchangers in the wastewater pipes. These ingium. novative solutions demonstrate the planners’ foresight.

There, we built terraced houses by working together with developers, architects and city planners. These houses had building envelopes, which were energy efficient, used renewable enA world market leader at a glance ergy sources and achieved water neutrality for rainwater. In order to collect as much water as possible, each house has a pitched Wienerberger is the largest manufacturer of bricks (Pororoof with ceramic bricks and a rain water tank, which is contherm, Terca) worldwide and market leader in clay roof tiles nected to the toilets, maintenance fittings and supply systems for (Koramic, Tondach) in Europe as well as in concrete paving washing machines. The water is also reused in the garden.

(Semmelrock) in Central and Eastern Europe. In Europe, it is Then there is the Clusterhouse A in Zurich, which has products one of the leading providers of piping systems (clay pipes of from Wienerberger and presents a new cohabitation concept for the Steinzeug-Keramo brand and plastic tubes by Pipelife). young and old. One of its special features is its division of space, Across its group, Wienerberger has 198 production sites, gewhich combines communal rooms and private sanctuaries in the nerated 2,974 million euros and an EBITDA of 404 million form of mini apartments with two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a euros in 2016. small bathroom. This flexible concept has been very well received. www.wienerberger.com We are also increasingly gaining a foothold in the area of renovations, which includes the energetic clean-up of facades, the

World Champion Austria

Our tube and pipe products are also used in utility grids, for example, in the underground cable conduits of our subsidiary Pipelife. Ecological paving systems with permeable grooves and the ability to allow water to easily seep away, made by our subsidiary Semmelrock, are very much in demand.

Credit: Studio Claerhut

Leading company

ing contractors, have access to the same database. They are able to define, share and analyse the desired performance features. Simulations allow assessments to be instantly made regarding the impacts of planning decisions in a project. The advantages are obvious: simpler coordination, processes that are more precise, complete documentation, precise cost estimates and swift project completion. This is the future of building design!

How does digitisation change the construction sector and industry?

Terraced houses with renewable energy and water neutrality made by Wienerberger products.

For us, digitisation comprises the entire value added chain, from purchasing decision What role do environment-friendly and sustainable construction through to accounting. This is the case for both B2C and B2B. We materials generally play for Wienerberger? provide a trend-setting impetus in production with initiatives in The world is facing a multitude of big challenges. As technology industry 4.0 for the construction materials sector; from automation and innovation leaders in the construction industry, Wienerberger to 3D printing. sees it as very important and our duty to contribute to positively We use digitisation as an opportunity to reach our customers addressing current, worldwide challenges, such as climate and partners in a better and more direct way, while at the same change, resource scarcity, decent employment, urbanisation and time creating processes that are even more efficient. The automademographic change. tion of processes as well as networked building planning will It is important for Wienerberger to ask the right questions and become even more important in future. to give corresponding answers: with our “smart solutions” for Wienerberger is setting standards here, for example in Building construction and the infrastructure of the future.

Information Modelling (BIM) as part of a pilot project in Great We therefore follow an integrated management approach, beBritain for the future planning of construction projects. cause Wienerberger does not focus on economic factors only, but rather on social and ecological ones too.

Could you explain that to us in more detail?

Our mission is to improve the BIM is a collaborative process, quality of life for people with our which can create added value “Our declared goal in recent years of entering the sustainable and excellent conover the entire life cycle of a field of urban living space and renovation with struction materials and infrabuilding. At the forefront are 3D innovative products and concepts has been very structure solutions. Therefore, models, which are designed, sustainable and environmentbrought together and exfruitful.” friendly construction materials changed online. All those inHeimo Scheuch play a key role! ◆ volved, from architects to build-

World Champion Austria

46_47

Companies introduce themselves

Feratel: Focusing on Comfort, Security and Information One way or another, probably every tourist in Austria has already been in touch with content from Feratel Media Technologies.

From a one-man-show to an international business Today, Feratel Media Technologies is one of the leading international developers and providers of tourist information systems such as panorama live pictures across all digital channels, booking solutions, tourist maps solutions, digital signage information systems and much more. Its international presence is underlined by offices in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, the United States and Japan. In addition, partners in France, Sweden and Russia ensure that Feratel products are available worldwide.

A triumvirate of touristic amenities The company focuses on three key business operations: The division Telecommunications provides HD live video streaming from 400 locations, in addition to traditional panorama TV broadcasts on TV stations all over Europe. The pictures captured by Feratel’s cameras can be received via destination and portal sites, smart phones, smart TVs, smart watches and navigation systems, among others.

The division Information and Booking Systems offers solutions and products with which all relevant sales channels can be used both online and offline, and all tourism-related tasks are performed by technology-supported applications. Based on its destination

Credit: feratel/Gerhard Berger

Feratel’s success story started in the 1960s and is rooted in the vision and the intuition of the Austrian skiing stalwart Peter Schröcksnadel: He founded Sitour Austria (a portmanteau of “signalisation touristique”) to make panorama and piste marker signs as well as piste guidance systems. The company was basically a forerunner of Feratel Media Technologies. In the 1990s, Schröcksnadel introduced panoramic images with Feratel: Panoramic live TV broadcasts of the weather for Austrian living and hotel rooms.

“No client is too big or too small: We serve entire tourism regions and ski resorts as well as small hotels.”

Markus Schröcksnadel, CEO of Feratel Media Technologie

management system Deskline®, the individual solutions are completed by numerous products such as WebClient, RegistrationClient, GuestCard and Channel Manager.

The business segment Media encompasses online products connected to panorama pictures (smartphone apps, smart TV apps, Amazon Fire TV Stick etc.), engagement marketing (HelloSpot, SocialWall), digital signage solutions (content for destinations TV, hotel TV, infotainment in ski resorts etc.) plus custommade accreditation solutions for major events. This division also includes products and services of subsidiary Sitour: Analogue and digital information, safety and signage systems designed for ski resorts as well as the marketing of various advertising spaces and advertising systems. Over 1,000 alpine regions rely on Sitour in the winter and the summer – a success story of more than 50 years.

World Champion Austria Business location

Austria has the Opportunity to reverse Trends in the Long-term Bernhard Gröhs, CEO of Deloitte Austria, speaks in an exclusive interview with Paul Christian Jezek about having a clear vision and the opportunities that still remain unexplored.

U

sing Deloitte Radar, Deloitte Austria assessed the country in terms of its attractiveness as a business location for the fourth time in 2017. The results were generally positive: The meta-analysis sees a stop to the downward trend of previous years and registers increasing index values in comparison to the year before. Overall, Deloitte has spotted the opportunity for sustainable improvement and calls for the implementation of important location policy measures.

What is Deloitte Radar’s main message in 2017?

The essential message is very pleasing, as the current results of our meta-analysis show that the downward trend, which had lasted for quite a while, has been halted for the time being. Austria as a business location is registering positive developments for the first time in years and was able to display improvement according to the most significant international indices. The most recent economic data

Bernhard Gröhs, CEO of Deloitte Austria being interviewed for World Champion Austria

confirm this assessment.

Looking at the analysis more closely reveals that there has been an improvement in three out of five important global location rankings. Austria has actually moved up two places compared to the previous year on both the World Competitiveness Index as well as the Better Life Index and it was able to improve a whole four places on the Global Competitiveness Index. Austria is in the top 20 in four out of five indices. The country still needs to catch up, however, in the field of innovation. As a business location, Austria was down two places on the Global Innovation Index. On the whole, however, it could be said that the opportunities for continuous recovery are there and that now is the time to put this momentum to use.

Credit: deloitte/feelimage

What do you attribute Austria’s positive development in international studies to?

Growth in Austria has stabilised and tax reforms have had positive effects.

The outlook for the Eurozone and the global economy has also tended to be more positive

48_49

Acute need for action Need for action Solid foundation for necessary improvement Location advantage with potential for improvement Clear location advantage

than last year, despite instability, such as Brexit. What’s more, the export rate is high and companies are once again investing more.

These are facts that demonstrate positive future prospects. In the first half of the year, one could see steps in the right direction being taken on a government level. Decisions, such as increasing the research premium have added an extra important stimulus.

It is incredibly important to support the current development of Austria as a business location in a rapid and uncomplicated manner with corresponding reforms. In this way, we Austrians can be back at the top. We have what it takes to play in the big leagues!

Another one of Austria’s strengths is infrastructure. Austria has a very well developed infrastructure and is a world leader when it comes to this. There is still a little way to go in regard to digital infrastructure. Indeed, policy dedicated to making the necessary investments does exist, such as nationwide broadband expansion.

In future, we absolutely have to stay on the ball so that we don’t lose our competitiveness. In this case, there is a lack of a certain legal basis as well as strong coordination between the federal government and communities. Austria cuts a pretty good figure as concerns research and innovation as well. Austria’s research rate is above the EU average, Austria’s companies impress with their capacity for innovation and their readiness to invest in research and development. Research collaboration between the economy and science has also had a positive impact on Austria as a business location. The 14-percent-increase in research premiums was an important and correct signal.

Lots of good qualities and plenty of potential Based on the analysis this year, what are Austria’s strongest qualities as a location?

Austria is full of potential and has many good qualities. The most significant factor is its quality of life. We have the highest levels when it comes to this. Material wealth, a highly developed social and healthcare system as well as “Austria has moved up two places compared to the above-average figures in relation previous year on both the World Competitiveness to life satisfaction, perception of Index and the Better Life Index.” safety and environmental protection are clear advantages, which Bernhard Gröhs, CEO of Deloitte Austria. we can build on.

Where do you still see the need to catch up?

It is important for Austria now in particular to get the most out of all areas. In this way, sustainable improvements can be made in the long run. There is still quite

World Champion Austria Business location

Credit: Gröhs

xxxxgxxx xxxx xxxxgxxx Xxxxxxx xxxx Xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxgxxx xxxxxxx xgxx

Austria as a business location saw positive developments and was able to improve in the most important international indices.

Austria is mostly on the right path. The high tax burden is a cona bit to do. Innovation and digitisation are basic requirements and siderable sticking point for Austria’s performance as a location, particularly important for future competitiveness. This ranges from however. Austria is still one of the countries with the highest taxes. block chain technology to electric mobility, all the way to the estabThe complexity of the tax system is anything but advantageous. lishment of digitisation concepts in corporate strategy. Austria This discourages new companies from establishing themselves should not lose its connection to the competition; politics and ecohere. Reducing the tax rate can and must be accompanied by a nomics are both equally required. radical simplification of the tax system.

The skills as well as availability of a well-educated workforce are The increasingly denser juna considerable factor for success gle of bureaucracy is a further in digitisation. Austria neverthe“Growth in Austria has stabilised and tax reforms impediment for the domestic less has difficulties when it economy. The abundance of regcomes to its workforce. On one have had positive effects.“ ulatory requirements is actually hand, Austria has been fighting Bernhard Gröhs increasing rather than decreasincreasing unemployment on its ing. This inhibits growth, injob market for two years now creases costs and in some cases even threatens survival. The first and a moderate increase is forecasted for the next two years. On to be impacted are the small enterprises, especially start-ups. If the other hand, a shortage of well-educated skilled workers poses Austria doesn’t want to lose out to foreign business locations when a real challenge. it comes to start-ups and thus on innovative ideas, then framework conditions have to be urgently improved. Deregulation is needed Are there also areas in which you would recommend a complete here in order to lighten the burden placed on companies. change of strategy?

50_51

Number of placings in 2016 1.

Switzerland

2.

Sweden

3.

USA

15.

Luxembourg

16. New Zealand 17.

Australia

4. Netherlands 18.

Iceland Austria has established itFrom an expert’s point of 5.

Finland 19.

Austria self as a location for research view, what has to happen to 6.

Singapore* 20.

Taiwan* over the years. Many internalift Austria up from mid-range 7.

Denmark 21.

Belgium tional companies value the falevel to top level?

8.

UK 22.

Korea, Rep. vourable research framework We have currently reached a conditions as well as the innodecisive moment. In order to 9.

Norway 23.

France vative energy of our hidden continue this positive trend, 10.

Germany 24.

UAE* champions. along with deregulation and 11.

Canada 25.

Qatar* Start-ups are also an importax cuts every effort must be 12. Hong Kong* 26.

Spain tant driving force for innovamade.

13.

Ireland 27.

Slovenia tions. The start-up scene in What Austria needs are con14.

Japan 28.

Malaysia* Austria is not in its nascent crete measures as well as a * Not evaluated at the Better Life Index. phase anymore, but it is not clear vision, as only those who Sources: Global Competitiveness Index 2016, World Competitiveness Index 2016, Global Innovation very visible on the world stage set themselves concrete goals Index 2016, Networked Readiness Index 2016, Better Life Index 2016 yet. By now, Austrian business can improve. In Austria’s case founders can compete with international competition. This can be this means that by 2025 it has to be in the top 3 in Europe and in seen in different rankings, such as the annual Deloitte Technology the top 10 worldwide as a business location. This is completely doFast 500. Last year, two Austrian companies were on the list and able, we should be measuring up to the best. For this, we need only one of them was in the top ten. This demonstrates the great potenlook across the border to the top business locations in our neightial that is available here. However: Unfortunately, start-ups in bouring countries of Switzerland and Germany as well as the ScanAustria still have to overcome many bureaucratic hurdles. Founding dinavian countries, which in many areas show us how it is done. a company has to urgently be simplified and digitised. We need a Austria should also set clear priorities. There has to be an even one-stop shop for all. greater push for digitisation on all levels. The targeted support for innovation and research is a sigWhat do you think are the nificant factor for success for “Austria has a very well developed basic infrastrucpossible risks, which could Austria. The labour force potenstand in the way of an economic tial also has to be better utilised. ture and is a world leader when it comes to this.” boom?

Women, older workers, people Bernhard Gröhs We’ve been content with what’s with disabilities and immigrants average for a long time, where still demonstrably have more difyou quickly get comfortable and start defending old structures. ficulties on the job market. However, this existing diversity presents That’s why there’s a risk Austria will simply miss the existing molots of potential for Austria as a business location and could be mentum by not grasping current opportunities quickly enough. A made use of in a much more effective manner. In order to do so, lot of important issues are being brought up in the current election measures are needed to bring about real equal opportunities. campaign, but after the election, it is important that Austria quickGreater flexibility would also do the Austrian job market some good ly gets another functioning government. It has to place location as concerns, for example, working hours, payment schemes or work policy and guidelines right at the top of its agenda, make quick contracts. The current Deloitte Flexible Working study demondecisions and then implement them. What’s clear is that in the long strates that when it comes to flexibility, employers are also called term it won’t be enough to just have a high quality of life to sustainupon and existing possibilities are regularly not being utilised. ably boost economic growth.

Current figures could give us pause for thought. They once You have now touched upon the significance of digitisation and more point towards a deterioration in economic performance. The innovation several times. Austria does very well in this area. How World Competitiveness Index, which appeared in May 2017, do you explain that?

World Champion Austria Business location

Credit: deloitte/feelimage

Current economic data places Austria at 25 of 63. also demonstrate that a Last year, we did slightly turnaround can happen. Dobetter and were ranked mestic and increased for24th. According to the ineign demand ensure that dex, among other things, economic growth continues insufficient international into be driven forward. In vestment in Austria was to 2017, Austria may even regblame for these developister better growth than the ments. As regards this, Eurozone. At least we’ll be Austria is the absolutely within the Eurozone averworst performing country. age.

As expected, tax policy asJob market data also ofsessment was also not fers some hope, as the situgood. ation is increasingly easing Something similar can be up. As is well known, when seen in the current Global it comes to the debt-to-GDP Innovation Index, which ratio, Austria does relatively came out in June. Just like poorly in comparison to the the year before, Austria is rest of the EU. Even so, in number 20 out of 127, howthis area an improvement is ever, when assessed on also in sight. There are clear market capitalisation it was indications that the time has ranked 85th. Access to loans come to engage with the and founding companies are future and quickly implealso more difficult in Austria ment necessary reforms. compared to other countries.

“There’s no time to lose when it comes to strengthening Austria’s competitiveness.”

What would your mesIn my opinion, these are sage to the new government be; what would you recommend? all risks that should be taken seriously. If Austria doesn’t improve What’s needed right now are perseverance, courage and a clear in these areas as quickly as possible, it will become difficult to reach commitment to Austria as a business location. We’re not going to the top when it comes to international competition. make it to the top if we’re always scrambling for excuses. We need concrete proposals for solutions How would you evaluate and above all: we need them to Austria’s chances of reversing “In 2017, Austria may even register better growth be implemented. Therefore, the this trend? new government should work I am confident that Austria will than the Eurozone. At least we’ll be within the out new reform packages and be able to turn it around. Even if Eurozone average.” more importantly, implement the country seems to be lacking Bernhard Gröhs them. There’s no time to lose in certain areas, it still impresses when it comes to strengthening through the high energy of its Austria’s competitiveness. To bring this about, a lot will have to be workforce and its companies’ great eagerness for research. This is invested in raising awareness: Only collective and successful accorroborated by the Global Innovation Index as well as the Eurotions can ensure wealth and the welfare state. ◆ pean Innovation Scoreboard from June 2017.

World Champion Austria

52_53

Companies introduce themselves

Your Company. Simply safe.

Every successful business model requires safety and security in its day-to-day operations. This is true both for industrial companies and plant operators as well as for trading and service companies, start-ups and company founders. An independent, Austrian corporate group with branches and cooperation partners in over 40 countries, TÜV AUSTRIA is always close by, all over the world.

With their comprehensive technical safety and security services, TÜV AUSTRIA experts provide critical added value for sustainable, flexible and, above all, practical solutions.

The competitive edges of safety and security Constant technical modernization of production and work processes is making the issues of safety and security increasingly important. This is because for business, safety, security and quality always mean a competitive edge. A safe working environment is a crucial component for productivity, efficiency and thus also for attractive workplaces. And only products, services and processes that have been tested for safety, security and quality give consumers an appreciable sense of security.

TÜV AUSTRIA assesses all testing and certification requirements, carries out individually tailored package solutions for any corporate situation in, for example, the areas of quality assurance and risk management, guiding one through the multitudes of

Facts & Figures The independent Austrian company TÜV AUSTRIA Group was founded in 1872 and operates in over 40 countries in the areas of testing, inspection, certification, training and further training.

Employees worldwide: Turnover: TÜV AUSTRIA Deutschstraße 10, 1230 Wien Tel. +43 504 54-0 Fax: +43 504 54-6005 info@tuv.at www.tuv.at/en

Credit: TÜV AUSTRIA, Andreas Amsüss

TÜV AUSTRIA Group – providing technical services around the globe.

legal regulations and norms. It is also constantly developing new practical programmes of apprenticeship and in-service training.

Added value for business and progress To simultaneously increase efficiency and reduce costs, TÜV AUSTRIA provides advice and support for technological developments, ranging from safe and secure integration of collaborative robots on production lines to industrial IT, risk analyses, workable e-mobility solutions and automated driving. When it comes to energy efficiency, TÜV AUSTRIA has long been a sought-after partner for commerce, trade, industry and local authorities.

From industry to start-ups: a one-stop provider for all At TÜV AUSTRIA Group, there is always just one contact person for all our customers’ and partners’ task assignments. This means having more time for your own business.

1,500+ 160 mln euros

International solutions TÜV AUSTRIA is an important partner in many regions in Europe and Asia. We offer our customers tailor-made solutions in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Albania, Cyprus, Romania, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Singapore and China.

Contact us!

TÜV AUSTRIA. Simply safe.

World Champion Austria Leading Company

A Workshop Success Story rather than a Garage Start-up After 125 years, Kapsch is among Austria’s most successful technology companies with a global significance in future markets.

T

began digital telephone operations in 1980 and provided the first C-Netz (Network C) mobile telephones – which look like enormous and clunky pieces of equipment to us today – to the Federal Army and to the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) in 1984. The first telephone call on the digital GSM network was made a few years later in 1991.

Milestones in railway radio communications and traffic systems The year 1970 marked the birth of communication solutions in public transportation, when Kapsch equipped the Federal Railways with radios. This market was expanded on a continuous basis: Offices opened in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Slovenia and Croatia, and contracts from several European railway companies were implemented by 1994. Kapsch acquired the GSM/GSM-R business from Nortel in 2010, making it a leading provider of digital railway communications. An additional market segment was opened up in 2013 when Kapsch entered the market for communication solutions for public transportation based on TETRA technology.

The world’s first electronic toll collection system for multi-lane free-flow traffic on a city motorway was implemented in 1999 at the Melbourne City Link. Austria followed in 2003 with the implemen-

Credits: Kapsch Group (4)

he company’s story started in 1892 when a precision mechanical workshop was founded in Schottenfeldgasse in the Neubau district of Vienna, initially to produce Morse code, telegraph, and telephone apparatuses. The production of capacitors began in 1918. In 1924, Kapsch ushered in the age of broadcasting in Austria. The first radio receivers were produced with tubes and detector equipment. The company managed to achieve a particularly significant innovation in 1958 when it launched “Capri,” Austria’s first transistor radio.

The first demonstration of experiments with television in Austria was given at the Kapsch Pavilion in 1930 at the Vienna Trade Fair. This also involved the first presentation of Kapsch’s transmission and receiving station. However, television did not find its way into households on a broader scale until 1955 when Kapsch launched the first black-and-white TV set on the Austrian market in the form of the TFS-56 model. The first Kapsch colour TV set was introduced just twelve years later when the “Chromomatic” became available in 1967. Working together with the Austrian postal service, Kapsch played a key role in the reconstruction of the Austrian telephone network after the Second World War. In 1955, the company developed a new low-noise dialler for telephones, which was still in use until the 1980s. Together with Schrack AG, Kapsch

Innovations throughout the decades: from the telegraph to the Network C mobile phones of the 1990s.

Credits: Kapsch Group (2)

54_55

tation of the world’s largest nationwide electronic truck toll collection system. Kapsch deployed the electronic truck toll collection system for the Czech Republic in record time in 2006 and also took over system operations. Poland followed in 2011 when Kapsch was awarded the contract for the entire toll collection system covering 2,000 kilometres of motorways, 5,000 kilometres of expressways and 600 kilometres of other traffic routes. In 2016, Kapsch deployed Europe’s largest integrated Advanced Traffic Management System in the UK and the Netherlands. The company also reinforced its market position by acquiring Schneider Electric’s transportation business.

Together with its four central companies – Kapsch TrafficCom, Kapsch CarrierCom, Kapsch PublicTransportCom and Kapsch BusinessCom – the corporation is ready for the challenges of the next 125 years.

Specialist in intelligent transportation systems Kapsch TrafficCom is a provider of intelligent transportation systems in the fields of toll collection, traffic management, smart urban mobility, traffic safety and security as well as connected vehicles.

The company was founded in 2002 and has been listed on the Prime Market of the Vienna Stock Exchange since 2007 (ticker symbol: KTCG) and now has more than 4,800 employees in over 30 countries.

In 2018, Kapsch is among Austria’s most successful technology companies with a global significance in the future markets of intelligent transportation systems as well as information and communication technologies.

Left: TETRA technology; top: The highsecurity datacentre Earth-DATAsafe in Kapfenberg (Styria).

It has its roots in electronic toll collection: Kapsch TrafficCom deployed the world’s first electronic truck toll collection system in early 2004 in Austria for vehicles weighing 3.5 tonnes and over. The enforcement and billing of the fees take place in flowing traffic. The company remains a pioneer in toll collection technology today, with successful projects implemented in more than 50 countries all over the world and over 100 million on-board units provided for the toll collection. The portfolio has been expanded on a continuous basis

125 years as an Austrian family business The origins of the global corporation, which is currently planning and implementing projects in more than 44 countries on all continents, go back to the company founder Johann Kapsch at the end of the 19th century. Kapsch now consists of four central companies – Kapsch TrafficCom, Kapsch CarrierCom, Kapsch PublicTransportCom and Kapsch BusinessCom. The expertise and services provided by the four business units complement each other and cover the entire value chain – from individual components, design and deployment of systems through to their operations – all from one source. http://www.kapsch.net

World Champion Austria Leading Company

and now addresses the needs of the market for intelligent transportation and mobility systems.

It encompasses information and communication technologies that support and optimise the transportation system, including the infrastructure, vehicle, users and industry. The mobility solutions help to make road traffic safer as well as more reliable, efficient and comfortable in cities and on motorways, and assist in reducing environmental pollution. The highly specialised components are produced in the company’s own factories in Vienna (Austria), Jönköping (Sweden) and McLean (United States).

_56

and provides integrated holistic solutions with local knowledge and expertise.

Focusing on new growth markets Kapsch PublicTransportCom was spun-off as a separate part of the Kapsch Group in December 2016. The spin-off demonstrates the clear commitment of Kapsch to the growth markets of public transportation and urban mobility. The new structures ensure focused and more dynamic support for these areas. Kapsch PublicTransportCom produces and delivers solutions for Intermodal Transport Control Systems (ITCS), Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) as well as mobile ticketing systems and the latest information for passengers.

Specialist in digital railway communications systems Kapsch CarrierCom is considered one of the leading globally operatExpert in digitisation and cyber security ing producers, suppliers and system integrators of end-to-end teleKapsch BusinessCom is one of the leading digitisation partners and communications solutions. The company is responsible for the ICT service providers for companies in Austria. Kapsch Businessdigital railway communications system GSM-R (Global System for Com relies on vendor independence and partnerships with leading Mobile Communication – Railway) and for expanding GSM-R netglobal service providers such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), works in Europe, Africa and Asia. In total, the company equips more Cisco and Microsoft, along with a wide network of partners from than 80,000 kilometres of railway tracks and is closely involved in research and industry-specific standardisation bodies that prosolution providers, ranging from mote further development of the start-ups to major corporations. next generation railway commu“Our core business is shifting more and more This broad “eco-system” of partnications technology. Kapsch towards cities: Thanks to our experience in the field ners is one of Kapsch’s unique CarrierCom is also the ideal partof intelligent mobility we are predestined to help selling points and enables it to ner for railway operators carrydesigning tomorrow’s smart cities.” provide optimised support for ing out upgrades for GSM-R to a customers to improve their busifuture standard of radio infraGeorg Kapsch ness performance and to develop structure. new business models. With a With extensive knowledge in team of cyber security experts, Kapsch BusinessCom also advises the area of digital radio communication based on Terrestrial Trunkcompanies on risk assessments, implementing data backup proed Radio (TETRA) and Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) standards, Kacesses and protecting against cyberattacks. psch CarrierCom has already successfully implemented projects in Aside from system integration and ongoing further development, the area of wireless infrastructure, such as the new metro line (Line Kapsch is also increasingly taking over operation of ICT solutions for 4) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. companies. Customers can enjoy access to an infrastructure that The company also provides solutions for landline, mobile and supports the latest secure cloud solutions at its high-security data cable network operators as well as utilities, and is an expert in the centre earthDATAsafe in Kapfenberg (Styria in Austria) – constructvirtualisation of communication networks. It focuses on access ed in 2008 at a depth of 320 meters. Kapsch already manages large networks (via wireless, fiberglass or cable), as well as on customerparts of the IT for companies such as Österreichische Volksbanken specific implementations for voice, data and security solutions.

