High-profile support for indicted OMV chief

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Business

A group of leading businessman has publicly backed OMV boss Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer who faces legal action for alleged insider trading.The entrepreneur, who has headed the oil and gas company since 2002, will be in court in January after the state prosecution decided to press insider dealing charges.Ruttenstorfer acquired OMV stakes worth 632,000 Euros in March […]

Free tickets for passengers of train stuck in tunnel for two hours

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General News

Passengers trapped in a crowded underground train for two hours in Vienna will receive nothing but tickets worth less than 30 Euros as compensation by the city’s public transport agency.Answer Lang, a spokesman for Wiener Linien announced today (Thurs) that the company had decided to offer the eight-day rider tickets costing 28.80 Euros to the […]

Doppelmayr satisfied despite less turnover

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Business

Michael Doppelmayr, head of transportation systems producer Doppelmayr Holding AG (Doppelmayr), has said he is “very satisfied” with the past business year.The internationally operating firm, which is based in the Vorarlberg town of Wolfurt, suffered a slight decline in turnover in the 2009/2010 business year from 615.7 to 603.2 million EurosThe company boss pointed out […]

Schlumberger set to sparkle as Xmas nears

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Business

Champagne and wine maker Schlumberger has said it is bracing for “millions of sales” as Christmas approaches.The company explained today (Tues) it sells “a few million bottles between October and December” compared to “a few hundred thousands” in other months.Austrian retail trade representatives said recently that they expected to take in three to four per […]

European building sector not out of recession yet, claims Swietelsky

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Business

The recession still has the European construction sector in its grip, a leading building company has warned.Linz-based Swietelsky, Austria’s fifth-biggest construction firm, said today (Tues) that it would give a “careful” outlook due to the “insecure situation” in the Eurozone. The term describes the 16 European Union (EU) members which use the Euro as their […]

AE&E follows A-Tec into bankruptcy

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Business

Austrian Energy & Environment (AE&E) has filed for bankruptcy just weeks after its owner A-Tec Industries AG (A-Tec) was forced to open insolvency procedures.A-Tec said it failed to find an investor for AE&E, which is its biggest subsidiary. The firm held takeover talks with Styrian company Andritz, Austrian businessman Ronald Pecik and a string of […]

Pecik exits AE&E takeover talks

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Business

Time seems to be running out for struggling industrial firm A-Tec Industries AG as potential investors keep abandoning negotiations.Austrian businessman Ronald Pecik confirmed today (Fri) he saw “no sense” in acquiring A-Tec’s subsidiary Austrian Energy & Environment (AE&E) because of its high debts and liabilities.This announcement comes after Hong Kong-based merchant banking company Mass Financial […]

Stronach to board Jetalliance

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Business

Austrian businessman Frank Stronach is set to become involved with a Lower Austrian airline, it has emerged.Jetalliance boss Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer told the WirtschaftsBlatt newspaper today (Thurs) he was “delighted” at having managed to win Stronach as an investor.The Kottingbrunn-based business charter aviation firm merged with Magna Air, a subsidiary of Magna International, 10 years ago.Stronach […]

A-Tec under fire by works council for ‘extreme expansion’

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Business

Staff representatives have criticised the “extreme expansion policy” of struggling industrial firm A-Tec.The company faces bankruptcy, and reports have it that A-Tec planned to get rid of its subsidiary Austrian Energy & Environment (AE&E) to avoid a collapse.A-Tec puts the dire state of the firm down to cost overruns on a project by AE&E in […]

Roche Graz staff face the axe

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Business

Hundreds of jobs in Austria are at risk as Swiss healthcare company F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Roche) plans to drastically reduce its costs.The internationally operating company said today (Weds) it planned to reduce its global staff figure by 4,800 or six per cent, adding that its target was to spend 1.8 billion Euros less a […]