Wienerberger manages recovery
Wienerberger AG the worlds biggest producer of bricks is back in the black.The firm headed by Heimo Scheuch said today (Tues) that it had earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) of 10.7 million Euros last year after a loss of 258.1 million Euros in 2009. Wienerberger added that its turnover declined by four per cent to 1.744 billion Euros at the same time.Wienerberger closed 31 factories and laid off 3,300 employees since the outbreak of the economic crisis in autumn 2008. The Vienna-based company promised today that it had no plans for further “restructuring measures”. Wienerberger currently employs 12,000 workers.Wienerberger is represented on the Prime Market of the Vienna Stock Exchange (WBAG). One share was worth 15.19 Euros at 3pm today. It is just one of four firms to have been continuously listed on the WBAG since 1991.German building company Monier took over the 50 per cent interest that Wienerberger has been holding in Lower Austria construction and roofing firm Bramac earlier this month.Part of the deal was a 40-million-Euro payment to Wienerberger. Monier also agreed to provide Wienerberger with a 25 per cent share in Styrian roofing company Tondach Gleinstätten AG. The agreement meant that Wienerbergers stake in Tondach Gleinstätten AG rose to 50 per cent.