AG and PSA Payment Services Austria from there. ◆ Kapsch CarrierCom works with leading global product suppliers

corporAID advocates business, development and global corporate responsibility.

eye-opening

developmen global sustainable

eye-opening

unique

Partners of the corporAID Platform

responsible

sustainable www.corporaid.at

World Champion Austria High Tech

The global Centre of Competence for new Semiconductor Technology Infineon invests 35 million euros into research, development and manufacturing of semiconductors based on silicon carbide technology (SiC).

T

his year, semiconductor corporation Infineon invests 35 million euros into its silicon carbide development and production activities at the affiliate in Villach. The investment package includes further development of semiconductor process technologies, state-of-the-art production facilities and the expansion of the existing manufacturing infrastructure.

The company is thus creating 30 additional highly qualified jobs in research, technological development and product management in Villach alone. “We are convinced that the silicon carbide MOSFET technology is at a turning point and that growth rates will be skyrocketing in the near to medium term”, says Peter Wawer, Division President Industrial Power Control from Infineon. “We intend to claim global leadership in this area and this is why we are launching an investment programme to pro-actively expand our portfolio of silicon carbide products in the Industrial Power Control, Automo-

tive and the Power Management & Multimarket divisions of Infineon. Villach as the centre of competence for development and production of silicon carbide semiconductors is playing a key role in all of this.”

Sabine Herlitschka, CEO of Infineon Technologies Austria, adds: “The Infineon location in Villach is an important development and innovation facility within the group and has been working with new semiconductor technologies, such as silicon carbide or gallium nitride for a long time. Our many years of research, development and manufacturing expertise put us in a prime position to establish this priority programme of our group in Austria.

Considering the growing demand for silicon carbide solutions in the global power semiconductor market, this added competence is of significant importance for Villach.”

Distinct market potential Infineon has introduced a series of new silicon carbide products over the past few months – all developed and produced in Villach, including the 1,200 V CoolSic-MOSFET family.

Starting from its market-leading expertise and thorough system knowledge of power semiconductors, the company will develop a comprehensive range of silicon carbide solutions tailored to various application areas. Demand is rising for charging stations for e-vehicles with distinctly shorter charging times, for example, or for solar energy plant inverters and also in the field of uninterrupted power supply. These are market fields where huge growth potential is expected in the near future.

Demand is rising for high-performance energy-saving chips based on silicon carbide, especially for charging stations for e-vehicles with distinctly shorter charging times, for example, or for solar energy plant inverters and also in the field of uninterrupted power supply.

Silicon carbide reduces system costs Even though power semiconductors based on traditional silicon technology will still be dominating the market in the coming years, the use of silicon carbide opens up the gate to the next major progress in development.

Credits: Infineon Austria (2)

58_59

Energy-saving chips on the basis of silicon carbide technology are suited to achieve marked system benefits: A reduction in energy losses by up to 80 percent in current conversion means that sizes and system costs can also be reduced while the power is maintained.

Energy-saving chips on the basis of silicon carbide technology are suited to achieve marked system benefits: A reduction in energy losses by up to 80 percent in current conversion means that sizes and system costs can also be reduced while the power is maintained. Thus, these chips provide the basis for the most efficient, smaller and lighter system solutions for energy conversion or e-mobility.

Excellent technology management In 2017, Infineon Technologies Austria was awarded for its extraordinary achievements in technology management by the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT. The semiconductor experts achieved a top five position in a benchmark ranking of 272 companies. The study’s goal was to identify particularly successful approaches and methods in technology management among leading European businesses.

“Being one of Austria’s strongest research companies, Infineon has been promoting a culture of ideas which includes numerous departments and levels for years,” explains Günther Wellenzohn, Innovation Manager at Infineon. This culture is characterised by one element, the annual innovation projects: This internal ideas

competition nominates projects that Infineon will finance for one year. The results allow for new inventions and therefore open up new market potentials. In the past six years alone, more than 250 invention disclosures were generated from the employees’ submissions. ◆

Outstanding research Infineon Austria is the only site besides Germany where R&D expertise, production know-how and global business responsibility are pooled. The company headquarters are in Villach; subsidiaries are located in Graz, Klagenfurt, Linz and Vienna.

As of lately, the company recorded sales of 1.8 billion euros with more than 3,600 employees (thereof 1,400 in R&D) from about 60 countries. Research expenditures of more than 400 million euros make Infineon Austria one of the strongest research companies in Austria. www.infineon.com.at

World Champion Austria Industry Report

The Metal Goods Industry Increases Growth The metal goods industry employs 71,000 people and is an incredibly important component of the Austrian industry.

T

ued to grow in the second quarter. In 2017 and 2018, the industry can count on higher economic growth in important sales markets in Italy, France and in particular in Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. In Germany, which is the biggest export market where a third of all metal goods exports are sold, there will supposedly be a greater stimulus for demand in construction in both these years.

German capital goods investment should bring the Austrian metal goods producers additional export orders in 2018.

All in all, the favourable economic climate encourages demand for metal goods in 2017 and 2018, so that on an annual average the industry can count on a production growth of at least 4 percent, corresponding to long-term growth levels. The industry benefits from high international competitiveness between individual, large leading enterprises specialising in high quality niche areas, who have been able to establish a solid market position for themselves.

In contrast, close supplier connections with those at the forefront of growth in the industry ensure high demand, in particular in the automotive and mechanical engineering industries.

Specific features of a product can also partly explain the industry’s successful growth: Metal goods are essential to the economic process, are very often irreplaceable and transporting them long distances is often unprofitable. Additionally, the high proportion of services involved in some types of competing imports can be a hindrance, for example, when it comes to building fitters.

The high competitiveness allows for an export surplus of 1.7 billion euros.

Going beyond borders Until April 2017, metal goods production rose nominally by just under 8 percent on foreign markets and 6 percent on the domestic market. In accordance with companies’ optimistic estimates, foreign sales contin-

Credit: Amag

he Austrian metalworking industry has gathered even more momentum during the first half of the year and by the end of 2017 should exceed the results of the previous year by quite a lot. In 2016, industry output increased by 3.3 percent, and turnover increased by around 2 percent to 14.7 billion euros due to a slight fall in production prices. Foreign sales are once again contributing more to the industry’s results than domestic trading. “In 2017, construction-related metal goods producers should be able to offset the lack of domestic demand for commercial construction with exports,” says UniCredit Bank Austria economist, Günter Wolf. “Moreover, industrial suppliers in the industry are expecting a sustained increase in demand in the automotive and electrical industries in Austria and abroad, which will be additionally strengthened by Austrian mechanical engineering.“ From January to April 2017 production already greatly increased by 4 percent, as did turnover by 7 percent. This positive economic scenario for metal goods production is complemented by an above-average high growth in employment of 2 percent in the first half of the year and the very high number of orders placed towards the middle of the year.

Credit: voestalpine

60_61

As of lately, the entire sector recorded an annual turnover of 14.7 billion euros, which means it grew by 2.3 percent.

Internationally very competitive The foreign trade surplus in metal goods has been continuously increasing since the second half of the 1990s. 1.7 billion euros in exports were generated in 2016 with significant contributions made by product groups like metal fittings and other metal goods generating 1.4 billion euros, weapons and ammunition generating 350 million euros and steel and aluminium component parts generating 150 million euros. “These high export surpluses in metal fittings and steel and aluminium component parts were particularly remarkable in light of the high level of costs within the country and the fact that these product groups are competing more in price than quality,“ says Wolf.

By international comparison, metal production in Austria doesn’t just do well in terms of high growth rates. In terms of productivity, Austria has a value creation of 71,000 euros per worker and therefore occupies third place behind Switzerland and the Netherlands in metal goods production. At 46,000 euros, the EU average indicators are around a third below Austria’s figures.

Austria’s metal goods production is also in an exceptional position when it comes to its above-average strong growth in employ-

ment figures. With roughly 71,000 employees in 2016, the industry is the second largest employer in Austria and one of the most dynamic sectors after mechanical engineering. In the last twenty years, the number of jobs in the industry has increased by 1 percent on average every year. ◆

Export success proves competitive strength Austria’s metal goods production is not only growing more rapidly than the entire industry, but in the long-term, it is also growing considerably faster than the majority of its EU competitors. In the last twenty years, production output in the sector has increased by 4 percent on average in Austria, whereas the EU average has been just under 1 percent. Austria is traditionally one of the most specialised locations when it comes to metal goods production in Europe and has a share of the industry’s revenue totalling just under 11 percent. In comparison, the EU average is 10 percent.

World Champion Austria Leading company

These world-class Steels are unstoppable Voestalpine commenced two forward-looking investment projects worth more than 100 million euros for its production site in Donawitz.

O

ne of the projects is to set up a new continuous casting line for producing extremely pure steels as a sophisticated pre-material for premium rails, quality rolled wire and high-tech seamless tubes. The highly automated production line with an annual capacity of up to 950,000 tonnes is scheduled to start up operation in 2019. The second project is to set up a completely new research centre on company grounds that is dedicated to developing even lighter, more corrosion-resistant and stronger steel grades.

The Voestalpine Group’s Metal Engineering Division is headquartered in Donawitz, Austria. With its innovative steel solutions, it is one of the world’s leading providers of special rails for the railway infrastructure, quality rolled wire especially for automobile manufacturers and high-tech seamless tubes for the oil and gas industry. “This major investment in a continuous casting line will enable us to produce even higher quality pre-material for our products and further expand our technology leadership in our key customer segments,” says Franz Kainersdorfer, Member of the Management Board of Voestalpine AG and Head of the Metal Engineering Division.

“This investment will also serve to secure the Group’s Donawitz site in the long run.”

The new line, which will be set up parallel to the existing line that it will replace in future, features fully digitised process control and is state-of-the-art with respect to Industry 4.0.

For the steels of the future: The Metallurgy Centre On company grounds in Donawitz, Voestalpine is setting up a 2,800 sqm big research facility, the “Metallurgy Centre”. It will work on steels of the future starting in 2018. The centre will supplement the steel research centre at the flat steel site in Linz. “Ongoing development of steel is the basis for ensuring that our final products meet the highest quality criteria. A small version of an entire steel plant

will be built in the research centre, enabling us to transfer our findings directly to the large plants,” explains Kainsdorfer.

The goal of the project is to develop new high-performance steels with even higher strength, lower weight and better corrosion resistance – especially for the mobility and energy sectors. The use of these future materials will allow, for example, stronger yet lighter drive rod components to be used in automotive construction, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

While the existing Metal Engineering Division operating plants require a minimum production quantity of 68 tonnes of steel, development in the “Metallurgy Centre” will work with comparatively low weight units of around 4 tonnes. The characteristics of the new steel grades will be tested in normal machining processes for producing rolled wire, rails and seamless tubes. This should help to significantly shorten innovation times for high-performance steels and to supply customers with small quantities, something that has not been possible to date.

Additive manufacturing: investments worth millions into metal powder production.

Credits: Voestalpine (2)

62_63

Voestalpine’s Metal Engineering Division is the global market leader in turnout technology and its related signalling systems.

Sunrise technology additive manufacturing After the successful start of the Voestalpine Additive Manufacturing Centre in Düsseldorf, Germany, this past year, the High Performance Metals Division consistently continues its international expansion of this pioneering technology. In April 2017, a new research centre for 3D printing of highly complex metal components started up operations in Singapore. Two more production plants will open up in Taiwan and Canada in August and in autumn. At the same time, Voestalpine is investing some 20 million euros in expanding metal powder production for additive manufacturing at its subsidiaries Böhler Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG, Austria, and Uddeholms AB, Sweden. In total, the implementation of the additive manufacturing strategy runs to around 50 million euros.

Metal additive manufacturing – also known as 3D printing – has revolutionised metal processing like no other process. Digital design data is used to add material layer by layer in order to create highly complex parts with completely new forms and functionalities without any material loss. The base material is different types of processed metal powder. Despite the technical challenges, metal-based additive manufacturing offers a lot of future potential, especially in sectors such as the aerospace, automotive, toolmaking and medical industries that require very

sophisticated custom products. “Voestalpine, with its comprehensive knowledge in manufacturing metal powder and in the design, development and production of ready-to-install components, is a global pioneer in 3D printing,” says CEO Wolfgang Eder. “We want to consistently push ahead with our activities in this area by setting up new research and development centres in non-European growth markets.” ◆

A global leader in technology Voestalpine, which operates globally, has around 500 Group companies and locations in more than 50 countries on all five continents. With its top-quality products and system solutions using steel and other metals, it is one of the leading partners of the automotive and consumer goods industries in Europe as well as of the aerospace and oil & gas industries worldwide. The Voestalpine Group is also the world market leader in turnout technology, special rails, tool steel and special sections. www.voestalpine.com

World Champion Austria Leading company

Global leader in Lightweight Components for the Aviation Industry FACC is, among other things, Boing’s first global supplier to use “active thermography” for the quality control of components.

F

ACC AG, listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 2014, is one of the world’s leading companies in the design, development and production of advanced fibre reinforced composite components and systems for the aviation industry. The range of products extends from structural components for the fuselage and wings to engine components and complete passenger cabins for commercial aircraft, business jets and helicopters.

Safety standards are particularly high in the aviation industry.

Consequently, aircraft components must be subjected to a thorough quality inspection. Until now, the parts have been examined oneby-one in a relatively time-consuming process using ultrasound.

FACC has developed the new inspection method of “active thermography” in collaboration with the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences and the Higher Technical College (HTL) in Andorf.

In doing so, the technicians have used temperature differences to reliably ensure the quality inside the component. “Active” means that the surface is heated by several tenths of a degree Celsius using a heating lamp. Component defects would be detected through the propagation of thermal waves, which are made visible by an infrared thermographic camera, because cavities and foreign bodies in the material change the heat flow.

The inspection system is ideal for carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and other composites, because this method is more accurate, faster, and reduces the inspection times compared with conventional processes by up to 50 percent. Additionally, the system is significantly less expensive to buy, is mobile, and consequently can be used in FACC‘s various production facilities.

FACC is the first and only company on the market to have been qualified by Boeing for routine use of active thermography in the series production of aviation components. “Therefore we have a

globally unique technology for testing aircraft components in serial production,” says CEO Robert Machtlinger. An important basis for the successful cooperation with the development partners was the funding from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).

More success stories and references FACC also produces the wing-to-body fairings for Bombardier Aerospace’s new C Series family of regional aircraft and the aircrafts Global 7000 and 8000 of the Canadian company.

“We were able to incorporate numerous innovations into the design, which will reduce the weight considerably and improve the performance of the components,” says Machtlinger. The wing-tobody fairings are aerodynamic systems that are attached to the underside of the aircraft’s fuselage. Their shape has been designed to minimise the aerodynamic resistance of the aircraft. Furthermore,

FACC is Bombardier’s main supplier for wing-to-body fairings.

Credits: FACC AG (2)

64_65

Innovative winglets save fuel and save the environment; for years, developing and producing them has been one of FACC’s core competences.

the fairings protect the aircraft systems underneath against in-flight damage caused by bird strikes.

As the production rate stands to increase over the years, FACC has the capacity to adjust to changing demand. The wing-to-body fairings are produced in the Aerostructures plant in St. Martin, Upper Austria. The series production of the components will provide long-term work for 50 people at FACC. The COMAC C919 – the latest passenger aircraft from Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC – also has various components and systems from FACC on board. The company has been a development and production partner of COMAC since 2004 and in the C919 programme, FACC is responsible for the passenger cabin (including industrial design) with cockpit linings, entrance and rear service area, as well as for spoilers and winglets on the Chinese mediumrange aircraft.

FACC reached an important milestone when it delivered the 7,500th winglet shipset to Aviation Partners. The landmark delivery is the latest highlight in the successful 15-year collaboration with the US company. Winglets are the turned-up extensions at the tips of the wings. Depending on their model, they can cut fuel consumption by four to six percent and reduce harmful emissions, thereby making the aircraft more efficient. FACC delivered the first of these

high-tech components to Aviation Partners, the Seattle-based inventor and marketer of the Blended Winglet, back in 2002.

The partnership with Rolls-Royce is constantly being extended and FACC supplies among other things lightweight fibre composite components for a new engine platform and a number of engine components and systems for all essential civilian Rolls-Royce engines. ◆

Definitely on the way up FACC produces parts for all major aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, COMAC and Sukhoi as well as engine manufacturers and subcontractors of the aircraft manufacturers. The company has developed strongly over the past five years and more than doubled its turnover and number of staff. In the business year 2016/17, FACC recorded an annual turnover of 705.7 million euros and is now targeting the one-billion-barrier. FACC currently employs about 4.000 people worldwide. www.facc.com

World Champion Austria Top brands

Environmental Champion all over the World The Austrian cement industry has managed to achieve the lowest CO2 emissions per tonne of produced cement worldwide.

C

O2 emissions per tonne of produced cement have fallen even further in comparison to 2015 and reached an alltime low in 2016. The Austrian cement industry is therefore the champion in its sector and has become a trailblazer in this regard internationally.

“Nowhere else produces cement as climate-friendly as Austria,” says Sebastian Spaun, CEO of the Austrian Cement Industry (Vereinigung der Österreichischen Zementindustrie). “Our companies have shown that industrial output doesn’t have to clash with climate protection. If the entire cement industry in the EU followed Austrian environmental standards of production, then there could be a reduction of 15 million tonnes of CO2.”

a reduction in CO2 emissions. The use of alternative fuels and operating the most modern emission reducing facilities are nevertheless faced with increased specific energy requirements. Alternative fuels have a lower energy density, the demand for products with particular quality features and higher efficiency is constantly increasing, and granulated slag is being used more and more as an additive instead of fly ash.

Credit: VÖB

“Carbon sink” concrete Natural or artificial systems that are able to accumulate and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are termed carbon sink. This is also achieved by concrete products, which accumulate CO2 when they come into direct contact with air. A study by American and Chinese geoscientists has shown that cement-bound building maNumber one in using alternative fuels terials re-accumulate 43 percent of CO2 emissions from the atmosThe cement industry supplies 78 percent of its thermal energy rephere that result from production by calcination. The energy requirements with alternative fuels and is by far the “world chamquirements of cement producpion” in this area. The global tion were not taken into considaverage is 16 percent and the eration here. The process of EU average is 41 percent. “Our accumulating CO2 from the atearly focus on sustainable remosphere is accelerated when search and development as concrete buildings and other well as the use of alternative cement materials are crushed energy sources in connection after completing their life cycle with innovative construction and are then recycled following materials is now a great benefit a certain amount of time. Reto us,“ Spaun is convinced. search on how to make better Thermal energy (86.9 peruse of this potential is already cent) and electrical energy (13.1 under way. This study allowed percent) are mainly required for the potential of cement and cement production. The significoncrete to accumulate carbon cant reduction in fossil fuels to dioxide to be solidly quantified about 22 percent in favour of Concrete and cement could go beyond the borders and contribute more to climate for the first time. “Seeing as alternative fuels has also led to protection.

Credit: Zement+Beton

66_67

A+ for Austria in concrete and cement: Economic driving force for the region, worldwide lowest CO2 emission producers, all in all: top of the class.

these effects are incredibly relevant for the global CO2 cycle, cement and concrete should in future be significantly more positively evaluated in the life cycle assessment and should gain recognition as a carbon sink in national greenhouse gas inventories,” says Spaun in summary.

Ecology isn’t just an issue for millionaires The Austrian Cement Industry also plays an internationally leading role in the development of energy flexible buildings. Storing renewable energy in concrete construction parts through thermal component activation plays a key role here. “We focus on sustainability at all times in all our developments; this is founded on the three pillars of environment-society-economy,“ says Spaun. “If there is harmony between these three, then the prospects of success are the greatest. Otherwise, it will be very difficult in the long-term to create affordable housing. We have to make it clear that ecology isn’t just an issue for millionaires.“ For many years, the Austrian cement industry has prioritised thermal component activation (TCA) in its research of new technology and uses. As a result, pipes through which warm and cold water flows, are laid directly in cement in the ceiling. In this way, rooms can be heated and cooled. The thermal component activation system can automatically store as well as equally emit (heat) or absorb (cool) energy. Therefore, gaps in energy production can be

bridged and the building remains pleasantly air-conditioned. This is of great advantage, as increasingly more unprofitable thermal power stations shut down due to the growing use of renewable energy sources and continuously more existing power grids get overloaded. If fluctuations in the power grid aren’t levelled out, then blackouts can occur. “Storing energy in concrete is an effective countermeasure that saves on costs,“ emphasises Spaun.

The Austrian Cement Industry (VÖZ) “Thanks to a high intensity of research, we have a highly developed construction material industry in Austria,” says Sebastian Spaun, CEO of the association. Austria’s companies are in the big leagues internationally when it comes to construction and civil engineering. In 2016, the eight manufacturing companies of the Austrian Cement Industry were able to achieve a production volume of 4.8 million tonnes of cement, which represented a 3.7 percent increase compared to 2015 (4.6 million tonnes). A turnover of 400 million euros with an increase of 2.9 percent (2015: 388 million euros) was generated. www.zement.at

World Champion Austria Top brands

Concrete is a key element when it comes to the worthwhile and cost-efficient use of renewable energy. There are no higher costs for construction than using conventional systems. Investors and developers have to “only” be persuaded to look at the entire building life cycle. “The tendency to first look at construction costs persists until today,” says Spaun. “However, the tenant or owner has to later pay for what was built i.e. for inefficient and expensive heating or cooling.”

Credit: Zement+Beton

Driving force for all the regions Most Austrian cement companies are located near raw materials so that the production route can be kept as short as possible. This also makes them important economic factors for their respective regions: 1,156 people were employed in the Austrian Cement Industry at the end of 2016. The proportion of women in the workforce is 12.6 percent. In comparison to other professional groups in the solid construction material industry, the A purple chemical, which displays pH values, was applied to a concrete block. Where the colour is white is where cement industry has the highest proportion CO2 has already been reabsorbed into the concrete block; the purple area has yet to absorb anything. of apprentices, making up 7.7 percent. Work inspired by viticulture. The concrete canoe regatta also receives safety is also a top priority for the companies: The number of accifunding and takes place every two years; many Austrian students dents in the workplace were reduced by a fifth compared to 2015; at higher learning centres have already been awarded many prizes. this is the lowest figure in the industry’s history.

The association The Austrian Cement Industry was one of the Driving force for innovation first to be moved into the new research cluster Science Center of The Austrian Cement Industry is highly dedicated to the research the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) in January 2017. and development of concrete; with the acceleration of new techSmart Minerals GmbH is also a part of it and is a research company nologies and the development of customer-orientated special solufounded by both the Austrian Cement Industry and the TU Wien. tions, the Austrian Cement Industry has shown itself to be an inThe new location should make interacting with scientific facilities novating driving force in the construction industry. Moreover, the even easier and make research more practically orientated.

Austrian Cement Industry constantly monitors current developThe Austrian Cement Industry is also involved in supporting ments and is significantly involved in incorporating the latest statestudents through creative competitions such as the Concrete Stuof-the-art technology into the Austrian construction industry. dent Trophy, which will take place in 2017 for the 12th time. This In general, the Austrian Cement Industry considers itself to be time the specification is a multifunctioning event and conference a partner of the construction industry, authorities and contractors building on the grounds of the HBLA (Higher Secondary School for as well as a service and contact point for the end consumer. The Wine and Fruit Cultivation) as well as the Federal Office for Wine association also offers practical assistance in matters relating to the and Fruit growing in Klosterneuburg. Students from different fields expert processing of cement and concrete. ◆ of study have to work in teams to design an eye-catching building

World Champion Austria

68_69

Real estate (almost) all over Europe…

European Champions in Real Estate The prospering Austrian market helps Austrian real estate companies to successfully export their know-how.

U

Credit: brainstormdesign.de

developments have a total gross floor area above ground of BM Development, listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, 20,700 sqm and have been sold to Union Investment for around is one of Europe’s leading hotel developers; it acquires 90 million euros. and develops projects through national affiliates with its very interesting business model.

Strong first half of 2017 for Warimpex The focus is on the three core markets Austria, Germany and Publically traded Warimpex Finanz- und Beteiligungs AG can look Poland. After the sale of the property, UBM Hotels leases the back on a very strong first half of 2017, a period that was marked hotel and operates the property through management contracts by progress in development projects and the partial sale of the under internationally known brands. The added value for UBM is hotel portfolio and that saw the company generate a profit for the that it can sell the hotel with a leasing contract to institutional period of 33.5 million euros. The sale of eight hotel holdings that investors. The difference to all other hotel developers and hotel accounted for around 50 per cent of Warimpex’s total property operators (franchisees etc) active in the market is that UBM repassets and that represented a property value of roughly 180 milresents the entire value chain within the group. “We are not lion euros was successfully closed on 31 May. The transaction aware of any other company that follows this model,” says CEO made a 21.4 million euros contribution to the profit for the period. and CFO Thomas G. Winkler.

“This transaction is a milestone in the history of our company In August 2017, UBM secured its first forward deal in the longand will considerably strengthen our financial base,” comments term pipeline. The deal involves two hotel developments in HamWarimpex CEO Franz Jurkowburg with around 600 rooms. itsch, adding, “In addition, we More than two years ahead repaid bonds and loans in the of its planned completion, the first half of the year and in July sale underlines the great in2017 in line with our goal. The vestor appeal of the Hotel asearly repayment of expensive set class and UBM’s role as a bonds enabled us to signifileading hotel developer in Eucantly reduce our interest rope. The UBM subsidiary costs within the group. We Münchner Grund, in cooperasubstantially improved our tion with the Munich Hotel equity ratio from 9 percent to Projekt, a subsidiary of Lam30 percent.” bert Immobilien GmbH, will Although revenues in the build two adjoining hotels unHotels segment declined by 14 der the brands Holiday Inn percent to 20.8 million euros, and Super 8 by summer 2019 this was due to the sale of the on a 3,760 sqm big plot on Angelo Hotel in Prague in the UBM operates in its three core markets Germany (pictured), Poland and Austria.

Hamburg’s Eiffestraße. Both

World Champion Austria

Credit: BUWOG

Real estate (almost) all over Europe…

BUWOG project “The One” in central Berlin: Ten buildings with 231 owner-occupied apartments, seven shop premises and two gastronomy premises will be built by 2019.

prior financial year and to the sale of the eight hotel holdings.

Revenues from the rental of office properties rose from 4 million euros to 6.1 million euros, primarily as a result of index adjustments and the handover of the multi-use building at Airportcity St. Petersburg to the tenant. “In future, revenues from the rental of office properties and from the Development and Services segment will rise due to completions and new development projects,” explains Franz Jurkowitsch. At Airportcity St. Petersburg, the fully let-out Bykovskaya multi-use building with roughly 6,000 sqm of office and archive space and parking spaces for around 450 vehicles was handed over to the tenant at the end of May. Warimpex also holds property reserves for around 150,000 sqm of office space at Airportcity.

“Our business will continue to focus on hotel and office development projects in CEE and Russia, as the markets have recently matured and are improving. Poland will remain a core Warimpex market in the future as well. We are also currently evaluating options for new development activities,” says Jurkowitsch.

