Wienerberger to reduce new homes focus
Wienerberger CEO Heimo Scheuch announced ambitions to become “less dependant” on new home constructions.Scheuch explained today (Thurs) 80 per cent of assignments of the company the largest brick maker in the world were housing projects.The company chief also warned of a significant decline of business in the United States where he expected a maximum of 600,000 new homes to be built this year. Scheuch predicted a stabilisation of the new home building sector in Western Europe, but was less optimistic for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) due to high competition created by overcapacities.Wienerbergers annual turnover decreased by 25 per cent year on year to 1.82 billion Euros in 2009. The Vienna-based firm shut 31 plants and sacked 2,500 workers in various countries last year.