Low price level for optimum sales The first six months of 2017 were highly successful for S Immo, also listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange. FFO I – put simply, the key operating figure that describes how much was earned excluding revaluations and similar non-cash effects – was increased

significantly to 26.7 million euros. The revaluation result is also very positive, amounting to 69.3 million euros in the first half of 2017 and due mainly to revaluations in Germany, Austria and Bulgaria. Ernst Vejdovszky, CEO of S Immo AG, says: “We are currently seeing extremely high price levels on some of our markets, which is why we decided to sell a few of our larger properties.

These sales support the extremely positive revaluation result and demonstrate the sustainability of our value appreciation strategy.”

One good example would be the sale of S Immo’s share (65 percent) in the shopping centre Serdika Center and the sale of its office building Serdika Offices to New Europe Property Investments plc (NEPI). The Serdika Center combines more than 200 shops in a total usable area of roughly 47,000 sqm, the Serdika Offices have got a usable area of about 28,500 sqm. In terms of space, the sold properties make up about eight percent of S IMMO’s real estate portfolio. The transaction will result in a net inflow (after deduction of credit financing) of approximately 80 million euros and furthermore has a positive effect on the consolidated net income for the period.

Ernst Vejdovszky, CEO of S IMMO AG, commented: “We completed this property in 2010 under circumstances that were anything else but easy. Nevertheless, we succeeded in fully letting the centre and office spaces and in establishing both on the market.

The sale is the completion of this successful project development.”

However, S Immo also made acquisitions in the first half of 2017.

Thus, German properties were added to the S Immo portfolio representing a transaction volume of more than 30 million euros in the reporting period. “At mid-year, we are absolutely satisfied with our results and very confident for the second half of the year,” says Vejdovszky. “We will focus in particular on our project developments. We have a pipeline full of projects with a total investment volume of more than 600 million euros – our future income is thus secured.”

A lot of apartments BUWOG, also listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, outperformed the previous record business year of 2015/16. The continuation of this successful development was supported by operating income from the management of the standing investment portfolio as well as the Property Sales business area with the high-margin sale of units in Austria and a stronger focus on the Property Development business area through the new construction of rental apartments and owner-occupied apartments.

“The BUWOG strategy has seen strong support by international investors in the last twelve months,” Andreas Segal, Deputy CEO and CFO of BUWOG, told “World Champion Austria”. “Our net profit rose by a significant 52.8 percent to a record 366.7 million euros. This reflects the growth of the operating business as well as the strong value appreciation determined by the external appraiser CBRE in connection with the appraisal of the investment properties.”

Segal particularly underlines the increase in income from the third business area, Property Development, and the further expansion of the project development pipeline. The earnings contribution from Property Development rose by 32 percent to 28.3 million euros. Completions were 44 percent higher at 606 units.

That represents an increase over BUWOG’s guidance for these activities in the reporting year, and work is proceeding well to meet the long-term forecasts for the Property Development business area. The development pipeline had grown by 25 percent as

Credit: Overmann

70_71

S Immo still sees Germany as a very important market.

of 30 April 2017, whereby about 3,700 units with a total investment volume of 845 million euros are planned as “build to hold” and about 6,500 units with a total investment volume of more than two million euros as “build to sell”.

Future plans by the BUWOG Group continue to include the expansion of the new residential construction business in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna, the three largest German-speaking cities. These activities “Due to our successful will include an increase in the corporate actions, construction of owner-occupied apartments for sale and BUWOG’s growth the construction of rental course, especially the apartments for the Group’s ‘build to hold’ portfolio, portfolio in order to drive organic growth and improve can continue.” the portfolio quality through BUWOG-CFO Andreas Segal new construction. Purchase contracts for six new land parcels were signed during the reporting year. BUWOG’s goal is to expand the pipeline from the current volume of about 3,700 “build to hold“ units to 5,500 units through the purchase of additional land parcels and to complete these projects within the next three to five years.

“An important factor for BUWOG’s success is the combination of continuous portfolio management and the dynamic development business. New residential construction, which previously represented an add-on, has become the company’s growth driver“, Segal says in summary. ◆

World Champion Austria Leading company

Safely entering the digital World of Today; stepping into the Future with MIA & MICK The Österreichische Staatsdruckerei (Austrian National Printing Office) operates by its concept “managing identities safely” to be an “exporting world champion of a special kind“.

N

Credit: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei

o one can match the Staatsdruckerei when it comes to tradition. “We have over 200 years’ worth of experience in the field of identity management and security printing“, explains Managing Director Helmut Lackner in an exclusive interview. The publicly listed company is also a world leader in the latest technology: “We develop and produce high security identity documents such as biometric passports with integrated chips, driving licenses, identity cards and biometric residence permits with integrated chips as well as registration papers.”

Furthermore, the Österreichische Staatsdruckerei (OeSD) group offers highly competent advice for the development, implementation and administration of identity management systems, including data and IT security and biometrics as well as personalisation of ID

Österreichische Staatsdruckerei, the first port of call for secure IDs

documentation and the associated logistics. In addition to this, it produces forgery-proof blank security documentation and other high-security printed products.

In high demand all over the world OeSD group’s products and services help it do well all over the world. “Our tailor-made customer solutions go to countries like Ethiopia, Ghana, Mauritius and Papua New Guinea,“ says Lackner, listing some very exotic places, generally better known for their mid- and long- distance runners or their draw as holiday destinations. “We’ve managed to establish this global business in recent years and continue to permanently expand it.“ There aren’t “only” dozens of countries on the client list, there are also international organisations such as the European Union, the African Development Bank (AFDB, around 80 million members), the Economic Community of African States (ECOWAS), which is similar to the EU, and the Caribbean Community and Common Market CARICOM. “We deliver to and look after our customers in over 60 countries on five continents,” summarises Lackner.

What is behind MIA and MICK? No wonder that such great importance is placed upon research and development. “A significant focus of innovation is the development of digital identity cards,“ explains Lackner. Thus, at the end of 2015, the MIA (My Identity App) digital identity card system, which is unique all over the world, was first presented and has continued to undergo development since then.

MIA has already found international buyers and in contrast to other “prophetic” innovations, it is also being applied in its own

72_73

country where the transport companies of the capital of a federal province are implementing a prototype. “MIA integrates all identity documentation in one app,“ says Lackner. The ID can be displayed on a smartphone, without having to store any personal data on it.

Since identification and legitimisation using video identification procedures are legally possible on the domestic market, MICK (My Identity Check) has also continued to gain in significance. All that is needed for the highly secure video service is an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone with a webcam. While millions of bank accounts in Germany are opened using this method, Austrian companies and institutions can now also benefit from this high security solution for identification validation.

Credit: Foto Wilke

The most secure place in Austria Personal data from all over the world, which is visibly or covertly (e.g. on passport chips) processed, is personalised in the most secure place in Austria with no technical connections to the outside world and thus safe from hackers. Lackner says: “The data is subject Managing Director Helmut Lackner being interviewed for “World Champion Austria”: “Our products have an to governmental checks and securely excellent reputation abroad.” erased.” Passports, for example, are produced in thousands of individual stages by the Staatsdruckerei. “It Österreichische Staatsdruckerei goes without saying that we fulfil the strictest legal security requirements and also continuously develop them together with seThere were significant increases in turnover (by more than 4 curity agencies,“ says Lackner. This is also a significant difference million euros to 44.7 million euros) and profit (by more than 1 from many foreign passport printing offices, which “only” produce million euros to 5.7 million euros) in the financial year of according to “security by the book”.

2016/17. The long-term strategy of developing the company Of course, the core business in security documentation in Ausas a service provider of high security technology and occupytria is going very well. “In this area supply contracts have been ing the business field of Secure IDs across the borders has upheld while at the same time generating the highest levels of succeeded. The personalisation centre for international cuscustomer satisfaction for several years, which has provided a solid tomers and the dedication to secure digital ID have been foundation for the next financial years,” says Lackner in conclusion further developed. to this exclusive interview. Further growth for OeSD will be guarwww.staatsdruckerei.at anteed thanks to continued product innovation as well as proactive sales activities abroad. ◆

World Champion Austria Interview

Foreign Trade stimulates Growth – and OeKB is helping Most customers who turn to the Österreichische Kontrollbank want secure, international success. In an exclusive interview with Paul Christian Jezek, OeKB CEO Helmut Bernkopf explains just why OeKB’s day-to-day business involves non-marketable risks in particular and what the outlook is in terms of possible distortion of competition.

O

eKB’s export services support Austrian exporters in their business transactions and investments abroad. Their task is to provide financing and hedge against risks (even in stable markets). This is done following the Republic of Austria’s mandate, which assumes certain liabilities for the domestic economy.

What are the motives behind the funding of export trade?

Foreign trade is a potent driving force for the growth of the domestic economy. Every second job in Austria depends directly or indirectly on exports. If we fund exports, then we are also securing Austria’s position as a business location and the wealth that goes with it. Opportunities for growth often only occur in new markets, which are mostly located in rather unknown and difficult regions.

By assuming the liabilities that we do, we are offering businesses the type of security, which can often be so decisive when thinking about expanding or continuing export trading. In this way, we make it possible for companies to carry out business, which would otherwise be inconceivable, due to the high economic or political risks in those markets.

OeKB-CEO Helmut Bernkopf illustrates the opportunities and risks of export markets.

Credit: Reinhard Lang

Mr. Bernkopf, what role can OeKB play for a domestic company thinking of expansion?

Our involvement allows us to increase the scope of activities of our export companies and improve their opportunities on very diverse markets. There are two major methods available to us for this purpose. As an authorised agent of the Republic of Austria, OeKB assumes liabilities for the protection of Austrian exports and direct investments against foreign risks, especially payment risks.

Moreover, OeKB finances exports and holdings abroad. This is done in cooperation with the respective main bank by refinancing the credit institutions. OeKB

can offer low-interest financing, which is in such great demand, because it is an export credit agent of the state and therefore benefits from Austria’s good credit rating.

Credit: OeKB/Shutterstock.com

74_75

The OeKB group has been a reliable partner for exporters for over 70 years, for small and medium-sized companies as well as large corporations.

On one hand, there are export guarantees and on the other there is export financing – what is that actually all about?

Export guarantees protect against political and economic risks in international business. Companies are protected against financial consequences if customers don’t pay for economic or political reasons. The export guarantee comes into effect for foreign investments if, for example, expropriation occurs due to a political decision.

Export financing procedures on the other hand provide low-interest credit for exports and investments in Austria and abroad.

More specifically, this means that OeKB can offer to refinance main banks, which makes trading capital available to companies for exports, credit for individual projects or foreign investment. Export financing of this kind has another special feature. It is also available for countries within the EU. Are there exclusion criteria in the risk assessment?

We are subject to them due to possible distortions of competition.

In order to avoid them, thanks to the particular interest rate conditions we offer, we focus on non-marketable risks. As a result, inter-

OeKB CEO Helmut Bernkopf Helmut Bernkopf was born in 1967 in Vienna. After finishing school, he went on to study Business Studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. He later returned to his alma mater to complete the General Management Programme and attain his postgraduate management training degree. He started his career at the beginning of the 1990s in the corporate finance department of Bank Austria. Following positions in London, Bucharest and Moscow, he became a member of the board of UniCredit Bank Austria. As part of this, he managed the global private banking agendas at the head office in Milan. Afterwards, as board member for corporate business, he managed the retail and commercial banking sectors of this major bank in Vienna. In 2016, Helmut Bernkopf went to work for Oesterreichische Kontrollbank, where in his capacity as CEO he took over responsibility for the export services business sector.

World Champion Austria Interview

“Our main task is to help companies increase their scope of activities and improve their opportunities on the market.” national business with other EU countries or countries such as Switzerland, New Zealand or the USA and a risk period of under two years are not included in our bank portfolio, at least not in our guarantees. However, we will also gladly advise our customers in this market segment. We manage to do this with our subsidiary company, Acredia Versicherung. Acredia is a credit insurance company, which specialises particularly in short and medium-term risks in politically stable countries.

exporters. North Africa and the Middle East are growing markets and yet the risks connected to them shouldn’t be underestimated. Relations with Iran continue to suffer from some unresolved sanctions and compliance issues.

Sanctions are always a big hurdle. There is large demand for the Russian market, for example, but new US sanctions along with those imposed following the situation in Crimea have created increasing instability.

Do you also offer all your services to small businesses?

We provide services to small niche suppliers, medium-sized companies as well as international corporations. It is important to us that we individually address their personal needs and help the company further develop with a cost-effective product. The possibility of getting framework loans from the respective main banks is of interest to our customers. Special conditions make this an attractive offer and ongoing export contracts and receivables are then able to be financed using funds from the framework loans.

What is necessary in order for the economy to grow more?

Generally speaking, the situation is positive. The global economy continues to recover and the prognosis for GDP growth in 2018 looks good.

What’s needed along with these general conditions are entrepreneurial spirit and courage from companies as well as the corresponding funding tools and room for manoeuvre for banks. Together we can achieve great things – for the Austrian economy, particularly for jobs and the development of exporting countries, which will benefit from local job creation and improved infrastructure. ◆

How useful is risk protection in well-known stable markets?

Risk protection is just as useful in stable markets as it is in regions that are more sensitive. We live in an extremely dynamic environment. Exports in particular are immediately affected by political developments in target markets. Special customs duties and embargoes can be rapidly imposed and political shifts often lead to diminishing legal security within days. Some developments are hard to predict beforehand. Examples of such factors in recent times have been the attempted coup in Turkey, the Brexit vote in Great Britain and Donald Trump’s election win.

How would you assess the development of international markets at present? Where do you think the greatest opportunities present themselves and where should we proceed with caution?

Global trade is picking up again and at the moment growth stimulus is coming not only from developed countries but also from emerging markets, such as China and India. Southeast Asia in particular would receive a rather positive assessment. Often, however, opportunities are directly connected with risks.

Where is this particularly apparent now?

Turkey has enormous potential, however its political climate is quite difficult at the moment and legal security is simply essential to our

Helmut Bernkopf

Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG OeKB is Austria’s central finance and information service provider for the export economy and capital market. Its special services strengthen Austria as a business location and support the economy in international competition. Various services are available to companies and financial institutions as well as organisations of the Republic of Austria.

Support services for domestic exporters: ! Cost-effective framework loans for export contracts ! Protection against payment default from foreign customers ! Beneficial and long-term financing for customers ! Protection against nationalisation, expropriation and restrictions in profit transfer from production in foreign markets ! Attractive financing for investments in foreign companies ! Financing of new or replacement investments in Austria to fulfil export activities

World Champion Austria

76_77

Leading company

High up on the Eiffel Tower Among other things, Getzner Werkstoffe from Vorarlberg prevents vibrations from being transferred to the rooftop terrace of the Eiffel Tower‘s restaurant.

Credits: Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH (2)

Since February 2015, the electricity required to power the Eiffel Tower – roughly seven gigawatts per year – comes in part from renewable sources. As part of Paris’ energy and climate strategy, the Eiffel Tower‘s operating company authorised the construction of a wind turbine generator system to convert wind into electricity at a height of 127 metres. The system was installed during the first-level refurbishment project.

Approximately seven metres high, the wind turbine for which Getzner installed the vibration protection is positioned on a metal foundation, which in turn is located directly on the roof of the restaurant. To ensure that vibrations and structure-borne noise are not transferred to the restaurant’s premises, the foundation is elastically The wind generator turns mounted on Sylodyn elements. disturbing the visitors.

Developed and produced by Getzner in Austria, the closed cellular polyurethane material Sylodyn minimises vibrations and oscillations at source, thus preventing a transfer to other areas of the structure.

Large-scale timber construction in Hamburg The Parisian landmark is not the only point of reference for this world-class business from Vorarlberg.

For example, Sylodyn is also used at Hamburg’s largest timber house, constructed by the Austrian timber construction company Kaufmann Bausysteme from Reuthe. The six-storey hall of residence comprising 371 individual timber modules will fulfil the highest aesthetic and technical standards.

Sound control plays a key role in a project of this kind. As sound is predominantly transmitted between two rooms via the flanks,

Getzner decouples the timber construction modules using their linear supports. This virtually eliminates sound transmission. Using sound control measures of this type significantly improves the quality of life for residents, which has a positive effect on the building‘s value. Getzner is the only provider of vibration protection solutions in the world whose polyurethane materials Sylomer and Sylodyn have been granted national technical approval by the German Institute for Building Technology.

In the United States, Getzner is successful within its new field of gaskets such as those for armoured windows, housings for optics or portable electronics, and shockresistant batteries. The company was recently commissioned by a leading medical accessories company to develop a battery wind into energy without cover gasket for a sensitive device, which pumps fluids around the body.

Getzner Werkstoffe has been awarded its biggest contract to date by the British Department for Transport to equip all the new trains with vibration-suppressing floating floors by the end of 2018 for the Intercity Express Programme. The company from Vorarlberg is the only one in the market to combine the properties “vibrations insulated” and “fire retardant” in one material, allowing thus for maximum comfort and a low noise level in trains. ◆

World Champion Austria

Research & development for SMEs

ACR wants to optimise Cities with 3D Models Energy efficiency is an important criterion of modern urban planning and optimisation. Austrian Cooperative Research takes a look from above.

C

urrently city-related data is only available in different quality, up-to-dateness and spatial resolution at different institutions. Therefore, we have a lack of common data in a consolidated and harmonised form.

The project Hotspots by Austrian Cooperative Research aims to give cities the right tools and scientifically established methods in order to gather the state of existing building stock with regards to energy efficiency. That way, the cities will have the right basis to make decisions to improve the state of the buildings. The project will see the development of a continuous process chain that will be validated with the model city of Gleisdorf (Styria). In the end, cities will have a new aid for determining optimisation potentials, to evaluate and to target them specifically. Future processes to choose construction projects will be based on data that is open to scrutiny, thus reducing the risk of ad hoc decisions and bad investments.

Methodical approach Hotspots uses a methodically sound process chain of interlocking project modules. The data basis of the project is a “3D thermal land register� that is generated from aerial pictures. The goal is the comprehensive acquisition of thermal data in the urban area.

The still image data is interlinked into a holistic citywide database and calculated into the third dimension by transforming picture data into 3D building models. The 3D thermal land register then identifies any critical spots.

Critical spots in the city define infrastructure cells on a district level that have a particularly high potential for optimisation. These areas are then analysed in detail in the ensuing project models.

A detailed fly-over serves to selectively improve the database within the selected infrastructure cell. This includes mobile data acquisition with an unmanned aerial vehicle, in particular for the detailed thermal analysis and to generate 3D building models from which the city can deduct geometric parameters for relevant opti-

misation measures. Another aspect of this research looks at the selective acquisition and improvement of data according to the air gas layer model.

Based on this data, cities can perform a directed analysis of problematic spots within the infrastructure elements. Afterwards, a catalogue of effective measures is drafted, including influencing factors for the defined critical spots in the city that have a particularly high potential for optimisation. In addition, a decision support instrument is used for the interactive selection, the positioning of energy efficiency measures and the simulation of the resulting effects, including the calculation of the best combination of measures for urban subspaces.

Results, conclusions and outlook The project’s highlights: ! Metrological innovations driven by data ! Comprehensive thermography of the city area in 3D thanks to a specifically developed multi-sensor measuring head ! Metrological acquisition and generation of a 3D air gas layer model ! Correction of the measured thermal data through a semantic interpretation of the picture contents ! Semiautomatic updates of the data through a second fly-over, offering the possibility of monitoring the effects of energy efficiency and heating optimisation measures with regards to smart city targets ! Deployment of hot air balloons and UAVs for data acquisition ! Methodical approach to the integration of thermal and statistical data ! Showing realistic solution processes that allow maximum renewable and/or CO2-neutral implementation of redevelopment strategies ! Simulation of individual energy saving measures depending on the state of a building on different spatial scales

Credit: AEE INETC

78_79

Data acquisition for the calculation of the 3D thermal land register in Gleisdorf was done with a hot air balloon.

! Development of concrete implementation scenarios in connection with short-, medium and long-term planning ! Generation of methods and rating figures that allow for a transfer of findings to other small towns or parts of the city The process chain was evaluated using the city of Gleisdorf as a model and the suggested optimisation measures have been verified by inspections. The developed methods can be used in other towns and cities without any problems.

Data acquisition for the calculation of the 3D thermal land register was done in Gleisdorf with a hot air balloon. This turned out to be practical and cost-efficient in principle but there needs to be an eye on weather and wind conditions. Future surveys could test the use of light aircrafts or helicopters for data acquisition in order to show alternatives.

Future usage scenarios can also help to develop an even better understanding for the interpretation of thermal and air quality information, particularly with regard to the distinction of relevant and irrelevant daily environmental or weather influences.

The practicability and the added value of the developed process chain will be evident in future when concrete redevelopment measures based on the simulation will be discussed and implemented with the respective owners and decision-makers. â—†

Innovation for SMEs Austrian Cooperative Research is an umbrella organisation for cooperative research institutes. The ACR network provides applied research, development & innovation (RDI), technology transfer, advice on available subsidies, training courses and high-quality testing and measuring, which is acknowledged in the entire EU, in the fields of: Sustainable building, environmental technology & renewable energies, products, processes, materials, food quality & safety, innovation & competitiveness. www.acr.ac.at

World Champion Austria Logistic leading company

The Future Models of the Rail Cargo Group For increasing numbers of suppliers to international companies, sustainability is becoming an increasingly strictly monitored success factor.

D

railway connection to the most important ports as well as cenigitalisation in rail freight transport is progressing. Custres of commerce and industry. Products by Rail Cargo Logistics tomer demands with regards to telematics and sensor and Rail Cargo Operators such as the Antwerp Shuttle or the technologies in freight transport by rail are increasing highly frequented long-distance connections offer attractive and all the time. “This makes it even more important to reliable alternatives to roads and waterways. Over the next few standardise, digitalise and subsequently automate the processes months, further products and relations will be launched, for exin rail freight transport,” says Clemens Först, Board Spokesman ample in the intermodal part of the connections to Turkey. for the Rail Cargo Group (RCG). As the freight transport division In order to stay up-to-date, the experts of the Rail Cargo of the Austrian Railways ÖBB, the logistics company provides Group work continuously on improving the services and the smooth transport throughout 18 European countries on the enviequipment. New locomotives and a modernised wagon pool ronmentally friendly railways. Rail Cargo Group demonstrates this guarantee optimum transportation, and in the fields of wagon through customised services on a national and international level equipment, transportation and terminals, Rail Cargo Group is as well as being a reliable partner of the Austrian economy. also working on new, innovative possibilities.

Austria will defend its top position in Europe with its high share in freight transport on railways of more than 30 percent Future model smart freight train over the years to come, says Först: “Be it the ‘wagon of the fuRecently, Rail Cargo Group signed a contract of cooperation with ture’, the close cooperation with start-ups or the target-oriented Swiss SBB Cargo and the accredited testing centre for rail vehidevelopment of booking, tracking & tracing systems – our innocles PJ Messtechnik (PJM) vation and digitalisation in order to develop a marinitiatives allow us to perketable “smart freight form even better and to train”. “Newly developed define new benchmarks.” communication and cloud In combination with solutions plus sensors alother internationalisation low us to automate train activities, Rail Cargo Group preparation in the near fubets on the permanent imture,” explains Först. “This provement of this environsystems solution is first ment-friendly mode of done through the integratransport with future- and tion of automated brake customer-oriented services tests in the semi-automatin and outside Europe. ed train preparation. Our Customers and partners common goal is to use a benefit from this ideal netSingle wagons, large containers or whole trains – the Rail Cargo Group connects the markets smart freight train across work in Europe and the of major centres of commerce.

Credits: ÖBB/RCG (2)

80_81

Export share of the RCG: more than 70% of transborder freight traffic.

borders and create the basis for a new standard of in-traincommunication.”

Right now brake tests are still done manually: The brakes have to be checked directly on the wagon by an employee right before departure every time a new train has been put together.

The idea is to automate this work in future with regards to reliability, safety and the shunting work of the employees.

“This pilot project is a milestone for the technological development of rail freight transport,” Först says. “It ensures interoperability and at the same time experiments with open standards for the European goods traffic.” Furthermore, the safety and reliability in rail freight transport further increases thanks to automated processes. The first tests have been conducted in summer; the first generation of smart freight trains will participate in the second half of 2018 in the Austrian and Swiss freight operations.

RCG at the top of Europe Despite a tough environment in European freight traffic with a generally slow growth, low diesel prices and the resulting pricing pressure, it is remarkable that Rail Cargo Group was able to defend its position at the top of the European rail freight transport in 2016. “In a year in which hardly any larger European rail

freight transport company recorded a profit, RCG had an EBT of 44.3 million euros and is thus for the first time the second largest rail logistics company in Europe,” says Först. Both Rail Cargo Austria and Rail Cargo Hungaria remained the clear market leaders in their domestic markets; the biggest factor of growth in rail freight traffic remains internationalisation. ◆

Rail Cargo Group: A true leading company With 2.1 billion euros turnover annually and about 8,400 employees, the Rail Cargo Group is one of the leading rail freight logistics companies in Europe. Based on the domestic markets of Austria and Hungary, the Rail Cargo Group offers customised rail freight logistics solutions and ensures safe and reliable transportation on the environmentally friendly railways between the North Sea, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

The controlling company of the Rail Cargo Group is the Rail Cargo Austria AG. Recently, RCG was awarded the seal of quality “Leading Company Austria”. www.railcargo.com

World Champion Austria

_82

Leading company

World Market Leader in Translucent Concrete LCT has developed and patented a unique method that makes translucent concrete affordable and easily applicable.

With Styrian know-how to the top After LCT was established in 2010, the Styrians left all their competitors in their wake with a diligent product and strategy development. In 2015, the company finally began with the industrial production of its patented translucent concrete. By now, it has won numerous tenders and forged business ties to nationally and internationally operating companies.

“The biggest project so far was implemented in Saudi-Arabia,” says Christandl.

“Every night the concrete at the Royal Palace in Jeddah shines bright.”

Despite its international focus, the Styrians have kept both feet firmly on the ground.

“Even though we offer our products all around the world, we emphasise having added value in Austria,” explains Christandl’s co-managing director, Alexander Haider. “At the same time we ensure with planned subsidiaries in North America and Asia that we can serve the international markets in the best way possible.”

Credits: LCT GmbH (2)

Translucent concrete is a complex product and combines the technologies and elements that are concrete, plastic and light.

Know-how is needed in all three areas in order to start production. Thanks to industrial production, Styrian LCT GmbH is the world’s only supplier that can make translucent concrete at such a low price that it is affordable for everyone.

“When developing our translucent concrete, we did not only strive for affordable production but also for easy maintenance,” explains LCT’s managing director Dieter Christandl. “Simple application is a big advantage in countries that do not have the same level of technological know-how as the industrialised countries. You don’t need to be an electrician in order to maintain our products.” Global patents ensure the consistent quality of the products and protect the company at the same time from copycats.

The Royal Palace in Jeddah shines bright every night.

Dieter Christandl, Prince Abdulaziz bin Khalid Bin Abdullah, Alexander Haider, Jürgen Badawi

Bright future thanks to smart cities In addition to the Middle East, the company concentrates on the market development in East Africa and Europe.

“The climate in Northern Europe and the Baltics is suitable for various uses of LED lighting systems in particular. Therefore, this region has top priority for our further plans,” Haider reveals.

The sunrise industry of Smart Cities is also of particular significance. Experts predict a growth potential of 1.5 billion US-Dollars by 2020. By 2025, they expect 25 cities all around the world to be “smart”: “With our products, illuminated kerbs, which offer more safety, for example, are easily implemented. There is almost no limit to the market potential.” ◆

The driving force for your business!

Over 700 own branches connecting 38 countries. You benefit from the most extensive integrated european network.

The fastest road network in Europe!

Find out your lead times in the Europe-scheduler: eschenker.dbschenker.com

Rely on Europe’s most extensive land transportation network and deliver your system freightwith DB SCHENKERsystem and DB SCHENKERsystem premium.

Book now!

DB SCHENKERsystem FAST LEAD TIMES HIGH RELIABILITY

Contact us: DB Schenker Austria Stella-Klein-Löw-Weg 11 1020 Vienna

FLEXIBILITY MANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES

DB SCHENKERsystem premium FASTER BY UP TO TWO DAYS

PERFORMANCE GUARANTEED*

Phone: +43 (0) 5 7686-210900 Web: www.dbschenker.at * If the shipment is not delivered within the agreed lead time, DB Schenker shall reimburse the net fee without surcharges paid by the customer to DB Schenker for the specific shipment. This shall not apply if DB Schenker is not responsible for the late delivery and in case of force majeure.

Under no circumstances shall the amounts payable exceed the limits of liability stated in the CMR convention.

World Champion Austria Leading company

Rising Stars in Medical Technology The Graz-based company CNSystems Medical Technology is a world market leader and has been successfully making devices for non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring for 20 years.

Right now, CNSystems is developing a new portable device. By using the patented CNAP technology for measuring blood pressure in the arteries, cardiac output, vascular resistance and other indicators of cardiovascular diseases, CNSystems Medical Technology has become the world market leader in this field over the last few years.

Not “only” research facilities and NASA are putting their trust in this technology, but renowned clinics are too: Anaesthetists, for example, can prevent about 34 percent of postoperative complications by using the non-invasive measuring (i.e. without entering the body) of the Finger Sensor. By now, CNSystems is selling its products in 48 countries in Europe, Asia and North America.

World market leader in a small yet important field: the CNSystems team.

A new study* also shows that the algorithm VERIFI is responsible for the accuracy. It has been developed especially for the CNAP technology by Jürgen Fortin, founder and CEO of CNSystems. ◆

Credits: CNSystems (3)

Accurate metering thanks to an algorithm Based on the existing know-how, which is protected by 77 patents, the company is currently developing a portable system for mobile metering of cardiovascular functions. Going by the name CNAP-2GO, proven technology is used in a smaller version. More than 630 studies underline the precision and high usefulness of this innovative technology.

Right now, CNSystems is developing a new portable device.

Devices for non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring

Fortin J., Fellner Ch., Mocnik N., Grond J., Brunner Th., Flotzinger (2017) The importance of VERIFI („Vasomotoric Elimination and Reconstructed Identification of the Initial sezt-oint“) for the performance of the CNAP technology. EMBEC-NBC2017, 311, v2 (final)

*

World Champion Austria

84_85

Leading company

The Magic Word is “Omega 3” Ecoduna aims to become the market leader in vegan polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids.

The world market is constantly increasing its volume Algae as a vegan source of protein and essential fatty acids represent an increasingly significant alternative to animal products. “At present, the omega 3 world market volume of 2.5 billion US dollars is only supplied by fish oil, which has reached its limits in terms of quality and quantity”, says Mörwald. “If fish oil supplies stagnate or the seas become overfished, then growth on the constantly increasing world market for omega 3 can be satisfied by high quality vegan algae oil, primarily by Ecoduna”. The new facility should produce roughly 100 tonnes of algae and operate all year round, at first with over two dozen employees on one hectare.

The new production facility has been designed as a greenhouse.

It will be operated at the right temperature using long-distance heating in order to avoid snow loads and to keep it frost-free. The algae grow in a closed cycle inside transparent, interlinked glass tubes. They are optimally positioned so that the algae can uniformly catch the sun’s rays. The glass tubes are filled with a nutrient solution similar to that used in the cultivation of vegetables, which is compatible with the needs of algae production.

Credit: Ecoduna

Ecoduna is an innovative Austrian development company, which has invented, developed and patented a biotechnological process for the production of microalgae on an industrial scale. In 2013, the research and demonstration facility in Bruck/Leitha was put into operation and two years later it was converted into industrial quality in glass tubes. In 2016, the ground-breaking ceremony for the first industrial algae production facility in Austria took place; it will be completed by the end of 2017. Compared to all other systems established up until today, Ecoduna’s algae production process distinguishes itself thanks to its great yield increase and massively improved quality. “Microalgae are single photosynthetically active organisms, which given the ideal amount of CO2, light and nutrients can grow into high value biomass with valuable material”, explains CEO Johann Mörwald. “This material contributes to a healthy diet by providing essential fatty acids such as omega 3.”

In order to improve the algae’s conditions of growth, CO2 is also introduced into the glass tubes. The amount is controlled and optimised by measuring the pH values. This at the same time also prevents too much CO2 being used and the resulting waste that would ensue. The only waste product involved in the production process is oxygen (O2), which is gathered in a collection system and removed from the greenhouse. Harvesting takes place continuously by separating the algae from the nutrient solution using filtering units, they are then dried out carefully in an industrial drying procedure. The oil contained in the cells can, if preferred, be extracted from the algae using gentle procedures. ◆

World Champion Austria Automotive supplier

Austria’s Automotive Suppliers are planning and growing Robotics, battery and energy technology as well as data mining and analysis are the most significant technological developments of the next five years.

T

Credit: Polytec Group

for 2017: About half of those interviewed (51 percent) expect an he automotive industry is at the dawn of a new era: increase in turnover of more than five percent, almost a quarter (23 Global environmental regulations, electric mobility and percent) believes in a growth of more than ten percent. digitalisation including autonomous driving pose major The surveyed companies regard the availability and the quality challenges to the entire industry. This development does of skilled workers as particularly decisive for successful growth. 57 not only affect the manufacturers themselves but also the Austrian percent say that a lack of skilled personnel diminishes the chances automotive suppliers. They have to always be one product life cycle of gaining new orders. In turn, 20 percent of Austrian suppliers see ahead when developing solutions in order to prevail on a hardthe continuing pressure in price and productivity of Original Equipfought market. ment Manufacturers (OEMs) as a big hazard for their market The Austrian companies, however, are able to withstand this growth. Only the impending downturn in the current high growth pressure and expect an increase in turnover for 2017. These are the markets is considered an even bigger risk (22 percent). main results of an automotive study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, which surveyed sixty Austrian businesses who act as suppliers to Research and development is the decisive factor of success the automotive industry.

There is tremendous innovative pressure on Austrian suppliers “The innovative capacity and the quality of Austrian suppliers while the product life cycles keep decreasing. With the increasing are globally in demand and they have therefore a particular growth regulations around CO2 emissions, most companies focus their potential,” explains Horst Bernegger, Partner and Leader Automoproduct innovations on envitive at PwC Austria. ronmental trends: “At the same time, they 28 percent pursue a weight face the same trends and reduction through the use of challenges as the entire autonew materials with the aim of motive industry. And they having a lower fuel consumphave to react to those in order tion. The development of alto prevail on the market.” ternative fuel and drive sysThe year 2016 was quite tem such as hybrid engines successful for the majority of and electricity is considered the Austrian automotive supthe most important global pliers: 33 percent of the comtrend in production by 18 perpanies surveyed recorded cent. two-figure growth rates and “Even modern technoloanother 28 percent reported gies in the fields of digitalisaincreases between five and tion and autonomous driving ten percent. This trend allows take up a central role in strafor highly positive prognoses Volkswagen is the most important customer of publically traded Polytec.

Credit: BMW

86_87

The partnership between Magna and BMW began in 2001; two years later the first BMW X3 manufactured by Magna left the factory (pictured: BMW Series 5).

tegic planning,” says Bernegger. “In the next five years, the Austrian automotive suppliers will therefore focus on robotics and sensor technology, battery and energy technology as well as data mining and analysis.”

Solutions and components of Industry 4.0 have already been integrated into the procedures and processes by the majority of suppliers: 42 percent say that smart factory, internet of things and similar concepts are already part of their activities.

Hidden champions vs. international players In addition to surveying the factors of success and risk for the Austrian automotive suppliers, the study also makes comparisons between the Austrian and the Slovak automotive industry, identifying significant structural differences. While the industry in Slovakia has a strong OEM basis (including Asian manufacturers), the automotive industry in Austria is based on a strong structure of suppliers who have their headquarters and regional production sites in Austria.

“In Austria, mainly the family businesses, who in some cases developed into hidden champions, are among the leading companies in their specialist field of the international markets,” Bernegger says. “In Slovakia, however, the majority of suppliers are part of an international corporation.”

The approach in acquiring staff is also very different: In Slovakia, there already is a lack of skilled workers. But the Austrian suppliers benefit from the dual school system and are able to meet the majority of the staff requirements locally. 48 percent of the surveyed companies recruit their staff from the Austrian job market and do not employ additional workers from abroad; still, the future supply of skilled personnel is regarded insecure and the lack of skilled workers is seen as a risk factor. ◆

The economy’s engine With a production value of 20 billion euros, 5.8 billion euros of added value and about 71,100 staff, the automotive suppliers are among the largest and best-performing sectors in Austria.

Furthermore, due to the intermediate concessions needed for production, the companies create demand in other sectors. If those are included, the automotive suppliers generate an overall production value of 37.5 billion euros, 13 billion euros of added value and 179,200 employments in Austria per year. www.automobil-cluster.at www.acstyria.com

World Champion Austria Leading company

How Miba makes the World a cleaner Place from Laakirchen As a technology leader and global company, Miba actively contributes to technological progress and worldwide economic growth.

T

trend towards increasing eleche Miba group is detrification of drivetrains as an veloping very well.

“We invest and move with our production sites to opportunity and not as a chal“In the previous wherever out customers invest. This customer focus lenge. business year we reached one of our very imporis and will remain a major part of our strategy.”

What do you mean exactly? tant objectives, we were able Peter Mitterbauer For some years now, we have to exceed the 750 million euros been working with new drive turnover mark for the first forms such as hybrid technolotime,” says CEO Peter Mittergy and pure electric drive. We have also built a central ‘E-Mobility bauer in an exclusive interview with “World Champion Austria”.

Innovation Lab’ and are developing solutions for hybrid as well as Even in the crisis years of 2008 and 2009, the company did not pure electric drive technologies. In addition, we are working intendeviate from the growth path and despite the difficult times, the sively on further optimisation of conventional drive technologies company was able to reach its goals with just a small delay. such as diesel and petrol en“Now we are working togines. These also have a lot of wards a new, ambitious goal: development potential for the By 2020, we want to reach the future with regards to efficienbillion euros turnover mark.” cy, cleanness and noise reduction – all in accordance with our How do you define Miba’s mission: Technologies for a company vision?

Cleaner Planet.

Every day we work towards making the world that little bit You recently expanded in cleaner with Miba technoloSouth America? gies. Regardless which type of Absolutely correct; as of the 1 drive technology is concerned, July 2017 we completely took we make our contribution to over the running of the sinter the reduction of CO2 emissiplant in Brazil, that until now ons, efficiency enhancement of we had been running as a joint existing drive concepts as well venture with the German Mahas innovation surrounding le Group. The South American new, alternative mobility conautomobile market has not cepts and energy sources. been easy over the past few That is why we see the global PVD-coating of piston pins

Credit: Miba Coating Group (2)

88_89

Peter Mitterbauer has been the CEO of Miba since 1 July 2013. He is also responsible for Communications, Human Capital, Strategy as well as Innovation & Technology amongst other things.

years. However, as a result of the work in the joint venture over the past 20 years, we know the company and the market and believe there will be a sustainable positive development in the coming years.

How important is digitalisation for an internationally operating company like yours? Which chances and challenges have emerged as a result?

There is a lot more to digitalisation than ‘just’ an optimisation of production processes. On the one hand, the great potential is to give products a digital added value. That can be a bearing with a sensor, which through readings can pinpoint the perfect timing for an exchange or for service. On the other hand, it can be the knowhow from lot of different data from the development and production, which can be used to create an added value for the customer.

In order to use this opportunity, we have built up a team of experts, who work intensively on this.

How do you evaluate the current discussions about diesel as an important automobile supplier?

I strongly advise to go back to the technical facts in the discussions – and they are clear. If you consider the entire CO2 balance of

an electric car, then it is worse than that of any diesel vehicle today.

The reasons for this are on the one hand the fact that the European electricity mix still relies strongly on coal, oil and gas power stations. Also, the ecological aspects of battery production should not be forgotten. Furthermore, the diesel debate concerns thousands of jobs, as Austria has developed into a competence centre for diesel technology. And we all know that there is still a lot of further optimisation potential in reducing pollutant emissions. ◆

Miba is celebrating its 90th anniversary Founded in 1927, Franz Mitterbauer took over the metalworking shop owned by his apprentice instructor. ! 752 million euros annual turnover last year ! 6,300 employees, of which 2,400 in Austria ! 22 plants in Europe (Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, England), Asia (China, India), USA and Brazil ! A very high research ratio of 4.7% of turnover (equals 35 million euros) ! Around 250 employees in research and development www.miba.com

World Champion Austria Top research

Premature Births and Metabolomics Research The renowned Houska Prize is awarded to particularly special innovative research projects from Austria.

T

born in the 27th week of pregnancy. It also offers extensive training possibilities for critical situations in paediatric emergency medicine under realistic conditions. In order to develop it, new construction concepts were required in the fields of microelectronics, sensor technology, mechanics and animatronics. “Premature birth is the main cause of infant mortality around the world“, says neonatologist and CEO of SIMCharacters, Jens-Christian Schwindt. “We set ourselves the goal of improving the quality of care for critically ill prematurely born children as well as newborns.”

Gunda Köllensperger from the University of Vienna emerged victorious in the category of “University-based research”, beating 28 entries from all over Austria to win the main prize of 150,000 euros. Her research team, along with the Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences created a green standard for measurements in metabolomics research, which is affordable and highly precise at the same time. This is particularly crucial in different medical fields, such as cancer or stem cell research.

From the point of view of the advisory board and the jury, this project demonstrates in an excellent way the journey of an innovative idea, which led to the founding of ISOtopic solutions, a spin-off company experiencing its first market success. It also has the potential to “Green standards in metabolomics research”: Wolfgang Hofer (B&C), Michaela Schwaiger (University of Vienna), Christina Troyer (Vienna University of Natural Reextend its possible range of sources and Life Sciences), Gunda Köllensperger, Evelyn Rampler (both University of application to the world stage.

Vienna), Stephan Hann (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna), “These green standards make Erich Hampel (B&C).

The best of the best In total, 27 research teams were in the running for the highly coveted award in the category of “Research & development in small and mediumsized enterprises”. In the end, the Vienna-based high-tech company SIMCharacters GmbH won the 150,000 euros, beating very strong competition.

The premature birth simulator “Paul” is the world’s smallest high-end patient simulator for realistic training in neonatology. At 35 centimetres in length and weighing 1000 grams, it accurately recreates the dimensions of a baby prematurely

Credit: B&C/APA-Fotoservice/Schedl

he Houska Prize includes 400,000 euros of prize money and was awarded by the foundation B&C Privatstiftung to Austria’s best research projects in May 2017. The Prize was awarded to five business-orientated research projects from Austria in the categories of “University-based research” and “Research and development in small and medium-sized enterprises”.

The winners in both those categories were the University of Vienna and the Vienna-based company SIMCharacters GmbH. Both received a prize money of 150,000 euros each. The other nominees were awarded audience prizes of 10,000 euros each, such as the Graz University of Technology and the technology company Bionic Surface Technologies GmbH.

Credit: PantherMedia/371819

90_91

Start-up company SIMCharacters won the Houska Prize for its premature birth simulator “Paul”.

it possible to produce highly precise measurements to subsequently record the metabolism of a cell in its entirety,” explains Köllensperger. “Metabolomics is a relatively new branch of science which studies the significance of metabolic activity in precision medicine,” she says.

Other prize-winning research projects ! The two audience prizes went to OSOD and bionic surface. The On-Site-On-Demand-System (OSOD-System) is a procedure by the Graz University of Technology, which generates sustainable hydrogen from renewable energy sources for fuel cell vehicles. “Hydrogen makes it possible to efficiently store energy and generate electrical power without any emissions in conjunction with fuel cells for stationary and mo-

The Houska Prize trophy, created by artist Michaela Schupfer from Upper Austria. She was inspired by actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000).

bile uses,” explains project manager Viktor Hacker. Low-temperature fuel cells are technologically sophisticated and numerous vehicle manufacturers have already started the serial production of fuel cell vehicles. ! Styrian company Bionic Surface Technologies GmbH researches, develops and implements riblet surfaces for different industrial uses, such as in aviation and wind power. Riblets are micro- and nanostructured surfaces precisely designed to reduce the drag in

Soon we’ll have reached 4 million Austria as a business location is in need of innovative and pioneering research in order to remain competitive in future.

The foundation B&C Privatstiftung has been dedicating itself to improved research conditions and cutting edge research in Austria by awarding the Houska Prize since 2005. So far, a total of 3.4 million euros in prize money has been made available. www.houskapreis.at

World Champion Austria Top research

Credit: PantherMedia/OlenaPavlovich

ing assistance. Radar discurrents and flows. This is tance sensors in cars are ofalso referred to as the ten installed directly behind “shark skin effect”, as shark the bumper. Signals are then skin displays a similar strucoften reflected on the car’s ture. The innovative techown bumper, causing signal nological surface structures interference as well as frecan be used in the air as quently impacting the radar’s well as in water and any range and accuracy. A project other type of liquid. by the University of Linz ! UFO (Ultraflat Overrunable makes it possible to almost Dummy Carrier) by Dr. Stefcompletely stifle the unwantfan Datentechnik GmbH ed reverberations by using from Upper Austria is a very statistical signal processing flat “overrunable” robot, methods. This demonstrably which has a lightweight, improves the precision and crash-test dummy placed on Metabolomics researches metabolic products in precision medicine. reach of the radar and disit. This system makes it postance sensors. sible to simulate crashes without damaging a test vehicle. ! “Cradle to cradle” means that the products are put together in ! BioCRACK is a completely new liquefaction process, which consuch a way that once they have completed their lifecycle they can verts biomass such as scrap wood, waste wood, straw and enflow back into their organic or technical cycle. The Gugler printing ergy crops into hydrocarbons for fuel production. The aim of the company in Melk has optiresearch by the Graz University mised all the components of its of Technology is to create an inprinting products for biological terface between biomass and oil “We fund business-orientated research projects, lifecycles and they are all comrefining. Solid, oxygen-rich biowhich will strengthen and sustainably ensure Austpletely recyclable and commass is prepared in such a way postable. This way in future, that the intermediate products ria as an industrial and business location“. slurry from paper recycling can that are generated can be inteErich Hampel, CEO of B&C Privatstiftung (Houska Prize) even be used as fertiliser or for grated into the existing process the formation of humus. in an oil refinery. Compared to fossil fuels like diesel, the production of biogenic fuels reduces ! The combination of complimentary analysis techniques is a key CO2 by 85 percent. factor in new research and development results in micro- and nanotechnology, semiconductor technology and materials sci! Thin sensors containing printed surface electrodes on paper have ences. The Triple S microscope from GETec Microscopy GmbH in been developed by the University of Linz in order to analyse any Langenlois makes it possible for the first time to combine in one crosslinking and aging of adhesive bond and coatings. Small and system microscopy methods that have been separate up until inconspicuous, they can be placed directly into adhesive joints now. The triple scanning microscope with sub-nanometre resoluand coatings and provide a real-time analysis of the crosslinking tion allows for high precision measuring of (e.g. electrical, magdynamics in aqueous glue used in the wood industry. These sennetic, thermal and mechanical) sample properties and is used sors remain in the adhesive bond and not only provide valuable particularly in materials research, damage assessment and eninformation about a product component’s aging dynamics, they ergy research. can increase product safety too. These sensors could also be used in other areas, such as in hygiene and medicine to detect body ! Modern vehicles are equipped with a variety of distance sensors fluids in disposable protective systems, for example. ◆ required for parking assistance, adaptive cruise control and brak-

World Champion Austria

92_93

Analysis of the provinces

The Austrian Provinces are still hitting the Gas The strong industry, a favourable business environment at home and abroad as well as fiscal impetuses make for a higher economic growth.

T

he current additional stimulation of the Austrian economy can be traced back in a large part to the reform of the income tax, which lead to higher private consumption.

In addition, investments are also responsible for the upswing that eased the current investment backlog due to the improved business environment and better conditions for financing.

Thanks to the stimulation of the international business cycle at the end of 2016, the demand from abroad, which had been subpar until then improved.

This more favourable business environment in the Eurozone in particular and the impetuses of the tax reform resulted in higher growth rates in the almost all of the nine Austrian provinces. The service sector was the driving force; while the construction sector could barely write positive headlines, but the industrial sector was able to expand successfully in some provinces despite a weak demand in exports.

How the Austrian industrial sector is growing In 2016, the Austrian industrial sector continued its moderate path of growth of the previous years with an increase of the gross added value chain by a real 1.1 percent despite insecurities putting pressure on the global environment. In particular, the second half of the year posed challenges for some of the export-oriented sectors, which prevented a higher dynamics in an international environment that only improved towards the end of the year.

“In Vorarlberg, Carinthia, Burgenland, Upper Austria and Salzburg a favourable regional orientation of exports combined with the matching structure of sectors ensured an above-average support by the industrial sector,” says Bruckbauer.

The industrial sector gives Carinthia and Vorarlberg in particular a strong impetus.

Credit: Mahle

At the top of growth Under these conditions, all provinces except for Lower Austria recorded a higher economic growth than before.

“The speed of growth of the provinces was more evenly balanced in 2016 than in the years before as the service sector gave the significant impetuses and service strongholds made up ground compared to the more industryoriented provinces,” explains Stefan Bruckbauer, Chief Economist at UniCredit Bank

Austria. “Vorarlberg and Burgenland are leading the dynamics ranking with an increase of 2.4 percent in 2016. These two provinces showed a good industrial development in addition to dynamic services.”

Tyrol, Salzburg, Upper Austria and Styria also achieved aboveaverage dynamics. The ranking of provinces is propped up by Lower Austria despite an increase in the economic performance of 1.2 percent. It is the only Austrian province that was unable to use the favourable business environment for an increase in growth compared to 2015.

World Champion Austria

Credit: AVL List

Analysis of the provinces

The Austrian industrial sector will continue the (moderate) path of growth of the previous year with an increase of the gross added value.

The building sector saw a slight upswing in the second half of the year. The gross added value increased slightly for the first time since 2007 as structural construction benefited from initiatives in residential building, among other things. The building sector contributed noticeably positively to the overall growth particularly in Tyrol, Styria and Carinthia.

The service sector gives all provinces wings The service sector saw a strong increase in 2016: The gross added value was up 1.5 percent (real) across Austria. Seeing that the sector’s share in the total Austrian added value is almost 70 percent, this was the most significant contribution to growth.

Overall, services were responsible on average for almost three quarters of the economic growth. “The service sector is the main benefactor of the tax reform and is thus significantly responsible for the upswing,” Bruckbauer confirms. “Services caused a higher momentum in all provinces, in particular in the East of Austria.”

Of course, it is very important for a high-flying country like Austria that the international business cycle also saw an upturn at the end of 2016. The situation improved continuously in many growth markets and the European economy finds itself in a solid economic

boom phase. The Austrian export economy will receive more support from this higher global demand than in the previous year.

The economic growth in Austria will go up by about two percent in 2017 (as of late September). While the impetuses for growth will clearly improve thanks to the demand abroad, in particular in the strong industrialised countries, the positive effects for the service sector will decrease due to the slowly dwindling impact of the tax reform. The building sector will get into gears better in 2017, strengthened by initiatives in residential building.

The growth chances for the more industry-oriented provinces and the service strongholds will be fairly balanced due to the framework conditions, even though there will be increasing advantages for the industrial heavyweights.

“Almost all provinces will be able to increase their speed of growth in this favourable business environment of 2017,” Bruckbauer predicts. “In the West we expect the highest economic growth of 2.4 percent in Vorarlberg and Tyrol. But also at the other end Vienna and Lower Austria will improve with an expected GDP increase of 1.5 percent.”

Potential risks to the business cycle such as Great Britain leaving the European Union or trade restriction with the United States

Credit: Messer Austria

94_95

A favourable business environment and fiscal impetuses provide for a faster economic growth in almost all provinces.

relaxation of the unemployment situation in the other seven provwould hit the Austrian provinces in very different ways, dependinces. The regional differences on the Austrian job market of the ing on their export orientation and their bilateral economic relapast five years are based on cyclical but also structural reasons. The tions. Demand from the US amounts to about 2.5 percent of the unemployment rate rose in Austria between 2011 and 2016 from Austrian added value, that from the United Kingdom to about 6.7 to 9.1 percent. Provinces with a weaker upswing usually face a half of that. higher increase of the unemploy“Salzburg and Upper Austria ment rate. Within Austria, there were hit the hardest of all Ausis a clear East-West divide trian provinces by the trade re“Strong domestic demand combined with an export though. strictions of the Trump adminisboom thanks to a global economic upturn offers The economic growth has tration while Brexit should have balanced growth opportunities with increasing been that strong over the last the biggest impact on Styria. advantages for industrial heavyweights.” few months that in all provinces Burgenland faces the lowest the unemployment rate is falling risks in all of Austria,” BruckUniCredit Bank Austria Chief Economist Stefan Bruckbauer despite a higher labour supply. A bauer expects. decrease in the annual average of the unemployment rate to 8.7 percent (after 9.1 percent in the Regional differences on the job market previous year) is in sight. “In 2017, the unemployment rate will go The stimulation of the economy in 2016 has also had positive effects down across all provinces for the first time,” says Bruckbauer. “We on the job market. For the first time since 2011, the Austrian unemexpect a particularly good development in Styria, Carinthia and ployment rate did not rise due to a strong increase in employment Burgenland. Salzburg will continue to have Austria’s lowest unembut rather remained the same. ployment rate at 5.4 percent.” ◆ Apart from Lower Austria and Vienna, there is actually a clear

World Champion Austria Province of Carinthia

The Tourism Province of Researchers and Developers In addition to the traditional strongpoint of tourism, Carinthia has focused on (micro)electronics, mechatronics and robotics.

O

Credit: CTR

ver the past few years, Carinthia saw a strong upturn in technology, innovation and research. The research rate went up significantly and the province also has an extraordinarily high amount of company research (75 percent).

The major drivers behind this competence in technology are the internationally operating, leading companies such as Infineon Technologies Austria, Lam Research, Kapsch TrafficCom and Flextronics International. Together with the many research-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises in the region, they determine future developments in the fields of electronics and microelectronics, mechatronics and medical technologies.

BABEG (Betriebsansiedlungs- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft m.b.H.) aims to network the various parties and to help the settlement of new, international businesses in Carinthia. The organisa-

Best know-how, high-quality technologies and a widespread mix of sectors.

tion is also involved in non-university institutions in order to strengthen technological research and innovation in the South of Austria.

Sensitive robotics, AI & modern automation technology The settlement of the Joanneum Research Centre at the Lakeside Park in Klagenfurt with the focus on mechatronics and robotics is of high significance for the development of Carinthia as a research location. As one of six centres in Austria, it serves as an interface between fundamental research and applications in the real world, mainly in the field of robotics and the interaction between humans and robots.

Developing future-oriented solutions as well as offering innovative scientific services go far beyond classic system integration and include the specialist fields of sensitive and collaborative robotics with special focus on robot safety, modern automation technology and artificial intelligence.

Since 1997, Villach-based CTR (Carinthian Tech Research) has researched and developed state-of-the-art technologies in the field of intelligent sensor control and system integration for partner companies to make its products and processes simpler, safer and more effective. Today, CTR with its COMET Competence Centre ASSIC is among the leading research institutions in Austria and Europe. The research & development centre is therefore the connecting link between research and economy, enabling companies to benefit from the latest R&D results and to significantly strengthen their innovative capacity and competitive strength.

Exclusive know-how in R&D fields, an interdisciplinary approach to work and orientation on the highest quality standards make it possible to generate new research results and make them commercially utilisable.

CTR is an active partner in numerous national and international collaborations between research institutions and commercial enter-

Credit: Helge Bauer

96_97

Investors benefit from the stable legal framework, an entrepreneur-friendly tax system and an appealing range of subsidies.

prises. Regional, national and cross-border exchange enables the creation of a global network of cooperation and opens up new perspectives in research.

Smart sensors for timber research A good practical example is the OptiSens project, which aims to make material behaviour visible during the production process and during usage; for this, smart sensors are printed and integrated into the composite material wood.

Smart sensors monitor wood during its entire life cycle. The OptiSens sensors make wood and composite materials smart and can thus transfer data such as tear and wear in the sense of Industry 4.0. Research focuses on the manufacturing of affordable sensors for temperature, pH-value and alternating current resistance.

The smart sensor is integrated into duroplastic composite materials and is able to already deliver information on the material behaviour on site, which means during production. “We are creating a new diagnostic method that offers an exact picture of the reaction process,” explains OptiSens Project Manager Uwe Müller.

The final product such as building components will benefit from this: The material quality improves, long-term stability increases.

“We need special sensors that withstand production conditions such as high temperature and pressure, which let water vapour pass, which are variable in size and resistant to acid and, most of all, which are low in price.”

But not only wood and composite materials will benefit from this development. The Laboratory for Cell and Molecular Biology of the

Business location Carinthia Austria‘s most Southern province combines know-how, hightech and a widespread mix of sectors. Located centrally in the heart of Europe, investors benefit from the stable legal framework, an entrepreneur-friendly tax system and an appealing range of subsidies. ! Inhabitants: 561,077 / ! Area: 9,538.01 sqkm ! Wage earners (2016): 207,482 (source: WKO) ! Regional GDP per capita (2015): 33,300 (source: WKO) www.silicon-alps.at

World Champion Austria

_98

Kepler University Clinic in Linz is going to test the sensors for measuring the vitality of living cells. This could result in applications for biotechnology and in various medical fields.

Another research project, “SensoFood - Smart Sensors for Healthy Cooking”, by Philips Austria Klagenfurt, CTR Carinthian Tech Research and the partners Medical University Innsbruck and University for Life Sciences Vienna received a recognition certificate for the best cooperation economy and science at the Science2Business Award 2017.

The multidisciplinary project team was researching how to improve the cooking and juicing of the future with integrated smart sensors. First product developments have already emerged and open up hobby cooks and laymen with completely new possibilities to prepare simple, tasty and above all healthy food. Through this cooperation, further research work has been initiated or is being implemented.

Credit: Mahle

Province of Carinthia

The new research institute Silicon Austria aims to make microelectronics made in Austria an international badge. The Swiss have their watches, Austria will have electronics and microelectronics.

aided by additional measures such as research infrastructure, industrial test laboratories in Vienna, Linz and Graz, open workshops at universities and schools plus electronics projects as part of the research programme “IT of the Future”.

Silicon Austria location in Villach Silicon Austria commences its operations in 2017 and will bring the region up to 500 new top jobs over the years to come. Austria thus Into the Future receives a world-class research centre for microelectronics, which Speaking of the future: In addition to its activities in research, Carinaims to concentrate the domestic competences in microelectronics thia also invests in education. The project Educational Lab, unique and to take the location in Villach to the top. It will be Silicon Ausin Europe, stands out in particular after it was set up at the Laketria’s third location after Graz and Linz; in Villach, research on senside Park in Klagenfurt on 31 sor technology and power elecMay 2017. The educational faciltronics will be conducted in order ity with the potential to become to develop high performance “The microelectronics industry is by far an international model aims to sensors and energy-efficient miAustria’s most research-intensive and teach children from a very young crochips. most innovative sector.” age the so-called MINT subjects “Silicon Austria opens a win– mathematics, information techdow of opportunity for the AusS a b i n e H e r l i t s c h k a , Vi c e P r e s i d e n t o f F E E I nology, natural science and techtrian industry by concentrating nology. At the same time, the activities in an internationally Educational Lab offers teachers from different types of schools oriented top research institute,” says Sabine Herlitschka, Vice various additional trainings. There are cooperation projects with the President of the Association of the Electric and Electronic Industries University of Klagenfurt, the Carinthian College of Education, the (FEEI). “This allows us to reach the necessary critical mass even as University of Applied Sciences Carinthia and other schools. a small region, in order to be on a level playing field with the biggest The Educational Lab offers classes in various modules in statetechnology nations when it comes to one of the world’s most comof-the-art laboratories across 3,000 sqm. Pupils and teachers alike petitive key technologies. This has to be our standard to attract have the extracurricular opportunity to experience biology, chemisinvestments and create future-oriented jobs in Austria.” try and physics in a modern way. This includes field tests for nature In total, the Ministry for Infrastructure, the Provinces of Carinconservation on the banks of the Wörthersee Lake and the producthia, Upper Austria and Styria as well as Austrian industrial comtion of prototypes in a smart lab. ◆ panies provide 280 million euros for the research institute. This is

The semiconductor company Infineon is emblematic of how transformation takes place in Carinthia.

In the 1970s the Siemens AG opened a diode-manufacturing plant in Villach. Labour in southern Austria was cheap and so was the product. Today shift work is still common practice, only now employees no longer work at assembly lines but in cleanrooms and with robots.

Biotope Carinthia – Economy, Research, and Education The landscape has remained the same.

It is life that has changed.

In recent years the area around Villach has developed into a centre of the microelectronics industry, attracting internationally leading chip producers as well as specialists for cleanroom technologies.

For Carinthian research laboratories it is all in a day’s work to collaborate with colleagues at Airbus and France Telecom.

The European space agency ESA wants to launch its “Ariane 6” into orbit with the help of a propulsion system developed in part in Carinthia.

The international Open Source Robotics Foundation relies on collaboration with the Carinthian Institute for Robotics, an institute of Joanneum Research, which opened its location at the Lakeside Science &Technology Park in Klagenfurt two years ago.

Carinthia

Another development currently taking place at the Lakeside Science & Technology Park in Klagenfurt is a new form of cooperation between educational institutions: the “Educational Lab”.

The Faculty of Technical Sciences at the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt works together with Airbus and Siemens but also with local companies such as Infineon, Kostwein, Funder, and Skidata.

Graduates are founding successful companies, some of which have recently won a US-Biz Award, aka the ”Economy Oscar“.

When you watch movies on Amazon, you are implicitly using technology made in Klagenfurt

by Bitmovin, a real university start-up!

www.babeg.at building roots

World Champion Austria Advertorial

BMVIT Initiatives for world-class Digitalisation all over Austria The Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) sees digitalisation as an opportunity and subsidises research and development. This increases the chances of a successful market entry for Austrian companies all around the world.

I

nnovation is important for both the economic success of businesses and the positive development of the employment rate.

One of the biggest challenges of the 21st century is without doubt the increasing rate of digitalisation. It presents Austria with a good opportunity to strengthen the country as a business location, to create more jobs and to increase the quality of life for each and every one.

The basis for this is a modern and powerful digital infrastructure.

The “Broadband Billion”, an initiative by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT), ensures that almost all businesses and households in Austria will have access to ultrafast internet with at least 100 megabit per second by 2020. The same initiative also creates an important basis for the new mobile telecommunication standard 5G, which will be part of a new na-

Broadband expansion for digitalised everyday life ! Construction companies exchange plans with architecture firms online, transport companies track their vehicles online, craftsmen offer their services on online platforms etc. ! Teaching and learning materials can be made freely available on online platforms. ! Large volumes of data, e.g. x-ray or magnetic resonance images can be transmitted in less time via broadband ! A computer cloud gives access to data from anywhere in the world and enables working with others on projects.

In order for this to work, broadband is needed.

And much more…

tional strategy by the BMVIT that is currently being worked on.

Four infrastructure subsidy programmes are the driving force for investments within the “Broadband Billion”; so far, the BMVIT has invited tenders for subsidies worth 500 million euros. The new 5G standard will allow for speeds of up to ten gigabit per second and is thus a hundred times faster than the current 4G/LTE technology.

5G will also be used in autonomous driving, Industry 4.0 and smart cities to guarantee the necessary data transfer.

Working conditions will improve significantly for businesses and employees with this broadband expansion. Thanks to cloud computing, for example, all data that is stored in a virtual data centre can be accessed by everyone or you can work with colleagues from abroad on the same project at the same time. Big project data with plans, pictures and drawings can be sent and received quicker. The smooth transfer of big sets of data via broadband internet also helps fields like e-learning, e-health and e-government.

The research centre “Silicon Austria” will also make a major contribution to strengthening the top-level research field that is electronics and microelectronics. In total, the BMVIT and the participating provinces of Styria, Carinthia and Upper Austria provide 140 million euros for this project and the industrial sector is doubling that amount to 280 million euros over the next five years. The three locations of the research centre in Graz, Linz and Villach will see the creation of up to 500 high-tech jobs.

In addition to the further development of software, components and systems, the BMVIT also concerns itself with researching and testing these new technologies in various fields of application. A high number of subsidy initiatives, e.g. for Industry 4.0, autonomous driving or smart power grids, helps to shape and support Austria’s digital future. This, in turn, gives domestic businesses the opportu-

Credit: festo

100_101

The business and innovation location Austria can only remain competitive through extensive investments in research and development as well as digital infrastructure.

nity to become technological trailblazers and to take up an internationally leading role.

Digital evolution through IT The BMVIT does not only subsidise a high-performance infrastructure but also the development of future-oriented and safe information technology (IT) and thus the basis for a digital revolution. Being the Ministry for Infrastructure and Technology, the BMVIT puts everything in place for an attractive and competitive industrial location: A large range of activities is needed in order to meet the demands of digital change, such as regulatory measures, the expansion of the digital infrastructure and subsidising new technologies.

With its profound knowledge, the BMVIT sets the framework for the use of information technology while taking up several roles in which the various departments can influence the developments in the digital world.

The BMVIT acts primarily as a financial backer, driver and supporter. It develops subsidy programmes, awards those subsidies, draws up strategies and supports various issues. In all of these cases, BMVIT does not become active as an IT user but rather awards contracts and other businesses or organisations carry out the IT.

The BMVIT acts as sponsor of the research subsidy programme “IT of the Future”, is the driver of digital development after founding the platform “Industry 4.0” and supports the use of IT in companies that can be attributed to the BMVIT such as the Austrian Railways ÖBB who are equipping their trains with WiFi. Another indispensable task of the BMVIT for the Austrian economy and thus for its technology and export activities is the creation of legal and technical standards. Those who implement IT applications such as the telecommunication or transport sectors realise these standards. In many cases, European and international organisations such as the EU set the standards that need to be implemented on a national level. The BMVIT is tasked with participating in discussions on standards at the European and international bodies on the one hand; on the other hand, it needs to prepare the implementation of these standards on a national level and draft bills. Examples would be autonomous driving or telecommunication standards.

Industry 4.0 – networking and smart factory With the initiative “Production of the Future”, the BMVIT subsidises sophisticated key technologies and focuses on the digitalisation of the Austrian production sector. The “magic word” is net-

World Champion Austria Advertorial

Credit: festo

working. All stakeholders that partake in the value added chain are connected to one another through the internet, allowing for the optimisation of the production chain. The integration of IT plays an essential role: Systems such as Cyber Physical Systems allow for self-controlled production processes in a smart factory where people communicate with machines.

The strongpoint of smart factories is their flexible production: If the stock of raw materials is getting low or if the order numbers go down, machines will automatically adapt to this new situation. Customers can therefore ask for short-term changes. In future, workers will be Smart Factory Augmented Operators who are kept up-to-date with the latest data from the machines via smartphone or data glasses; they will be instantly aware of errors and possible solutions.

The BMVIT puts fundamental emphasis on research in the field of Industry 4.0: The Ministry puts about 185 million euros per year into research subsidies. Businesses can test new production methods; the results from this research decide upon the competitiveness of Austria as an industrial location and offer valuable insights into the future effects on businesses, their employees and society as a whole.

Furthermore, the BMVIT founded the association and platform

Endowed professorships Endowed professorships allow the BMVIT to interlink science and economics by bringing the best experts together from the worlds of theory and practise to research important future issues. Altogether, the BMVIT provides funding for eight endowed professorships at Austrian universities, of which four have already started working: steel researcher Ronald Schnitzer at the Montanuniversität Leoben, textiles researcher Tung Pham at the Dornbirn campus of the University of Innsbruck and Sebastian Schlund, who is working on the digitalisation of the industrial sector at the Vienna University of Technology.

Additionally, aeronautics researcher Sergio Amancio will begin his work at the Graz University of Technology in 2018.

Currently, the BMVIT provides each professorship with up to 1.5 million euros in the first five years; this amount is doubled by university investments and partner organisations.

“Industry 4.0 Austria” which supports businesses on their way to an automated and digital working environment. In addition to research and development in the field of Industry 4.0, the platform also deals with questions of work organisation and workplace design but also of qualifications and competences. The aim is to identify potential needs with the relevant stakeholders and to develop strategies when it comes to (further) training. The BMVIT also supports pilot factories as part of Industry 4.0. These neutral test and research environments with real machinery and logistics systems serve the research, development and testing of new technologies or processes. At the same time, they serve as places for (further) training, courses and seminars.

Austria’s first pilot factory was opened in 2015 at Seestadt Aspern in Vienna, now additional ones will open in Graz and Linz. In Graz, companies will test digital production technologies without interrupting their own production. The SmartFactory@TUGraz will research new production processes that allow for the cost-efficient production of small batches, e.g. for customised cars. One particular focus is upon the data security and reliability of computer-controlled production systems. The University of Technology Graz (TU Graz) is leading this project that includes about 20 Austrian companies.

The “LIT Factory” at the Johannes Kepler University Linz researches innovative process technologies with the aim to find new uses for existing materials. Using lightweight components from plastics for cars that connect the engine with the body instead of steel is one such example. The pilot factories are realistic models of a factory and help making new developments market-ready.

Austria gets a Robotics Council As the rapid development in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence will change the lives of all Austrians, the BMVIT is going to develop a strategy on how to make good use of the new opportunities while keeping the risks in check. During technology talks at the Forum Alpbach 2017, the Robotics Council was presented as an advisory body for technological, economic and social questions. The chair of the Robotics Council will be held by Professor Sabine Koszegi, head of the Department for Ergonomics and Organisation at the Institute for Management Sciences of the Vienna University of Technology. At the Robotics Council she will be supported by a team of eight Austrian and international experts from fields such as the world of business, information technology or robot ethics.

The council’s task is to help develop a strategy for dealing with robotics, to inform the public and to contribute to an objective discussion on the whole issue. The BMVIT provide a budget of one million euros; the Robotics Council will begin its work in autumn 2017.

A quantum leap for streets Thanks to information technology, cars are already equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems such as parking aids, lanechanging assistants and blind spot warning assistants. With digitalisation, the automation of the automotive industry and of road traffic keeps going and allows for a new level of driving.

The ultimate vision is autonomous driving, i.e. cars that can selfdrive without the help from a human to the desired destination.

Vehicles will be connected and communicate with one another. The basis for this so-called “vehicle to X”- connection is the latest information technology, which includes mobile communication and wireless broadcasting technology. Each vehicle shares its data with the others and the infrastructure on traffic development, road conditions (aquaplaning, snow, ice) or potential dangers such as animals on the road.

This allows for a better and more direct control of the traffic flow, making it more balanced and thus more efficient. And this, in turn, results in fewer traffic jams and less emissions. The biggest advantage of self-driving cars, however, is higher safety. Nine out of ten accidents come down to human error, which could be due to tiredness, high speeds or inattention. In future, such errors can be avoided if the car keeps to its lane, does not take any risks when overtaking, steers and brakes by itself. The concept of carsharing will benefit from this and become more attractive to potential customers: They no longer have to find a car – the car will come and pick them up.

In order to reach the goals of automated driving in terms of traffic, energy and climate-friendliness, technological, legal and social action is needed.

Credit: Bosch

102_103

Connected cars will become personal assistants.

Autonomous driving – levels of driving automation To define and differentiate automated/autonomous vehicles, the levels of SAE standards (Society of Automotive Engineers) have been adopted. This international standard classifies vehicle automation under the following levels: Level 0 = No automation: Drivers steer a conventional car themselves.

Level 1 = Drive assistance: driving by individual driver assistance systems, the vehicle assumes longitudinal and lateral controls, the human driver monitors (for example, in parking assistance) Level 2 = Partial automation: the vehicle assumes longitudinal and lateral controls, the human driver has to intervene when necessary (for example, congestion assistant) Level 3 = High automation: long-term assumption of steering via the system in particular instances, the system recognises when the human driver should take over steering again (for example, automated driving on motorways) Level 4 = Full automation: long-term assumption of steering via the system in all instances, with no need for a human driver (for example, automated driving in the city) Level 5 = Complete autonomy: The vehicle moves from A to B in a targeted, independent manner, without any interference by a human driver in all conditions.

World Champion Austria

Credits: ÖBB/Harald Eisenberger (3)

Advertorial

The BMVIT takes the initiative and puts the focus on… ! … technology subsidies by providing funds for the erection of research and test environments, and for research and development in the field of autonomous driving. The BMVIT is investing 20 million euros between 2016 and 2018 for this. ! … the effects and experiences in order to tackle social and economic questions, and to define the next actions. ! … a dialogue between provinces, cities, research, the industrial sector and other stakeholders, in order to work on the introduction of autonomous driving with the goals stated above in mind.

Mobility of the future The connection of systems with sensors and cameras also helps public transportation, as public transport companies are better able to control and monitor their routes. In future, objects on the tracks, for example, will be recognised by drones when they check on tunnels, bridges and overhead lines. Poles and lines are monitored and foreign objects are identified immediately.

Travellers will benefit from a higher travel comfort, especially due to the access to real-time data. Digitalised railway stations form the basis for this as they are equipped continuously with WiFi; digital signposts, augmented reality and virtual reality apps will make travelling easier in future. There will also be advancements in the field of mobile communication. By the end of 2018, about 1,500 kilometres of Austrian railway tracks will offer better signals.

The busses, metros and tramways of tomorrow will also drive autonomously and have a better failure management, offer more safety, a lower energy consumption and a higher performance thanks to information technology. The BMVIT is therefore subsidising the project “auto.Bus Seestadt” in Vienna. The vision is to commence route service with an efficient, safe and self-driving bus to Seestadt Aspern in 2019. The new Viennese metro line U5, which will see partial operation start in 2023, will also be fully automated and controlled from a central control room.

First steps towards driverless trams are the new Flexity units in Vienna, which will be on the streets at the end of 2018. Thanks to an optical 3D sensor system, developed by the Austrian Institute of Technology AIT and the manufacturer, the trams will recognise other vehicles, people and objects in order to evaluate dangerous situations correctly and react accordingly. The BMVIT subsidises automation projects in its programme “Mobility of the Future”.

Aviation needs research The aviation industry is an internationally strong sector, which is unfazed by economic cycles, is resistant to crises, shows progressive growth and a high research intensity. About 11 percent of the aviation industry’s turnover goes on average into research, technologies and innovation. This is necessary, as the projected increase in air travel and transport will also see pollutant emissions and noise pollution go up. The demand for innovation is therefore very high.

In order to overcome these challenges and to meet the goal of having 15,000 staff and a turnover of four billion euros in 2030 (today: 9,000 and 2,2 billion euros), it is necessary to recognise future trends in time and to implement the right measures. The BMVIT’s subsidy programme “Take Off” gives the right impetuses in order to promote technological development in aviation and to accompany the Austrian aviation industry into the digital age. The Ministry will invest more than 50 million euros into Austrian aviation projects by 2020.

The “Take Off” project “TerminalAufSchiene”, for example, explores the possibilities of a feeder system connecting railways with the airport. Tasks that are usually done at the airport such as checking in luggage could already take place digitally on a train. The cockpit of the future will become accessible for people with special needs (as part of the project “Cabin4All”) and innovative: The seats will store body heat and use it for personalised holograms.

104_105

Digitalisation plays another important role for the Austrian aviation industry. Manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing demand more and more digital interfaces from their suppliers. Acting as a trailblazer in the fields of 3D printing, virtual assembling and testing can give Austrian suppliers a strategic edge over international competitors. The BMVIT also underlines the important position of the Austrian aviation research and industry for the added value with the online platform aeronautics.at. The website offers an overview of more than 300 technologies developed by Austrian companies. The centrepiece of aeronautics.at is a digital 3D model of an aeroplane that illustrates all components through an interactive search.

The significance of space research Weather forecasts, navigation systems, telecommunications, internet and TV work thanks to satellite systems. They are proof that space research takes up an important role in our lives. On top of that, space research helps to better understand climate change and it gives us a head start full of information on impending natural disasters such as floods or wildfires. Satellite data is also used to tackle social challenges such as traffic and safety.

The BMVIT has therefore adopted several initiatives to pay tribute to the significance of space research. Since 2002, Austria has its own space programme ASAP, the Austrian Space Applica-

European champion in electric cars According to the statistical office Statistik Austria, 4,674 electric cars have been newly registered in Austria in the first eight months since the start of the year. From January to August 2017, 3,619 purely electric cars and 1,055 plug-in hybrids were registered. This means that compared to the same period in the previous year, electric car registration has gone up by 50 percent. Austria is leading the EU ranking when it comes to new registrations of purely electric cars per person and is therefore the “European champion” in new registrations of electric cars. In order to make transport sustainably cleaner, the purchase of electric cars has received funding of 4,000 euros for private purchases and up to 3,000 euros for companies, associations and regional authorities since 1 March 2017. On top of funding for purchasing, charging infrastructure for electric vehicles also receives funding.

Electric car owners receive 200 euros for private Wallbox charging stations; publicly accessible charging stations will receive 10,000 euros in funding. The Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of the Environment and car importers will fund an electric mobility package with a total of 72 million euros.

tion Programme. ASAP has already overseen 600 successful projects and thus offers the research location Austria a strong basis to access international markets, global space cooperation and to strengthen the competitiveness. The programme supports Austrian companies and research facilities that are active in the research, development and application of space technologies. The BMVIT hands out eight million euros per year in subsidies for this. About 40 percent thereof are used for the development of applications that use satellite data. Today, more than 100 Austrian companies and organisations with more than 1,000 employees conduct space research and generate an added value of about 125 million euros.

The BMVIT represents Austria as a space ministry at the European Space Agency ESA, the weather satellite organisation EUMETSAT and the EU flagship programmes “Galileo” (navigation) and “Copernicus” (earth observation). In total, the BMVIT invests about 70 million euros per year into space research.

Austria is positioning itself internationally with core competences in three technological areas: thermic and mechanic subsystems for satellites and carrier rockets, electronics for controls and signal processing on board of satellites and subsystems for testing and operating satellites. Austrian companies took part in the construction of the European carrier rocket Ariane 6, for example, which will be put into operation in 2020 and serve as the main carrier system for European space flight until 2050. Satellite applications that were subsidised by ASAP are internationally recognised; a mapping contract of the European Environment Agency worth 3.5 million euros will be carried out in Austria, for example. And RUAG Space from Berndorf won a major contract for the thermal insulation of 900 internet satellites of US company OneWeb. The weather observation satellite “Pegasus” of the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt was launched in June 2017 and is already the third Austrian research satellite in space. “TUGSAT” of the Graz University of Technology and “UniBRITE” of the University of Vienna are circling earth since 2013. And in 2018, the Austrian space fleet will welcome its latest addition: Research satellite “OPS-SAT” was developed by the Graz University of Technology for the European Space Agency ESA. It will test new software that identifies sources of interference in space radiocommunication.

The year 2020 will see the launch of “PRETTY”, yet another research satellite by the Graz University of Technology and part of ESA’s global weather observation system.

Austria has also established itself as an international space location: The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) have both settled in Vienna.

World Champion Austria Advertorial

Credit: Schreinerkastler

Energy of the future Another field that will undergo massive changes due to digitalisation is the energy and environment sector. Increasing electricity consumption, electric mobility and independence from energy are topics that require smart system solutions. As more and more private households generate renewable energies we need power grids that allow electricity and information to not only travel in one direction.

In future, so-called smart grids will take care of this: They connect all elements of an energy system – photovoltaics plants, wind turbines, households, energy storages and distribution grids – via a communication network that allows for an efficient and affordable power supply.

The BMVIT contributes significantly to the development of smart grids. The Ministry has cofounded the technology platform “Smart Grids The Seestadt quarter in Vienna-Aspern is an urban smart city model.

Austria” and drafted the “Technology Roadmap nected IT to make them more energy-efficient and environmentSmart Grids Austria”. Furthermore, the BMVIT hosts the “Smart friendly.

Energy Systems Week”. Smart grid model regions receive monies The other goal is to ensure a higher quality of life for its inhabitfrom the Climate and Energy Fund for testing newly developed ants. As cities keep on growing, this will result in big changes in a smart grid systems. The village Köstendorf in Salzburg, for example, number of areas such as work, environment, traffic/mobility, living, researched whether electric cars could be used as energy storages education, infrastructure and citizens’ service. as there was an e-vehicle in every other garage.

With “City of the Future”, the BMVIT has a plan for urban changes and thus subsidises new technologies, technological (sub) City of the future systems and urban services for smart cities. The results are bearing The research and technology programme “City of the Future” has fruit: In 2016, “Aspern Smart City Research” won the global award two fundamental goals: One is to develop a smart, sustainable “Best Smart Project” at the Smart City Expo World Congress. energy system for cities and buildings with the help of intercon-

New storage systems In autumn 2017, Austria will have a national research agenda to develop efficient storage systems for renewable energy from wind and the sun, and to make national companies world market leaders in this technology by 2030. The Austrian Institute of Technology AIT will set up this research agenda under the guidance of the Climate and Energy Fund.

In future, Austria should be able to generate 100 percent of its electricity and heating from renewable energy sources. In order for this to happen, completely new storage systems are needed, such as efficient batteries, intelligent power lines and underground reservoirs. There are research questions regarding the security of the system’s stability and the quality of supply connected to the new forms of storage technology.

Secure digitalisation Physical and digital attacks on the infrastructure and its potential failure can have far-reaching consequences for mobility, communication and everyone’s personal life, and thus the entire society.

Conversely, digitalisation allows for a far more efficient implementation of security measures, for example during crisis and disaster management or for border protection.

Therefore, the BMVIT has launched its own security research programme “KIRAS” in order to support research that serves to increase the security of Austria and its entire population. The central principle of this issue is the close interleaving of technological research and social, cultural and other research in each project. A successful example for the “KIRAS” philosophy can be found in the project “Future Border Control”, which aimed to develop a prototype of a safe, efficient and user-friendly automatic border control.

This prototype was used successfully at Vienna Airport and triggered the follow-up project “FastPass”, which is part of the Euro-

106_107

pean Security Research Programme ESRP. Some elements of the project have already found its way into commercial use.

Another “KIRAS” initiative was the study “CybSiVerkehr” (cybersecurity for future traffic). In today’s quest of automating vehicles, transport systems are the be-all and end-all. Due to its complexity, functionality and connectivity, a vehicle’s infrastructure can easily become the target of a cyber-attack. The study evaluates various questions of cyber security during the development stage of transport systems and the effects of cyber-attacks on the Austrian society.

Technology transfer from research to the global markets The BMVIT set up the Department for Technology Transfer and Security Research, which aims to increase continuously the technology share in Austrian exports. Today, many Austrian companies are already world market leaders in various fields of technology, in particular niche applications for intelligent transportation systems, energy and environment technology as well as medical technology. High-end technology from Austria stands out with its quality, customised solutions and experience, which are without a doubt all decisive criteria when bidding for international projects. But when there are tenders for large infrastructure projects such as power plant expansions, hospitals and traffic solutions, other important factors come into play – and that is where the BMVIT helps.

In addition to regular measures such as support on a political level or individual coaching, the Department for Technology Transfer and Security Research offers the Austrian industrial sector efficient instruments in order to support their technology export projects – in particular if these are strategic projects. This includes foremost infrastructure cooperation treaties with foreign government authorities, which stipulate the implementation of concrete technology projects together with Austrian companies.

There are a number of advantages for the Austrian industrial sector when the BMVIT supports bilateral technology projects: ! Access to decision makers ! Finding a suitable foreign project partner ! Shorter and easier acquisition paths, which increase the chances of winning an international tender The target markets for the BMVIT’s technology transfer activities are in particular countries with a high economic growth and emerging markets (BRICS, South-East Asia, etc.), which need to comprehensively catch up in terms of their infrastructure (traffic, energy, health, communication, security etc.). Basically, the Department for Technology Transfer and Security Research becomes active with its technology transfer wherever the Austrian industrial sector is leading it. ◆ Pages 100 to 107 were written in editorial cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT).

Mission Innovation and model regions for energy At the end of July 2017, Austria joined the international research alliance “Mission Innovation”, which is made up of 22 countries and the European Union. The network’s aim is to work together with private investors connected to Microsoft founder Bill Gates to fight climate change and to drive forward the development of clean energy technology.

“Mission Innovation” is the next logical step following Austria’s leading international position in renewable energy and its active role in Europe’s Strategic Energy Technology plan (SET plan). Austria’s electric and electronics industry is greatly affected by the modification of the energy system and at the same time, is vigorously driving it forward with innovative products and solutions. Seeing as the industrial sector is implicated in this from the very outset, Austrian companies will gain a significant competitive edge and new export opportunities on the global future market. The transition to more sustainable technology will secure more jobs in the long-term and increase local added value.

Every year, the BMVIT provides around 100 million euros for

energy research. Over the next three years, the BMVIT will provide 40 million euros each to three energy model regions, in which Austrian companies will be able to test out clean energy technology under realistic conditions. This is how Austria was able to become a technology leader in energy efficient buildings.

The Austrian Institute of Technology’s Centre for Energy has many years of experience in energy research and in the development of new technological solutions in cooperation with the industrial sector. Through participation in “Mission Innovation”, national energy strategy and Austrian focal points can be brought together with international problems and therefore create a clear profile for Austrian technology on the world market.

In addition to Austria’s commitment, “Mission Innovation” intensifies cooperation with private initiatives, such as the “Breakthrough Energy Coalition”. This initiative sees 20 billionaires connected to Bill Gates investing at an early stage in clean energy technology, which is developed in “Mission Innovation” member countries.

World Champion Austria European Inventor Award 2017

Fighting Malaria Austrian biochemist Oliver Hayden has won the European Inventor Award 2017 in the category “Industry”.

Credit: Europäisches Patentamt (EPA)

One winner of this year’s European Inventor Award comes from Austria: Biochemist Oliver Hayden received his prize in the category “Industry” at the award ceremony in Venice. The European Patent Office (EPO) thus acknowledged the development of an automated blood test to detect malaria quickly and accurately – and thus achieved a milestone. The European Inventor Award is presented by the EPO to distinguish outstanding inventors from Europe and around the world who have made an exceptional contribution to social development, technological progress and economic growth. The winners were chosen by an independent international jury from a pool of more than 450 individuals and teams of inventors.

Steyr-born Oliver Hayden received his PhD in biochemistry at the University of Vienna and discovered data-driven analytics during postdoctoral research at Jan van den Boogaart and Oliver Hayden from Steyr Harvard University. He developed the automated masites of the genus Plasmodium, spread by mosquito bites – finding laria blood test with his colleague Jan van den Boogaart at Siemens these infectious organisms in blood samples remained a cumberHealthineers. In 2017, Hayden was called to take on the role of the some and costly process. The new method focuses instead on the Heinz-Nixdorf-Chair for Biomedical Electronics at the Technical destructive effects of the disease in blood cells, such as changes to University of Munich. the shape and density of red blood cells. Statistical analyses of thousands of blood profiles of malaria patients identified a set of 30 Information technology meets medicine parameters indicating the presence of the disease and translated “The automated testing of malaria could tilt the scales in the strugthem into a computer algorithm. This algorithm teaches malaria‘s gle against this deadly disease,” said EPO President Benoit Bat“data fingerprint” to a Siemens blood-testing device (Advia 21020i tistelli. “Their invention also highlights the benefits of looking at a Hematology System). problem from a completely different angle, and combining different The first automated malaria test is an invention that could fields such as medicine and information technology.” change the situation in particular in Africa. Nearly 86 percent of Malaria threatens half of the world‘s population and claims more infections occur there and the economic burden on countries is than 600.000 lives a year. Despite a quick and reliable diagnosis estimated at around 11 billion euros per year. being the key to fighting malaria, only about 10 percent of cases are The “data fingerprint” method could unmask other diseases as even properly diagnosed. But this could change thanks to Hayden’s well: Currently, the algorithms are fine-tuned for sickle cell anaemia invention, which takes a whole new approach. While scientists had and acute promyelocyte leukaemia (APL). ◆ already identified the cause of malaria in the 19th century – para-

108_109

RESCO Consulting GmbH Hauptstraße 151, 8141 Premstätten www.resco.cc, office@resco.cc Tel. 0043 (0)3136 52989

Welcome to RESCO Consulting GmbH

Austria awards 60 billion euros in public tenders Public tenders have become a major economic factor. The market for public tenders amounts to 18 percent of the domestic GDP. There are more than 800 public tenders per month from Austria alone: “Public tenders and also electronics tenders are becoming a major factor for the Austrian economy,” says ANKÖ Managing Director Alfred Jöchlinger to “World Champion Austria”. This becomes obvious, when looking at the volume available: Recently, public authorities awarded more than 60 billion euros, which equals 18 percent of the GDP. Building contracts saw the highest expenditures, followed by supply and service contracts.

Our goal is to protect people from various dangers.

Floods are one of the biggest threats to homes in both private and public areas.

Annually enormous damage occurs and the climatic conditions become even more difficult. Exactly for this problem, Mr. Helmut Scherkl has developed the RESCO System Block in many years of research.

The development of the early block has led to completely different protective functions. Our system is flexible enough to work in any setting, including mobile flood defences, which save property and lives. Whether road locks, check points, or camp walls the RESCO System Block protects lives.

The RESCO System is fast, uncomplicated… …and enormously versatile in application!

Businesses can make good use of this if they prepare themselves for electronic tenders as soon as possible, Jöchlinger says: “Electronic tendering has already become a reality.” Taking part in this process is quick and easy, if you have the right tools. Find new contracts from 2,500 daily tenders from Austria, the entire EU and other countries at Vergabeportal.at. Prove that you are an accredited company and make your offer electronically – easy, quick and efficient! e: office@ankoe.at, t: 01 333 66 66-0, www.ankoe.at

M-U-T Maschinen Umwelttechnik Transportanlagen Gesellschaft mbH Schiessstattgasse 49, A-2000 Stockerau Tel.: +43 2266 603 0 E-Mail: office@m-u-t.at

The disposal and preparation of different types of solid and liquid waste provide large logistical, technical and organizational challenges for cities and communes. M-U-T addresses precisely these issues and offers universal solutions from one source.

M-U-T is an international industry company with own planing, engineering, manufacturing, sales and start-up of machinery and plants in the sectors of conveying technology, municipal vehicles, water- and waste water technology, environmental technology as well as for the technical equipment for laboratory equipment for schools and universities.

Due to our trans-sectoral product range and a therefore big Know-How and experience for more than 80 years we are the only company in Austria and a pioneer in this complete solution competency in the terms of recycling economy.

ANKÖ Managing Director Alfred Jöchlinger

M-U-T - Technologies for a clean future. www.m-u-t.at

Austrian model companies

GEISLINGER – Advantage thanks to 60 years of experience Geislinger develops and produces torsional vibration dampers, torsionally elastic highly damping couplings, misalignment couplings and torsional vibration monitoring systems for diesel and gas engines. Geislinger is a globally leading expert in solutions to reduce torsional vibrations with 60 years of experience.

Geislinger products are used in ship construction, mining, railways, the oil and gas industry, energy generation and wind power, among others.

AMMAG: Your experienced and innovative plant manufacturer The Austrian company AMMAG specialises in spray granulation and bulk materials handling (conveyors, silos, big bag filling machines, dosing systems, mixing units and weighing systems). Clients from the fields of foodstuffs, chemicals and animal food use the experience and innovative capacity of the dynamic AMMAG production, engineering and R&D team. They make AMMAG a recognised industrial partner Europe-wide. In our pilot plant, we can test all process steps and develop new products together with our customers.

AMMAG GmbH Schüttguttechnik, Sprühgranulation Dahlienstrasse 11, 4623 Gunskirchen www.ammag.com, office@ammag.com 0043 7246 6408 0

Hallwanger Landstraße 3, A-5300 Hallwang/Salzburg Tel. +43 662 66999-0, E-Mail: info@geislinger.com, Web: www.geislinger.com

HOFMANN. 70 years of tradition Manufacturer of heat treatment plants for the automotive and aviation industry (aluminium and titanium) as well as the steel industry. Some of the world’s best-known companies are among our clients. Our export ratio is almost 85%. From the entire planning stage to programming and manufacturing – all from one source. You can count on HOFMANN quality. Nothing is left to chance.

Polytechnik Luft-und Feuerungstechnik GmbH A-2564 Weissenbach, AUSTRIA Tel. +43/2672/890-0, Fax: 890-13 offfice@polytechnik.at · www.polytechnik.com The Lower Austrian Company is one of the major suppliers of combustion technology systems for biogenic fuels and is renowned for the planning and supply of turnkey plants. Polytechnik offers these combustion plants with a range of performance of 300 - 30,000 kW. Warm water, hot water, steam and thermal oil are used as a heat transfer medium. The plants can be used to produce heating and process heat as well as to generate electrical energy (200 kW to 20,000 kW).

There are already more than 3,000 Polytechnik plants in operation all around the world; the export ratio amounts currently to more than 98%.

110_111

ILF Consulting Engineers Austria GmbH Feldkreuzstrasse 3 6063 Rum / Innsbruck AUSTRIA E-Mail: info.ibk@ilf.com Tel. 0043 512 / 24 12 - 0

Sunpor Kunststoff GmbH. Tiroler Straße 14, 3105 St.Pölten, AUSTRIA Tel. +43 (0)2742 291-0 · Fax +43 (0)2742 291-40 office@sunpor.at · www.sunpor.at · www.lambdapor.com Sunpor Kunststoff GmbH produces at its plants in St. Pölten about 230,000 tonnes of granulate for EPS plastics; 90 percent thereof are exported.

The main customers are the international construction industry (building insulation) and the packaging industry. Norwegian O.N. Sunde A/S owns 100 percent of the company.

ILF Consulting Engineers (ILF) consists of several internationally active, independent engineering and consulting firms with 50 years of experience in various fields.

More than 2,000 full-time employees develop convincing solutions for sophisticated clients at over 40 offices around the world.

ILF offers its clients innovative engineering and consulting services in the fields of Oil & Gas, Energy & Climate Protection, Water & Environment and Transport & Structures.

Industrie Informatik GmbH

Neuhofer Holz GmbH

Wankmüllerhofstraße 58 4020 Linz, AUSTRIA Tel: +43 732 6978 - 0 www.industrieinformatik.com info@industrieinformatik.com

Haslau 56 4893 Zell am Moos, AUSTRIA Tel.: +43/6234/8500-0 Fax: +43/6234/8500-34 eMail: office@fnprofile.com

Industrie Informatik is more than a software provider. More than 25 years ago, we committed ourselves to making a long-term contribution to the sustainable increase in efficiency of our clients. In accordance with the progressive digitalisation along the entire value added chain, we have positioned ourselves as a central hub and laid the foundations that allow Cronetwork users to consequently pursue the evolutionary path to Industry 4.0.

Safely productive – with Industrie Informatik!

Our family has been engaged in wood processing for 10 generations and 367 years.

Originating from a small timber-grinding and sawmill outfit in Zell am Moos, we are now a recognised supplier of profiles and accessories for floors, walls and ceilings to the international elite in our field of manufacturing.

FN Neuhofer Holz is a global supplier in 70 countries around the globe with an export ratio of 94%. The company employs 210 people.

The production capacity is currently at 125 million running metres per year; upon finishing ongoing investments and automation upgrades, this figure will rise to 165 million running metres per year.

Austrian model companies

J. Meissl GmbH MILESTONES

OF

Ellmauthal 40, 5452 Pfarrwerfen, AUSTRIA Tel: 06462/25100 E-Mail: office@meissl.com Internet: www.meissl.com

MOBILITY

fahr(T)raum GmbH Passauer Straße 30, 5163 Mattsee, AUSTRIA Tel. 06217/59232, E-Mail office@fahrtraum.at, Internet: www.fahrtraum.at Historic race cars are the centrepiece of the Fahr(T)raum Interactive World.

Discover the unique masterstrokes of technology from the brilliant engineer Ferdinand Porsche. From horse carriages to the Volkswagen Beetle, you will find automotive beauties that are even available for chauffeured trips. The state-ofthe-art simulators between the classic cars offer realistic high-speed experiences. Fahr(T)raum can also be booked as an extraordinary location for business events.

The name Meissl no longer stands only for various shapes of umbrellas and umbrella bars: Now there is also large-scale roofing and mobile windscreens. No matter how extreme the location and the loading may be – Meissl always finds a solution that does not simply convince owners and clients but actually excites them.

Today, about 50 employees give their all on 8,500 sqm factory space to always find an even better solution at the family business that was founded in 1976 and is currently managed by the second generation. No matter where you are in the world – you will always encounter Meissl concepts.

MK Illumination Handels GmbH Trientlgasse 70 6020 Innsbruck, AUSTRIA Mail: office@mk-illumination.com Web: www.mk-illumination.com MK Illumination creates tailor-made experiences that connect with people’s emotions through festive lighting, decoration and interactive worlds. Clever concepts, contemporary design, products with reliable quality and a diligent implementation allow the creation of a total work of art in public spaces, shopping centres or leisure facilities. We deliver decorative solutions for every occasion and in every size or scale with a local, regional and international background.

MK Illumination is a steadily growing company that is a trailblazer in terms of creativity, design, quality and sustainable solutions. Thanks to the skills and the experience of our staff in 36 independent subsidiaries around the world and the resulting closeness to our customers, we can offer extensive know-how.

EHG Ennshafen GmbH Donaustraße 3, 4470 Enns/Austria, Tel. +43 7223 84151-0 office@ennshafen.at, www.ennshafen.at ENNSHAFEN

! Anchorage for successful businesses ! Trimodal location (TEN-T Core Node) ! Central location for the economic area Upper/Lower Austria ! About 55 companies with 2,200 staff ! Neutral access to infrastructure ! All types of cargo handling ! Container terminal, RoRo terminal ! Available premises with excellent transport connections ! Office rental at the Logistics Centre Ennshafen

112_113

AME International GmbH Hietzinger Hauptstraße 46, 1130 Vienna Tel. +43 1 503 59 79, Fax +43 1 503 59 79 20 E-Mail: office@ame-international.com

AHT Cooling Systems GmbH Werksgasse 57, 8786 Rottenmann, AUSTRIA, Tel. 03614/24510 E-Mail: office@aht.at, Web: www.aht.at AHT Cooling Systems, a modern industrial company in the heart of Austria, is the world’s leading manufacturer of plug-in coolers and freezers for the commercial sector. Our company is at the top of its market segment thanks to an innovative product range and supplies many renowned supermarket and discount chains.

The entire production process is organised according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. This ensures that our company permanently meets the high standards that our clients expect from the AHT brand.

EUROPLAST Kunststoffbehälterindustrie GmbH Schmelz 83, 9772 Dellach im Drautal, AUSTRIA Tel. +43 (0) 4714 8228-0, Fax +43 (0) 4714 8228-20 verkauf@europlast.at, www.europlast.at The Europlast company was founded in 1995 and is part of the Italian group JCO Plastic SpA and is 100 percent privately owned. More than 100 employees use injection mould machines at Europlast to produce plastic containers for agriculture, the food industry and logistics as well as rubbish bins, mainly from the raw material HDPE. The company also operates its own recycling plant and fulfils orders for plastic injection mould components. Europlast exports all across Europe and the focus is on the production of large injection mould components of up to 50 kilogrammes on the largest injection moulding machines in Austria. Customers appreciate in particular the flexibility in order fulfilment and the short delivery times. In 2016, the company won second place at the Austria’s Leading Company Awards in its category.

AME International GmbH is a comprehensive partner in the field of health care with over 22 years of experience on an international level. As a total solution provider we unite know-how and competence in the field of health care technology projects and provide customer-tailored solutions for our clients. Our customers receive comprehensive concepts for the realization of their projects and are supported by our competencies at all stages of the project.

Our scope of service comprises: Project Development, Consulting, Financial Services, Implementation, Know-how Transfer, After Sales Service in the field of: Consulting & Hospital Engineering, Medical Package Solutions, eHealth Solutions.

Our technical expertise and project management capabilities are supported by a strong financial background and access to project financing.

World Champion Austria Companies introduce themselves

Gregor Rosinger prepares more IPOs in Vienna It is not only prophets who are (all too) often undervalued in their own countries. The same could apply to investors and capital market experts, for whom entrepreneurship runs in their veins. This is also the case for Gregor Rosinger. However, this is soon about to change...

Although CEO Gregor Rosinger works largely off the mainstream media’s radar, the Rosinger Group is one of the best-known, financially strong and influential players worldwide.

Nearly 120 percent But what about at home? This is where the Rosinger Global Investments Index*), which you cannot invest in via financial products, is performing the best. It has gone up nearly 120 percent in the last 33 months; Gregor Rosinger is used to leaving classic mainstream indices far behind when it comes to his investments.

At the same time, he also likes to focus on sunrise technologies.

The Rosinger financial group is therefore greatly involved in investing in company shares focussing on hydrogen technology and innovative energy concepts. “Be the leader, win the world. This is my motto, because we run the economy like a competitive sport.” This is why Rosinger has placed the Canadian company Ballard Power Systems with its enormous hydrogen know-how at the top of his “Rosinger Index”.

The first notable investment made by 51-year-old Rosinger (who originates from a “investors dynasty”) was in 1985 and many more have followed. He has been making investments since 1992 with his wife Yvette and recently also with his 24 year old daughter. German media described Rosinger as the Austrian Warren Buffet and others compare him to investment legend George Soros.

“That is certainly very nice but you can’t compare us, as we invest capital from our Rosinger Group and not other people’s

RMS at a glance “RMS Regional Mid-sized Safeguarding” was developed as a procedure method in 1991 and registered as a European Community Trademark* on 5 December 2014.

RMS provides established and regionally important mid-sized companies with investor capital, know-how and contact networks, in order to guarantee the survival of the medium-sized enterprise thanks to restructuring and/or internationalisation and globalisation 2.0.

Rosinger-Index vs. DAX; an increase of 117% has been achieved since 1 January 2017.

money. Seen from this angle, our approach is more akin to that of André Kostolany, with whom I was actually in contact for a long time. We act according to the ‘Regional Mid-sized Safeguarding’ (RMS) procedure model, which we developed ourselves. We are therefore able to gain a much deeper insight, just as Kostolany did in his time”. Based on extensive industrial experience from its own investments, Rosinger also knows from the world of consulting how to develop optimum and practical solutions.

“Our consultancy customers also benefit greatly from this, seeing as RMS is our second line of business. This is our favoured approach and one that we provide along with capital, know-how and contacts to try and develop or make a positive contribution to the business in question. It could be a limited company or a publicly listed company“.

More than 60 times to the stock exchange For 32 years, Gregor Rosinger has been involved in over 300 institutional capital market projects (most of them have been in countries of what is now the EU, in particular the CEE, Germany as well as the UK, including the Commonwealth countries of Canada and Australia). With his Rosinger Group, he has occupied up until now a significant and leading position worldwide in 61 stock market listings and IPOs.

Credits: Rosinger Group (3)

114_115

Gregor Rosinger looking triumphant... with his wife (as a “young industrial couple” in 1993)... and with his daughter.

About Gregor Rosinger Gregor Heinz Rosinger (born 12 April 1966) is the founder and mastermind behind the Rosinger Group, which along with significant German companies, among others, also owns the private equity firm Rosinger Anlagentechnik GmbH & Co KG with its headquarters in Schwanenstadt as well as its subsidiary company. Rosinger is the ad personam president of the interest group “Regional Mid-sized Safeguarding” and is

2019. Right now, the group “builds” corporations, which includes takeovers and vertical or horizontal integration of companies to broaden and expand the value added chains, mergers etc. At the end of the day, the respective business model has to be displayed in one sole stock company.

When looking at the well-known situation on the Vienna Stock Exchange (which has been praised by financial experts for its professionalism and excellent cooperative work), it is pure luck that such an internationally established player like Gregor Rosinger has become more deeply involved on the Vienna market.

Based on the signs being shown, it could be compared to the breath of life given to the Vienna Stock Exchange in the 1980s by investment legend Jim Rogers. Rosinger Group will continue to supply the stock exchange list of the Vienna Stock Exchange, which is something we can all be happy about.

also an influential member of several international organisations, such as AlphaZirkel. www.gregor-rosinger.at

The last two Rosinger listings **) took place in the last 15 months in Austria. Dr. Bock Industries, which has 1,800 employees, was the first to be successfully listed in the third market of the Vienna Stock Exchange on 14 July 2016.

Afterwards, the shares for Cleen Energy AG from Burgenland, which had its first listing on 20 April 2017, was listed on the second regulated market of the Vienna Stock Exchange. While Cleen Energy’s listing was celebrated in the local media, the listing of Dr. Bock Industries’ shares received almost no attention in Austrian mainstream media. In fact, the international media, such as Forbes magazine and the pertinent finance media seemed to celebrate this rather complicatedly put together listing even more euphorically.

These are the fruits of Gregor and Yvette Rosinger’s labour just as their series of successes in previous years with the number one award for best mid-sized company investors or their awards for e.g. best customised index or the 2017 European Business Award.

In the meantime, Rosinger Group has been working on more possible stock market listings (and potential IPOs too) for 2018 and

About the company Within the last 30 years, Rosinger Group has placed itself in the best position as experts in investment, consulting and entrepreneurship. The company operates on the international stage and makes up to a dozen deals every year, around half of them with its own capital. The consulting sector as well as several investment companies process the respective markets at the same time and present themselves as successful guarantors of regional mid-sized enterprises within the Rosinger Group, due to the synergy between both lines of business. Rosinger Group is particularly good at financing capital requirements abroad (e.g. CEE, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, India, China etc.) in cases needing restructuring, sales financing and succession solutions as well as financing in the fields of patents, brands and technology, which has an economic value exceeding the carrying amount.

*) Neither Gregor nor Yvette Rosinger nor Rosinger Group offer third parties the opportunity to invest in the “Rosinger Global Investment Index” or via derived financial products. Neither Gregor nor Yvette nor Rosinger Group recommend the purchase of any or all of the shares or other stocks contained in the index. Gregor and Yvette Rosinger and Rosinger Group expressly warn readers against replicating the index or the index composition and emphatically point out that all investments in shares or stocks carry a high risk of loss or total loss. **) The financial group Rosinger Group has been considerably involved in the entire process with a group corporation, which is also accredited on the Vienna Stock Exchange as a capital market coach, and had invested its own capital prior to the public offering.

World Champion Austria

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

Major Stocks listed on the Vienna

By HELGA KRÉMER

Agrana Holding

Andritz

1020 Wien, Friedrich-Wilhelm-Raiffeisen-Platz 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 211 37-0, www.agrana.com

8045 Graz, Stattegger Straße 18, Tel.: 43 (0) 316 69 02-0, www.andritz.com

AGRANA is an internationally oriented Austrian company, which adds value to agricultural commodities to produce a wide range of industrial products for the processing sector. With around 8,600 staff at 55 production facilities around the world, Agrana maintains a global presence and generates consolidated revenues of almost 2.6 billion euros. Agrana is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1991. The share of the Z&S Zucker und Stärke Holding AG in Vienna amounts to 78.34 percent of the capital stock; 2.74 percent belong to Südzucker AG and 18.92 percent of shares are in free float

The Andritz Group is an internationally active technology corporation located in Graz. The company employs 25,400 staff at 250 locations in more than 40 countries. Andritz is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment and services for hydropower plants (Andritz Hydro), plants for the production of pulp and paper (Andritz Pulp & Paper), rolling and strip treatment plants (Andritz Metals) and communal and industrial sold/liquid separation (Andritz Separation).

CEO: Johann Marihart Management Board: Stephan Büttner, Fritz Gattermayer, Thomas Kölbl Supervisory Board: Erwin Hameseder, Wolfgang Heer, Klaus Buchleitner, Jochen Fenner, Hans-Jörg Gebhard, Ernst Karpfinger, Thomas Kirchberg, Josef Pröll, et al.

CEO: Wolfgang Leitner Management Board: Humbert Köfler, Mark von Laer (CFO), Joachim Schönbeck, Wolfgang Semper Supervisory Board Christian Nowotny, Fritz Oberlechner, Jürgen Hermann Fechter, Alexander Isola, Monika Kircher, Kurt Stiassny, Georg Auer, Andreas Martiner, Isolde Findenig

Agrana Beteiligungs AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Andritz AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/3 – 28/2 AT0000603709 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 15,622,244 20.517 4 euros per share 12/7/2017 1,734.10 mln euros 10/7/1991

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000730007 ATX, ATX FIVE Common 104,000,000 21.494 1.50 euros per share 30/3/2017 4,712.80 mln euros 25/6/2001

AMAG Austria Metall

AT&S

5282 Ranshofen, Lamprechtshausnerstraße 61, Tel.: 43 (0) 77 22-801-22 05, www.amag.at

8700 Leoben, Fabriksgasse 13, Tel.: 43 (0) 38 42 200-0, www.ats.net

Austria‘s leading producer of primary aluminium and high quality casting alloy, rolling products that are used in aeroplane and automotive manufacturing, in the packaging and building industry, in machinery construction and for lighting and for sports goods. AMAG holds 20 percent of the Elektrolyse Alouette in Sept-Iles, Canada, which produces primary aluminium and has an exemplary life cycle assessment. In June 2017, Europe’s most modern aluminium rolling factory was opened in Upper Austria. AMAG is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since April 2011.

Founded in 1987, AT&S is the largest manufacturer of printed circuit boards in Europe today, and one of the leading manufacturers of high-tech printed circuit boards. AT&S operates in the business segments Mobile Devices & Substrates, Automotive & Aviation, Industrial, Medical and Advanced Packaging. Being an international growth company, it has production sites in Austria (Leoben, Fehring), India (Nanjangud), China (Shanghai, Chongqing under constructions) and Korea (Ansan near Seoul). The AT&S Groups employs about 8,750 people worldwide.

CEO: Helmut Wieser Management Board: Helmut Kaufmann, Gerald Mayer Supervisory Board: Josef Krenner, Hanno Bästlein, Gerhard Falch, Heinrich Schaller, Franz Gasselsberger, Otto Höfl, Patrick F. Prügger, Sabine Seidler, Franz Viehböck, Max Angermeier, Robert Hofer, Günter Mikula, Martin Aigner

CEO: Andreas Gerstenmayer Management Board: Karl Asamer (CFO), Heinz Moitzi (CTO) Supervisory Board: Hannes Androsch, Willi Dörflinger, Regina Prehofer, Gerhard Pichler, Georg Riedl, Karl Fink, Albert Hochleitner, Karin Schaupp, et al.

AMAG Austria Metall AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT00000AMAG3 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 35,264,000 18.288 1.20 euros per share 26/4/2017 1,757.90 mln euros 8/4/2011

1/4 – 31/3 AT0000969985 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 38,850,000 24.696 0.10 euros per share 25/7/2017 450.50 mln euros 20/5/2008

116_117

Stock Exchange BKS Bank

CA Immobilien Anlagen

9020 Klagenfurt, St. Veiter Ring 43, Tel.: 463 58 58-0, www.bks.at

1030 Vienna, Mechelgasse 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 532 59 07-0, www.caimmoag.com

Founded in Klagenfurt in 1922, BKS Bank opened its first branch in Styria in 1983 and in 1992 also in Vienna. The markets in Burgenland and Lower Austria were opened up in 2003. For years, the bank has been active on the Slovenian, Croatian, Slovak, upper Italian and Western Hungarian markets. Together with Oberbank AG and the Bank for Tyrol and Vorarlberg, BKS Bank makes up the 3 Banks Group. The focus is on small and medium-sized enterprises. BKS Bank is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1986.

The CA Immo Group divides its core activity into the business areas of letting investment properties and developing real estate. In both of these business areas, CA Immo specialises in commercial real estate with a clear focus on office properties in Central European capital cities. With 26%, Immofinanz is the largest shareholder of CA Immo. The remaining shares (about 74% of the capital stock) are in free float of private and institutional investors. Further shareholders who hold more than 4% or 5% respectively are unknown to CA Immo.

CEO: Herta Stockbauerl Management Board: Dieter Kraßnitzer, Wolfgang Mandlr Supervisory Board: Gerhard Burtscher, Franz Gasselsberger, Christina Fromme-Knoch, Reinhard Iro, Josef Korak, Heimo Peter, Karl Samstag et al.

CEO: Franz Nickel CFO: Hans Volkert Volckens Aufsichtsrat: Torsten Hollstein, Florian Koschat, Richard Gregson, Michael Stanton, John Nacos, Oliver Schumy, Stefan Schönauer, Sven Bienert, Klaus Hirschler et al.

BKS Bank AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

CA Immobilien Anlagen AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000624705 Standard Market Auction, VÖNIX Common 37,839,600 5.790 0.23 Euros per share 15/5/2017 662.20 mln euros 1/7/1986

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000641352 ATX, VÖNIX Common 98,808,332 15.362 0.65 euros per share 15/5/2017 2,218.70 mln euros 20/4/1988

BUWOG

Cleen Energy

1130 Wien, Hietzinger Kai 131, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 878 28-1130, www.buwog.com

7062 St. Margarethen, Eselmühle 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 2680 / 20 600-400, www.cleen-energy.com

The BUWOG Group, the leading German-Austrian full-service provider in the residential property sector, can look back on wide-ranging experience that covers around 66 years. The BUWOG Group owns a portfolio of more than 49,500 apartments. BUWOG also entered the new residential construction market in Germany with the acquisition of a well-known Berlin development company in 2012 and is currently working on a development pipeline of 4,942 apartments (as of 31 January 2017) in Berlin. In April 2016, BUWOG also took the step into the Hamburg market as a developer. BUWOG is listed on the stock exchanges in Vienna, Frankfurt and Warsaw.

Cleen Energy is considered the most important start-up in the field of sustainable energy efficiency in the German-speaking world. The business activities range from measures for energy efficiency for lighting and water-saving fittings to the serving of electricity and natural gas customers to energy providers. Cleen Energy offers an added value package with the switch to efficient LED lighting technology and other products that allow saving energy costs for electricity and gas. The company is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since April 2017 as the first issuer in the regulated outside market for two years.

CEO: Daniel Riedl Management Board: Andreas Segal, Herwig Teufelsdorfer Supervisory Board: Vitus Eckert, Klaus Hübner, Volker Riebel, Jutta A. Dönges, Stavros Efremidis, Markus Sperber, Raphael Lygnos, Carina Eibl

Management Board: Robert Kögl, Lukas Scherzenleher, Erwin Stricker Supervisory Board: Friedrich Habliczek, Heinz Herczeg, Michael Eisler

BUWOG AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

CLEEN Energy AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/5 – 30/4 AT00BUWOG001 ATX, VÖNIX Common 112,245,164 19.683 0.69 euros per share 17/10/2016 2,813.40 mln euros 28/4/2014

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000A1PY49 Standard Market Auction Common 3,570,000 87.706 – – 15.40 mln euros 20/4/2017

World Champion Austria

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

Do & Co

Erste Group

1010 Vienna, Stephansplatz 12, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 740 00-0, www.doco.com

1010 Vienna, Graben 21, Tel.: 43 (0) 501 00 - 10100, www.erstegroup.com

Do & Co was founded in 1981. By now, the company has turned into an internationally operating restaurant and catering corporation, which keeps expanding its business activities continuously and already has 30 locations in 11 countries across three continents. Do & Co operates globally in the business areas Airline Catering, International Event Catering and Restaurants, Lounges & Hotels. Missing out on the European Championships, highly negative currency developments and cost-cutting among airlines, particularly in Turkey and in Austria, gave the company a hard time of late.

Founded in 1819 as “Erste Oesterreichische Spar-Casse”, Erste Bank went public in 1997 in order to finance the expansion of its retail business in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, about 15.8 million customers in seven countries make Erste Group one of the leading banks in the growth region CEE. In addition to traditional banking products, Erste Group also offers a number of digital solutions; it is therefore considered Austria’s most innovative bank. Major shareholders of Erste Group are the trust Erste Stiftung, CaixaBank and asset manager BlackRock. 70.5% of shares are in free float.

CEO: Attila Dogudan Management Board: Gottfried Neumeister Supervisory Board: Waldemar Jud, Werner Sporn, Georg Thurn-Vrints, Christian Konrad, Andreas Bierwirth, Cem Kozlu

CEO: Andreas Treichl Management Board: Peter Bosek, Petr Brávek, Willibald Cernko, Gernot Mittendorfer, Jozef Síkela Aufsichtsrat: Friedrich Rödler, Jan Homan, Maximilian Hardegg, Elisabeth Bleyleben-Koren, Gunter Griss, Jordi Gual, Marion Khüny, Elisabeth Krainer Senger-Weiss, Antonio Massanell et al.

Do & Co Restaurants & Catering AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Erste Bank Group AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/4 – 31/3 AT0000818802 Prime Market Common 9,744,000 41.478 0.85 euros per share 31/7/2017 430.20 mln euros 30/6/1998

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000652011 ATX, ATX FIVE, VÖNIX Common 429,800,000 22.473 1.00 euro per share 23/5/2017 15,554.50 mln euros 4/12/1997

EVN

Flughafen Wien (Vienna Airport)

2344 Maria Enzersdorf, EVN Platz, Tel.: 2236 200-0, www.evn.at

1300 Vienna Airport, Postfach 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 7007-0, www.viennaairport.com

EVN arose as a result of the merger of the Lower Austrian provincial electricity company NEWAG with the natural gas and district heating firm NIOGAS. The company offers its 4.5 million customers electricity, gas, heating, water and wastewater as well as thermal waste utilisation. The Province of Lower Austria holds a 51% stake in the share capital of EVN AG. In spring 1990, 49% of the company was privatised and went public on the Vienna Stock Exchange. Furthermore, EVN’s stock is also on the US capital market as part of a Sponsored Level 1 ADR Programme (ADR = American Depositary Receipt).

One of the few listed airports in Europe positioned itself as one of the most important hubs for the flourishing destinations in Central and Eastern Europe thanks to its geographical location. In 2016, the number of passengers handled rose by 2.5% to about 23.35 million compared to 2015.

The Province of Lower Austria and the City of Vienna each hold 20% of shares, 10% belong to the employee’s private holding fund, 39.8% belong to Airports Group Europe S.à.r.l. and 10.2% are in free float.

CEO: Peter Layr Management Board: Stefan Szyszkowitz Supervisory Board: Bettina Glatz-Kremsner, Norbert Griesmayr, Willi Stiowicek, Philipp Gruber, Dieter Lutz, Reinhard Meißl, Susanne Scharnhorst et al.

EVN AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/10 – 30/9 AT0000741053 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 179,878,402 15.839 0.42 euros per share 25/1/2017 2,336.60 mln euros 27/11/1989

CEO: Julian Jäger Management Board: Günther Ofner Supervisory Board: Ewald Kirschner, Karin Rest, Bettina Glatz-Kremsner, Richard Grasl, Werner Kerschl, Lars Bespolka, Robert Lasshofer, Gerhard Starsich et al.

Flughafen Wien AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000911805 ATX Common 84,000,000 20.176 0.625 euros per share 2/6/2017 2,720.80 mln euros 15/6/1992

World Champion Austria

118_119

Companies introduce themselves

Number 1 in CEE with roots in Austria Vienna Insurance Group: Austria’s largest insurance company is a stable and reliable partner.

Success the Austrian way VIG represents a classic Austrian success story, explains Professor Elisabeth Stadler, Managing Director of VIG: “In comparison with many of our competitors, we conscientiously followed a very open path, building on local skills and trust. It is important to think globally and manage locally. We continue to capitalise on a multi-brand strategy with local entrepreneurship. In this way, we have a broad diversification of markets, products and distribution channels. This makes us less dependent on individual market changes.”

Facts & Figures

Credit: Sebastian Reich

First Mover In 1990, one year after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the first Austrian companies dared to make the leap into the East. One of those companies was the Vienna Insurance Group (VIG), which back then had three companies in Austria with a premium volume of roughly 1 billion euros. Today, this Austrian insurance group is still benefitting from the “first mover” principle. Nowadays, VIG operates in 25 countries with around 50 businesses and generates a premium volume of over 9 billion euros, making it the clear number 1 in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region and the leading insurance group in Austria.

„Thinking globally and managing locally is one of our management principles and parameters of success.“ Prof. Elisabeth Stadler, Managing Director of Vienna Insurance Group

Roughly 50 companies in 25 countries About 25,000 employees More than 20 million customers Premium volume of over 9 billion euros Standard & Poor’s rating of “A+” with a stable outlook VIENNA INSURANCE GROUP AG Wiener Versicherung Gruppe Schottenring 30, 1010 Vienna Tel. +43 (0)50 390-22000 www.vig.com

A stable and reliable image VIG has created a stable and reliable position for itself, following its motto: “We do what we know best”. This applies to its activities, which exclusively focus on the insurance industry as well as its investment policy, which for the security of its customers is very conservative. “Our positive financial performance clearly demonstrates our stability. You can truly count on us in every sense of the word. We view this as an important basis for being a reliable partner for customers and investors in times of dynamic change”, says Professor Elisabeth Stadler emphatically.

This can also be seen in the rating by Standard & Poor’s. VIG received an “A+” rating with a stable outlook and is therefore the company with the best assessment score in the ATX index on the Vienna Stock Exchange.

World Champion Austria

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

Immofinanz

KTM Industries

1100 Vienna, Wienerbergstraße 11, Tel.: 43 (0) 5 7111-0, www.immofinanz.com

4600 Wels, Edisonstraße 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 7242 / 69402, www.ktm-industries.com

Immofinanz is a commercial real estate company and owns around 4 billlion euros in real estate assets (excluding Russia) covering more than 230 objects. The core business includes the management and development of properties. The company currently focuses on the retail and office segments in seven core markets: Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Poland. Immofinanz is listed on the stock exchanges in Vienna (ATX index) and Warsaw. Since August 2017, S Immo also belongs to the Immofinanz core shareholders with 4.01%.

The KTM Industries Group is a leading European vehicle group with the core areas of High Performance Components, Vehicles as well as Design and Concept Development. The company’s focus is on the global sports motorcycle segment and the automotive high-tech components segment. With its worldwide renowned brands KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles, WP and Pankl, KTM Industries is among the technology and market leaders in its field. The Group has about 5,000 employees, more than 75% of them in Austria. In the first half of 2017, KTM recorded record sales of 110,000 motorbikes with a turnover of 758.8 million euros.

CEO: Oliver Schumy Management Board: Stefan Schönauer Bakk., Dietmar Reindl Supervisory Board: Michael Knap, Rudolf Fries, Christian Böhm, Nick J.M. van Ommen, Horst Populorum, Wolfgang Schischek, Larissa Lielacher et al.

CEO: Stefan Pierer Management Board: Friedrich Roithner (CFO), Alfred Hörtenhuber, Wolfgang Plasser Supervisory Board: Josef Blazicek, Ernst Chalupsky, Gerald Kiska, Klaus Rinnerberger

Immofinanz AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

KTM Industries AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/5 – 30/4 AT0000809058 ATX Common 1,052,525,375 18.082 0.06 euro per share 2/6/2017 2,226.10 mln euros 5/12/1994

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000820659 Standard Market Auction Common 225,386,742 10.788 0.03 euros per share 2/5/2017 1,086.40 mln euros 22/3/2004

Kapsch TrafficCom

Lenzing

1120 Wien, Am Europlatz 2, Tel.: 43 (0) 50 811-0, www.kapschtraffic.com

4860 Lenzing, Werkstraße 2, Tel.: 43 (0) 7672 701-0, www.lenzing.com

Kapsch TafficCom‘s principle business is the development, installation and operation of electronic toll collection systems for multi-lane traffic. Reference projects in 50 countries across all continents make Kapsch TrafficCom a globally leading supplier in the field of electronic toll collection. Being a part of the Kapsch Group, a family-run Austrian technology corporation founded in 1892, Kapsch TrafficCom has subsidiaries and representations in 33 countries and generated a turnover of 648 million euros in the business year 2016/17 with its 4,800 employees. This year, the Kapsch Group is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

Lenzing is the world market leader in the field of man-made cellulose fibres. The portfolio ranges from dissolving pulp to standard and specialty cellulose fibres. With more than 75 years of experience, the Lenzing Group is the only producer worldwide that offers all three generations of man-made cellulose fibres – from the classic viscose fibre and the modal fibre to the lyocell fibre – in large industrial quantities. In the first half of the 2017 business year, the Lenzing Groupp achieved record levels in both turnover and profit.

CEO: Georg Kapsch Management Board: André F. Laux (COO), Alexander Lewald (CTO) Supervisory Board: Franz Semmernegg, Kari Kapsch, Sabine Kauper, Harald Sommerer, Christian Windisch, Martin Gartler

Kapsch TrafficCom AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/4 – 31/3 AT0000818802 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 13,000,000 17.793 1.50 euros per share 14/9/2016 635.60 mln euros 26/6/2007

CEO: Stefan Doboczky, MBA Management Board: Robert van de Kerkhof, Thomas Obendrauf, Heiko Arnold Supervisory Board: Hanno Bästlein, Veit Sorger, Felix Strohbichler, Helmut Bernkopf, Franz Gasselsberger, Josef Krenner, Patrick Prügger, Astrid Skala-Kuhmann et al.

Lenzing AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000644505 ATX,VÖNIX Common 26,550,000 28.441 4.20 euro per share 27/4/2017 3,539.10 mln euros 19/9/1985

120_121

Mayr-Melnhof

OMV

1041 Vienna, Brahmsplatz 6, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 501 36-0, www.mayr-melnhof.com

1020 Vienna, Trabrennstraße 6-8, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 404 40-0, www.omv.at

Mayr-Melnhof is the world‘s biggest producer of coated recyclable carton boards with a growing position in fresh fibre cartons and Europe‘s leading producer in folding boxboards. The Group’s operations are entirely concentrated on the core business areas, which are managed in the two segments MM-Karton and MM-Packaging. The MM Group employed as of lately 10,000 people and generated a turnover of 2 billion euros. Mayr-Melnhof is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1994.

OMV is an integrated, international oil and gas company active in the upstream (exploration & production) and downstream businesses (refining & marketing including petrochemicals; gas & power). With a group turnover of 19 billion euros and around 22,500 employees in 2016, OMV is one of the largest industrial companies listed on the Austrian Stock Exchange.

In downstream, OMV has an annual refining capacity of 17.8 million tonnes and as of June 2017 has more than 2,000 petrol stations in 10 countries. In 2016, the daily production amounted to around 311,000 boe/d.

CEO: Wilhelm Hörmanseder Management Board: Gotthard Mayringer (CFO), Andreas Blaschke, Franz Rappold Supervisory Board: Rainer Zellner, Romuald Bertl, Johannes Goess-Saurau, Nikolaus Ankershofen, Guido Held, Georg Mayr-Melnhof, Andreas Hemmer et al.

Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000938204 Prime Market Common 20,000,000 18.672 3.00 euros per share 2/5/2017 2.269 mln euros 22/4/1994

CEO: Rainer Seele Management Board: Reinhard Florey, Johann Pleininger, Manfred Leitner Supervisory Board: Peter Löscher, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, Murtadha Al Hashmi, Helmut Draxler, Wolfgang C. Berndt, Marc H. Hall, Ahmed Matar Al Mazrouei, Karl Rose, Herbert Werner et al.

OMV AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000743059 ATX, ATX FIVE Common 327,272,727 25.359 1.20 euros per share 31/5/2017 15,169.10 mln euros 3/12/1987

Oberbank

Österreichische Post (Austrian Post)

4020 Linz, Untere Donaulände 28, Tel.: 43 (0) 732 7802–0 www.oberbank.at

1010 Vienna, Postgasse 8, Tel.: 43 (0) 577 67-0, www.post.at

Oberbank emerged from the “Stock Company in Partnership with its Consorts” founded on 13 April 1869 in Linz and named “Bank für Ober-Oesterreich und Salzburg”. In 1948, it became the Marshallplan-Bank (ERP Bank). The originally capital-based links between Oberbank, BKS and BTV developed into a joint approach under the banner of the 3 Banken Group. The three banks cooperate closely wherever there is synergy potential to be utilised, and their jointly held subsidiaries such as Drei-Banken-EDV Gesellschaft, Drei-Banken Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft and 3 Banken-Generali Investment-Gesellschaft all boast a particularly successful track record.

This cooperation in no way interferes with the three banks’ market presences as autonomous banking institutions.

Austrian Post is the leading logistics and postal services provider in Austria with more than 2 billion euros in turnover and about 21,700 staff. Its main business activities include the transport and delivery of letters, advertising mail, print media and parcels. The branch network with more than 1,800 own and third party run offices ranks among the largest private customer networks in the country. Austrian Post is also represented by subsidiaries in twelve European markets, particularly in the parcel and logistics segment as well as in unaddressed direct mail items.

Management Board: Franz Gasselsberger; Josef Weißl, Florian Hagenauer Supervisory Board: Herta Stockbauer, Ludwig Andorfer, Gerhard Burtscher, Wolfgang Eder, Barbara Leitl-Staudinger, Peter Mitterbauer, Barbara Steger et al.

Oberbank AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000625108 Standard Market Auction Common 32,307,300 3.561 0.65 Euros per share 22/5/2017 2,519.60 mln euros 1/7/1986

CEO: Georg Pölzl Management Board: Walter Oblin (CFO), Walter Hitziger, Peter Umundum Supervisory Board: Edith Hlawati, Edeltraud Stiftinger, Erich Hampel, Peter Kruse, Chris E. Muntwyler, Markus Pichler, Elisabeth Stadler, Herta Stockbauer et al.

Österreichische Post AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000APOST4 ATX, VÖNIX Common 67,552,638 16.269 2.00 euros per share 2/5/2017 2,532.50 mln euros 31/05/2006

World Champion Austria

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

Palfinger

Polytec

5020 Salzburg, F.-W.-Scherer-Straße 24, Tel.: 43 (0) 662 4684-0, www.palfinger.com

4063 Hörsching, Linzer Straße 50, Tel.: 43 (0) 7221 701-0, www.polytec-group.com

For many years, Palfinger has been recognised as one of the internationally leading manufacturers of hydraulic lifting, loading and handling systems. The company is considered a technology and innovation leader and is the world market leader in truck-mounted knuckle-boom cranes, timber and recycling cranes, hooklifts and cranes for offshore wind energy parks. The company has over 5,000 sales and service centres located in over 130 countries across all continents. With its 9,580 employees, Palfinger has generated a total turnover of about 1,357.0 million euros in 2016.

Founded in 1986 in Marchtrenk by Friedrich Huemer, the Polytec group now has 26 locations and over 4,500 employees and is a worldwide developer and producer of high-quality plastics parts. The company is a full-service provider in the field of injection moulding, a specialist in fibre-reinforced plastics as well as a manufacturer of original accessory parts made of plastic and stainless steel. This spans the complete process chain: from design, through to construction, production right through to Just-in-Sequence (JIS) delivery. The focus is on the production of interior, exterior and engine compartment components as well as functional and accessory parts.

CEO: Herbert Ortner Management Board: Christoph Kaml (CFO until 30.9.2017), Felix Strohbichler (CFO from 01.10.2017), Martin Zehnder Supervisory Board: Hubert Palfinger jun., Gerhard Rauch, Hannes Palfinger, Heinrich Kiener, Hannes Bogner, Dawei Duan, Johannes Kücher, Gerhard Gruber, Alois Weiss

CEO: Friedrich Huemer Management Board: Markus Huemer (COO), Peter Haidenek (CFO), Alice Godderidge (CSO) Supervisory Board: Fred Duswald, Manfred Helmut Trauth, Viktoria Kickinger, Robert Büchelhofer, Reinhard Schwendtbauer

Palfinger AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Polytec Holding AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000758305 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 37,593,258 21.828 0.57 euros per share 10/03/2017 1,469.90 mln euros 4/6/1999

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000A00XX9 Prime Market Common 22,329,585 23.006 0.40 euros per share 29/05/2017 356.70 mln euros 28/4/2006

Pankl Racing Systems

Porr

8605 Kapfenberg, Industriestraße West 4, Tel.: 43 (0) 3862 33 999-0, www.pankl.com

1100 Wien, Absberggasse 47, Tel.: 43 (0) 50 626-0, www.porr-group.com

The company structure of Pankl Racing Systems consists of three main divisions, Racing, Aerospace and High Performance. Pankl develops, manufactures and sells engine and drivetrain systems as well as chassis for the racing, aerospace and high performance car industries. The company stands out in these niche markets with lightweight components from high-quality innovative materials that have been built to withstand extreme mechanical forces. Today, the Racing Division is the international market-leading supplier for engine and drivetrain systems. Pankl supplies the market from locations in Austria, Germany, UK, USA, Slovakia and Japan.

Porr is one of Austria’s largest building companies and one of the oldest, having been founded in 1869. The company sees itself as a flexible full service building corporation that also offers project development as well as real estate and facility management. The Porr Group operates in all types of construction such as structural and underground construction, energy-related construction, road construction and tunnelling. Outside the company’s domestic markets Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Poland and the Czech Republic it is also active in CEE/SEE as well as Norway, Great Britain and Qatar.

CEO: Mag. Wolfgang Plasser Management Board: Christoph Prattes (COO), Stefan Seidel (CTO) Supervisory Board: Stefan Pierer, Josef Blazicek, Alfred Hörtenhuber, Friedrich Roithner, Harald Plöckinger

CEO: Ing. Karl Strauss, MBA Management Board: Christian B. Maier (CFO), J. Johannes Wenkenbach (COO) Supervisory Board: Karl Pistotnik, Klaus Ortner, Michael Diederich, Robert Grüneis, Walter Knirsch, Iris Ortner, Bernhard Vanas, Susanne Weiss et al.

Pankl Racing Systems AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Porr AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000800800 Mid Market Common 3,150,000 31.748 0.60 euros per share 3/5/2017 126 mln euros 15/3/2007

1/1–31/12 AT0000609607 Prime Market Common 29,095,000 43.461 1.10 euro per share 30/5/2017 685.60 mln euros 8/4/1869

World Champion Austria

122_123

Companies introduce themselves

Wienerberger AG, a global player in the construction sector, produces bricks for walls and facades, roof tiles, plastic and ceramic pipe systems, as well as concrete and clay pavers. Wienerberger is the only publicly held company listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange that has a free float of 100%. With a market capitalization of € 1,938.6mn and a weighting of 5% in the ATX as at the end of 2016, the Group ranks among the largest exchange-listed companies in Austria.

Net profit more than doubled in 2016 In 2016, Wienerberger generated record revenues of € 3bn, increased its EBITDA to € 404.3mn and doubled its net profit to € 82mn, thus demonstrating its ability to grow even in a challenging market environment. These achievements are the result of a clear strategy.

Innovation as the key to success Alongside investments and continuous optimization, the company focuses on organic growth through customer proximity, a profound understanding of its local markets, and innovative strength.

It develops solutions for the buildings and infrastructure of tomorrow, including energy-efficient buildings, environment-friendly pavers and safe utility networks designed for a long service life.

New materials, the efficient use of resources, and the recyclabil-

„We intend to seize development opportunities, strengthen our position as the innovation leader of our industry, and focus on the customer as the center of everything we do.“ Heimo Scheuch CEO of Wienerberger AG

Credit: Kurt Keinrath

Smart Solutions for Buildings and Infrastructure

ity of products are other areas of innovation. In 2016, Wienerberger spent € 14.9mn on R&D, which corresponds to 0.5% of the company’s revenues. During the same period, innovative products and system solutions accounted for 27% of total revenues.

Wienerberger is on track for future success. The Group’s targets for 2020 are to generate revenues of well over € 4bn and increase its EBITDA significantly above € 600m. www.wienerberger.com

World Champion Austria

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

Raiffeisen Bank International

RHI

1030 Vienna, Am Stadtpark 9, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 717 07-0, www.rbinternational.com

1100 Vienna, Wienerbergstraße 11, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 502 13-0, www.rhi-ag.com

RBI considers Austria and Central- and Eastern Europe its domestic market. 14 markets in this region are covered by subsidiary banks and the group encompasses numerous financial service providers in the fields of leasing, asset management and mergers & acquisition, for example.

In March 2017, RBI and its former majority owner Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG (RZB) merged to create Raiffeisen Bank International AG. 58.8% of the shares were retained by Raiffeisenlandesbanken and 41.2% are in free float.

RHI is the world market leader in heat-resistant refractory products and services for industrial high-temperature processes (above 1,200 °C). With roughly 7,500 employees, over 30 production facilities and more than 70 sales offices, RHI serves more than 10,000 customers from the steel, cement, nonferrous metals, glass, energy and chemical industries in nearly all countries of the world. RHI produces more than 1.5 million tonnes of refractory bricks, mixes, mortars and functional products per year.

CEO: Johann Strobl Management Board: Klemens Breuer, Martin Grüll (CFO), Andreas Gschwenter (COO/CIO), Peter Lennkh, Hannes Mösenbacher (CRO) Supervisory Board: Erwin Hameseder, Martin Schaller, Heinrich Schaller, Klaus Buchleitner, Eva Eberhartinger, Birgit Noggler, Bettina Selden et al.

CEO: Stefan Borgas Management Board: Barbara Potisk-Eibensteiner (CFO), Gerd Schubert (COO, CTO), Thomas Jakowiak (CSO Division Industrial), Reinhold Steiner (CSO Division Stahl) Supervisory Board: Herbert Cordt, Helmut Draxler, Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer, Hubert Gorbach, Gerd Peskes, Stanislaus Prinz zu Sayn Wittgenstein-Berleburg, David Schlaff et al.

Raiffeisen Bank International AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

RHI Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000606306 ATX, ATX FIVE, VÖNIX Common 328,939,621 34.809 1.02 euros per share 11/6/2014 38,856.70 mln euros 25/4/2005

1/1–31/12 AT0000676903 ATX Common 39,819,039 30.209 0.75 euros per share 10/5/2017 1,221.80 mln euros 7/10/1987

Rath

Rosenbauer

1015 Wien, Walfischgasse 14, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 5134427-0, www.rath-group.com

4060 Leonding, Paschinger Straße 90, Tel.: 43 (0) 732 6794-0, www.rosenbauer.com

Rath is a specialist in refractory technologies with an extensive product range of refractory materials for application temperatures of up to 1,800°C, supported by a comprehensive range of services. Rath has developed into a world-renowned supplier of leading-edge technologies for tailor-made refractory solutions. The Rath Group produces dense bricks, castables and high temperature insulating wool.

66.7 percent of shares are held by the Rath Holding Gmbh, 18.8 belong to the Rath family members and 14.5 percent are in free float.

Rosenbauer is the leading manufacturer of fire engines in the field of fire protection and disaster control. Offering a broad range of municipal fire engines and aerials, the latest fire fighting systems, equipment and vehicles for airports and industrial use, the full range provider records the most sales internationally in its segment. The publically traded family business is managed by the sixth generation and has been serving fire brigades for 150 years.

Management Board: Andreas Pfneiszl (CFO, CSO), Jörg Sitzenfrey (COO) Supervisory Board: Stefan Ehrlich-Adam, Philipp Rath, Karin Bauer-Rath, Dieter Hermann, Christian B. Maier, Andreas Meier

Rath AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000767306 Standard Market Auction Common 1,500,000 48.040 0.75 euros per share 07/6/2017 27.20 mln euros 20/12/1989

CEO: Dieter Siegel Management Board: Andreas Zeller (CSO), Daniel Tomaschko (CTO), Günter Kitzmüller (CFO), who will be replaced on 1 February 2018 by Sebastian Wolf, who has been working for Rosenbauer since 2008.

Supervisory Board: Alfred Hutterer, Rainer Siegel, Christian Reisinger, Rudolf Aichinger, Bernhard Matzner, Alfred Greslehner

Rosenbauer International AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000922554 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 6,800,000 24.717 1.20 euros per share 23/5/2017 363.80 mln euros 27/9/1994

World Champion Austria

124_125

Companies introduce themselves

Leading Bank in Austria and the eastern part of the EU The right business model Today, Erste Group is one of the leading banks in Central and Eastern Europe, the region with Europe’s most dynamic economic development. Founded in 1819 as the first savings bank in Austria (Erste österreichische Spar-Casse), Erste Group’s strategy has remained unchanged at its core for 200 years: The focus is on the financial needs of retail and corporate customers and on increasing prosperity in CEE. A strong local presence and group-wide cooperation ensure comprehensive customer service, no matter where the customer lives. Erste Group offers a broad range of transparent banking services to 16 million retail and corporate customers in about 2,900 branches in seven countries. The majority of customers live in the European Union – in Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia. In addition, Erste Group also has a small presence in Serbia.

Facts & Figures, first two quarters 2017 Customers: Employees: Branches: Net profit: Operating income: Total equity: Erste Group Bank AG Am Belvedere 1, 1100 Vienna

16.1 million 47,300 about 2,900 in 7 countries EUR 624.7 m EUR 1,289.3 m EUR 17.5 bn

Credit: Erste Group/ Toni Rappersberger

Erste Group is considered the most innovative retail bank in Austria and is one of the market leaders in its core markets.

Developing innovative banking in Austria In addition to traditional banking products, Erste Group offers a number of digital solutions through Erste Bank Oesterreich and the savings banks. More than 1.2 million people in Austria already use “George”, the only digital banking platform in the country having a plug-in store that will offer additional individual features from third parties. The digital platform “George” is being introduced successively in Erste Group’s other core markets.

Tel. +43 (0) 50 100-10 100 www.erstegroup.com

High capitalisation and growing business In the past years, Erste Group has continuously increased its capitalisation despite an economically challenging environment and constantly growing regulatory challenges. One of its strengths is the solid re-financing base – also thanks to the customer deposits in the subsidiaries.

The positive economic development in the core markets is reflected in the credit growth: mortgage loans are in high demand, for example. At the same time, the credit quality improved and the risk costs are at a historically low level.

World Champion Austria

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

S IMMO

Semperit

1010 Wien, Friedrichstraße 10, 5. Stock, Tel.: 43 (0) 50 100-27521, www.simmoag.at

1031 Wien, Modecenterstraße 22 / B1, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 79 777-0, www.semperitgroup.com

S Immo AG buys, builds, develops, rents, operates, renovates and sells real estate. The company invests exclusively in the European Union with a focus on capital cities in Austria, Germany and CEE. Around 80% of the property portfolio consists of offices, shopping centres and hotels; the remainder comprises residential properties. The strategic key shareholders of S Immo AG are the Erste Group and Vienna Insurance Group with 10% each. Institutional investors own 50 percent and private investors 30 percent of S Immo shares. S Immo owns 4.01% of Immofinanz.

Semperit develops, produces, and sells highly specialised rubber and plastic products: examination and surgical gloves, hydraulic and industrial hoses, conveyor belts, escalator handrails, construction profiles, cable car rings, and products for railway superstructures. The Semperit Group employs more than 7,000 people worldwide, including around 3,900 in Asia and more than 800 in Austria. The group has 22 manufacturing facilities worldwide and numerous sales offices. In 2015, the Group generated a turnover of 852 million euros and an EBITDA of 78 million euros.

CEO: Ernst Vejdovszky Management Board: Friedrich Wachernig Supervisory Board: Martin Simhandl, Ralf Zeitlberger, Andrea Besenhofer, Franz Kerber, Christian Hager, Michael Matlin, Manfred Rapf, Wilhelm Rasinger

CEO: Martinn Füllenbach Management Board: Frank Gumbinger, Michele Melchiorre, Supervisory Board: Veit Sorger, Patrick F. Prügger, Stefan Fida, Felix Strohbichler, Walter Koppensteiner, Astrid Skala-Kuhmann, Petra Preining, Klaus F. Erkes

S IMMO AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Semperit AG Holding Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000652250 Prime Market Common 66,917,179 17.556 0.30 euros per share 13/6/2017 864.60 mln euros 28/6/2002

1/1–31/12 AT0000946652 ATX Common 20,573,434 22.743 0.70 euros per share 30/5/2017 516.90 mln euros 27/9/1890

Schoeller-Bleckmann

Strabag

2630 Ternitz, Hauptstraße 2, Tel.: 43 (0) 2630 315-0, www.sbo.at

1220 Wien, Donau-City-Straße 9, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 224 22-0, www.strabag.com

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment (SBO) is the global market leader for high-precision components for the oil service industry. The business focus is on non-magnetic drillstring components for directional drilling. Additionally, the group manufactures drilling motors and drilling tools and offers its customers full-scale repair and maintenance services. SBO‘s operative companies are present in all major centres of the oil drilling industry and are independently operating local units.

SBO is the only company worldwide that operates both in the development of high-strength nonmagnetic steels for the oilfield industry and in the field for metallurgic processing and production.

Strabag is a European technology group for construction services – from design to planning, from construction to property and facility services, from operation all the way to demolition.

Starting from its core markets Austria and Germany, the company operates numerous subsidiaries in many European countries and increasingly also on other continents. Strabag covers the entire range of services (structural and civil engineering, traffic route engineering, special underground construction and tunnelling) as well as the construction value chain.

CEO: Gerald Grohmann Management Board: Klaus Mader (CFO) Supervisory Board: Norbert Zimmermann, Peter Pichler, Helmut Langanger, Wolfram Littich, Karl Schleinzer, Brigitte Ederer

CEO: Thomas Birtel Management Board: Christian Harder (CFO), Peter Krammer, Hannes Truntschnig, Siegfried Wanker Supervisory Board: Alfred Gusenbauer, Erwin Hameseder, Hannes Bogner, Thomas Bull, Kerstin Gelbmann, William R. Spiegelberger, Andreas Batke, Magdolna P. Gyulainé et al.

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Strabag SE Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000946652 ATX Common 16,000,000 33.489 0.50 euros per share 09/5/2016 947.20 mln euros 27/3/2003

1/1–31/12 AT000000STR1 Prime Market Common 109,999,997 15.354 0.95 euros per share 30/6/2017 3,942.90 mln euros 19/10/2007

126_127

Telekom Austria

Uniqa

1020 Vienna, Lassallestraße 9, Tel.: 43 (0) 50 664-0, www.telekomaustria.com

1029 Wien, Untere Donaustraße 21, Tel.: 43 (0) 506 77-670, www.uniqagroup.com

Telekom Austria AG is the leading communications provider in Central and Eastern Europe with about 23 million customers in eight countries: Austria (A1), Slovenia (Si.mobil), Croatia (Vipnet), the Republic of Serbia (Vip mobile), the Republic of Macedonia (Vip operator), Bulgaria (Mobiltel) and Belarus (velcom). The group employed more than 18,000 people in the business year 2016 and generated a turnover of over 4 billion euros. America Movil, the world’s third largest mobile telecommunications provider holds 51% of Telekom Austria shares; 28.42% are held by the Republic of Austria through ÖBIB and 20.58% are in free float.

The Uniqa Insurance Group is one of the leading insurance groups in its core markets of Austria and Central and Eastern Europe. The company and its 40 subsidiaries serve more than 9.6 million customers in 18 countries. In Austria, the company has a market share of 22 percent. In 2016, Uniqa started the largest restructuring programme in the history of the company: Over the next ten years, about 500 million euros will be invested into the restructuring of the business model, the equally necessary acquisition of staff expertise and the corresponding IT systems.

CEO: Alejandro Plater Management Board: Siegfried Mayrhofer Supervisory Board: Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer, Carlos García Moreno Elizondo, Alejandro Cantú Jiménez, Karin Exner-Wöhrer, Peter Hagen, Carlos M. Jarque, Reinhard Kraxner, Stefan Pinter et al.

Telekom Austria AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1 – 31/12 AT0000720008 ATX, VÖNIX Common 664,500,000 17.824 0.20 euros per share 16/6/2017 5,399.60 mln euros 21/11/ 2000

CEO: Andreas Brandstetter Management Board: Eric Leyers (COO), Kurt Svoboda (CFRO) Supervisory Board: Walter Rothensteiner, Christian Kuhn, Erwin Hameseder, Eduard Lechner, Markus Andréewitch, Klemens Breuer et al.

UNIQA Insurance Group AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000821103 ATX Common 309,000,000 20.415 0.49 euros per share 8/6/2017 2,580.20 mln euros 8/11/1999

UBM

Valneva

1210 Wien, Floridsdorfer Hauptstraße 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 50 626-0, www.ubm.at

1030 Wien, Intercell Austria, Campus Vienna Biocenter 3, Tel.: 43 (0) 1 206 20-0, www.valneva.com

Listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1873 – back then being the second largest brick producer in the Austrian monarchy by the name of “Union-Baumaterialien-Gesellschaft” – UBM is today a real estate developer. The company covers the entire value added chain: Rezoning, building permissions, planning, marketing, building and sales. UBM puts its focus on the three core markets Austria, Germany and Poland and the three asset classes Residential, Hotels and Commercial. The UBM management and its supervisory board hold 11% of shares, the syndicate Ortner & Strauss 38.8% and the remainder is in free float.

Valneva is a European biotech company focusing on vaccines and antibodies, striving to become a leader in its field. It was created in 2013 through the merger between Intercell AG and Vivalis SA, combining two value added chains – antibody discovery and vaccines development, and commercialisation. Valneva is a fully integrated vaccine company that specialises in the development, manufacture and commercialisation of vaccines. The company is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange and Euronext-Paris, and has offices in France, Austria, Scotland and Sweden with about 400 employees.

CEO: Mag. Thomas G. Winkler, LL.M. Management Board: Patric Thate, Martin Löcker, Claus Stadler, Michael Wurzinger Supervisory Board: Karl-Heinz Strauss, Iris Ortner, Christian Maier, Klaus Ortner, Ludwig Steinbauer, Paul Unterluggauer, Bernhard Vanas, Susanne Weiss et al.

CEO: Thomas Lingelbach Management Board: Franck Grimaud (CBO), David Lawrence (CFO), Wolfgang Bender, Frédéric Jacotot Supervisory Board: Frédéric Grimaud, Alain Munoz, Alexander von Gabain, Anne-Marie Graffin, Jim Sulat, Lisa Shaw-Marotto, Maïlys Ferrere (für BPI France SA), Ralf Clemens

UBM Development AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Valneva SE Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000815402 Standard Market Continous Common 7,472,180 18.828 1.60 euros per share 30/5/2017 282.10 mln euros 10/4/1873

1/1–31/12 FR0004056851 Prime Market, VÖNIX Common 77,582,714 22.429 – – 226.20 mln euros 28/5/2013

World Champion Austria

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

Verbund

voestalpine

1010 Vienna, Am Hof 6a, Tel.: 43 (0) 503 13-0, www.verbund.at

4020 Linz, voestalpine-Straße 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 503 04 15-0, www.voestalpine.com

Verbund is Austria‘s leading electricity company, one of the largest producers of electricity from hydropower in Europe and operates more than 100 hydropower plants in Austria and Germany.

About 95% of Verbund’s electricity comes from hydropower supplemented by wind power. As set out in the Austrian constitution, 51% of the share capital is owned by the Republic of Austria. More than 30% of the stock capital is owned by regional energy providers and less than 20% are in free float. Verbund shares are available in London as part of the European Quoting Service (EQS) and in the US as part of the ADR programme.

The Voestalpine corporation develops, manufactures and processes high-grade steel products all around the world with about 500 companies and business locations in more than 50 countries across all five continents, employing about 50,000 people. It is one of the leading partners of the European automotive and household appliances industries as well as the global aerospace, oil and gas industry with its high-quality steel products.

CEO: Wolfgang Anzengruber Management Board: Johann Sereinig, Peter F. Kollmann (CFO), Günther Rabensteiner Supervisory Board: Gerhard Roiss, Michael Süß, Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauß, Harald Kaszanits, Peter Layr, Werner Muhm, Susanne Riess, Jürgen Roth, Christa Wagner et al.

Verbund AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000746409 ATX, VÖNIX Common 170,233,686 22.709 0.29 euros per share 12/4/2017 3,035.30 mln euros 6/12/1988

CEO: Wolfgang Eder Management Board: Herbert Eibensteiner, Franz Kainersdorfer, Robert Ottel, Franz Rotter, Peter Schwab Supervisory Board: Joachim Lemppenau, Heinrich Schaller, Franz Gasselsberger, Hans-Peter Hagen, Helga Nowotny, Michael Schwarzkopf et al.

voestalpine AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/4–31/3 AT0000937503 ATX, ATX FIVE Common 176,349,163 19.492 1.10 euro per share 13/7/2017 7,485.10 mln euros 9/10/1995

VIG

Warimpex

1010 Wien, Schottenring 30, Tel.: 43 (0) 50 390-22000, www.vig.at

1210 Wien, Floridsdorfer Hauptstraße 1, Tel.: 43 (0)1 310 55 00, www.warimpex.com

The Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) is the leading insurance company in Austria and the clear number 1 in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, the group is represented in 25 countries by 50 companies with around 24,000 staff. In Austria, the Vienna Insurance Group is represented by the Wiener Städtische Versicherung, Donau Versicherung and Sparkassen Versicherung.

About 70 percent of VIG shares are owned by the Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein, the remaining shares are in free float. In addition, the VIG shares are traded as American Depository Receipts (ADR) on the US capital market.

Warimpex is a “hybrid” real estate company that develops and operates properties itself as an asset manager and property owner until the time at which the highest added value can be realised through sale. The company is specialised in the development and operation of hotel properties in Central and Eastern Europe: Warimpex has developed properties worth over one billion euros over the past 30 years and is currently active in CEE, Russia, Austria and France. Its shares are traded on the stock exchanges of Vienna and Warsaw.

CEO: Elisabeth Stadler Management Board: Franz Fuchs, Judit Havasi, Peter Höfinger, Martin Simhandl (CFO) Supervisory Board: Günther Geyer, Rudolf Ertl, Maria Kubitschek, Propst Bernhard Backovsky, Martina Dobringer, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell et al.

Vienna Insurance Group AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000908504 ATX, VÖNIX Common 128,000,000 16.689 0.80 euros per share 17/5/2017 3,173.80 mln euros 17/10/1994

CEO: Franz Jurkowitsch Management Board: Georg Folian, Alexander Jurkowitsch, Florian Petrowsky Supervisory Board: Günter Korp, Thomas Aistleitner, William Henry Marie de Gelsey, Harald Wengust, Hubert Staszewski

Warimpex Finanz- und Beteiligungs AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000827209 Prime Market Common 54,000,000 31.992 0.25 euros per share 3/6/2008 64 mln euros 26/1/2007

World Champion Austria

128_129

Companies introduce themselves

BUWOG Group: Happy Living!

The real estate company continues its path of success.

Credit: BUWOG Group/Studio Huger

The BUWOG Group is the leading GermanAustrian full-service provider in the residential property business and now looks back on 66 years of expertise. Its high-quality property portfolio encompasses approximately 49,500 units and is located in Austria and Germany. In addition to asset management (sustainable leasing and portfolio management), the entire value chain of the residential sector is covered by the sales (profitable sale of individual flats as well as properties and portfolios) and development (planning and construction of new buildings in Vienna, Berlin and Hamburg) segments. The shares of BUWOG AG have been listed on the Frankfurt, Vienna (ATX) and Warsaw stock exchanges since the end of April 2014.

BUWOG has started its fourth year as an independent company listed on the stock exchange successfully and was able to extend considerably its residential construction activities, which distinguish BUWOG from all other listed residential real estate companies in the German-speaking world. The BUWOG Group focuses its property development activities on the capitals of Vienna and Berlin, and since April 2016 on Hamburg, based on the strong demographic and economic parameters, long-standing experience and market knowledge. In all three cities, both owner-occupied apartments and rented apartments are being built for the company’s own portfolio. In total, the BUWOG Group is working on a string of more than 10,000 new apartments

and thus with a total investment volume of 2.9 billion euros. In the business year 2016/17, the strategy of constructing rented apartments for its own portfolio was intensified in Germany.

This allows BUWOG to drive organic growth and to improve the quality of the portfolio.

BUWOG has been carrying out its own development projects since its establishment in 1951. As a partner in the Austrian klima:aktiv pakt 2020, BUWOG Group is a pioneer in sustainable and energy-efficient construction and refurbishment.

In the business year 2016/17, digitisation took a big leap forward at BUWOG. The first result is a tailor-made tenant’s app for easier communication between BUWOG and its tenants in Germany. The BUWOG Group employs more than 700 staff in Austria and Germany, and has its headquarters in Vienna. www.buwog.com

World Champion Austria

_130

The top stocks on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 2017

Wiener Privatbank

Wolford

1010 Wien, Parkring 12, Tel.: 43 (0)1 534 31 -0, www.wienerprivatbank.com

6900 Bregenz, Wolfordstraße 1, Tel.: 43 (0) 55 74 690-0, www.wolford.com

Wiener Privatbank SE is a publically traded private bank with headquarters in Vienna and the first European SE Bank. It offers the classic services of a private bank such as private banking, asset management, corporate & investment banking, real estate products & services and private equity & financing funds. The shares of the Wiener Privatbank SE are listed in the Standard Market Auction of the Vienna Stock Exchange since 9 January 2007. However, due to the merger with Kapital & Wert Vermögensverwaltung AG, the first day of trading issuer dates back to 1992. The company plans to sell essential parts of its real estate activities within the year as part of a restructuring programme.

The company deals in the product segments legwear, ready-to-wear, lingerie, swimwear and accessories. Wolford products are available around the world in 60 countries in more than 270 own and partner-operated boutiques. The company with 1,570 employees is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1995 and recorded a turnover of 162.40 million euros in the business year 2016/17. In 2017, an investor is expected to enter Wolford as the majority owners – the founding families Palmers and Wilhelm want to sell.

Management Board: Helmut Hardt, Eduard Berger Supervisory Board: Gottwald Kranebitter, Johann Kowar, Günter Kerbler, Heinz Meidlinger, Peter Lazar

Management Board: Axel Dreher, Brigitte Kurz Supervisory Board: Claudia Beerman, Thomas Tschol, Lothar Reiff, Birgit Wilhelm, Anton Mathis, Christian Medwed (Mei-Pochtler has left the supervisory board on September 8, 2017 and takes part in the current bidding process for Wolford.)

Wiener Privatbank SE Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Wolford AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000741301 Standard Market Auction Common 5,004,645 44.570 0.80 euros per share 9/6/2017 55.10 mln euros 25/6/1992

1/5–30/4 AT0000834007 Prime Market Common 5,000,000 29.655 0.20 euros per share 19/9/2016 82.50 mln euros 14/2/1995

Wienerberger

Zumtobel

1100 Vienna, Wienerbergstraße 11, Tel.: 43 (0) 601 92-0, www.wienerberger.com

6850 Dornbirn, Höchster Straße 8, Tel.: 43 (0) 55 72 509-0, www.zumtobelgroup.com

Founded in 1819 and traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1869, Wienerberger can look back on a venerable history. Today, the company is the world’s biggest producer in bricks with 2,198 production sites in 30 countries, and the European market leader in clay roofing tiles, market leader in concrete blocks in Central and Eastern Europe and market leader in pipe systems in Europe. Wienerberger is a true public company without any core shareholders – all its shares are in free float. In the US, Wienerberger’s shares are available in the OTC market as part of an ADR Level 1 programme of the Bank of New York.

The Zumtobel Group is a leading global player offering innovative, high-quality lighting solutions and lighting components. Apart from the smaller brands acdc and Reiss, the company is divided into three internationally established brands: Thorn, Tridonic and Zumtobel. The company is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange and employed at the end of the business year 2016/17 6,562 people, recording a turnover of 1,303.9 million euros. The Zumtobel family holds 35.5% of shares, Lazard Freres Gestion SAS and Erste Asset Management hold more than 4% each. The remaining roughly 55% are in free float.

CEO: Heimo Scheuch Management Board: Willy van Riet Supervisory Board: Regina Prehofer, Peter Johnson, David Davies, Franz Josef Haselberger, Christian Jourquin, Myriam Meyer, Caroline Grégoire Sainte Marie, Wilhelm Rasinger

CEO: Ulrich Schumacher Management Board: Karin Sonnenmoser (CFO), Alfred Felder (COO) Supervisory Board: Jürg Zumtobel, Stephan Hutter, Johannes Burtscher, Volkhard Hofmann, Hans-Peter Metzler, Fritz Zumtobel, Richard Apnar, Dietmar Dünser, Kai Arbinger

Wienerberger AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

Zumtobel Group AG Business Year: ISIN: Segment: Type of share: Number of shares: Volatility (3 months): Last dividend: Ex-dividend date: Market capitalisation: First day of trading issuer:

1/1–31/12 AT0000831706 ATX, VÖNIX Common 117,526,764 36.202 0.27 euros per share 23/5/2017 2,103.70 mln euros 15/4/1869

1/5.–30/4 AT0000837307 ATX, VÖNIX Common 43,500,000 38.425 0.23 euros per share 31/7/2017 653.60 mln euros 12/5/2006

MARK & MARK

We develop values

As entrepreneurs, we focus on profitable opportunities.

We invest in our properties in order to develop values that will also support S IMMO in the future. www.simmoag.at/projects

Green ra

il logisti

Approx. 8,400 employees from 20 nations embody a new generation of logistics. We combine competence with passion and develop customised rail logistics solutions all over Europe. More than 110 million tons of freight are transported between the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea in an eco-friendly, safe and reliable way.

Rail Cargo Group: Your Partner in Europe. railcargo.com

cs