North African unrest grounds AUA ticket sales

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Business

Austrian Airlines (AUA) has identified the upheaval in North Africa as the main reason for its recent decline in passenger numbers.AUA said today (Thurs) it registered a total of 649,000 customers last month, down by 1.6 per cent compared to February 2010. The airline said especially the number of tickets sold for flights to destinations […]

Rising oil price fuels SBO earnings

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Business

Oil industry equipment maker Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG (SBO) said its earnings improved by almost 75 per cent last year.SBO announced it achieved earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) of 49.4 million Euros in 2010, up by 74.8 per cent in a year. The Ternitz-based firm’s turnover rose by 22.3 per cent to 307.7 million […]

Kampusch dad files €130,000 compensation claim

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General News

The father of kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch is demanding more than 100,000 Euros in compensation from the Republic of Austria.Dietmar Heck, a lawyer representing Ludwig Koch, said today (Weds) his client suffered immensely during the eight years his daughter was kept by pervert Wolfgang Priklopil. Heck argued Kampusch could have been freed much earlier had […]

Porr may leave Hungary

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Business

Porr AG chairman Karl-Heinz Strauss has said the construction firm may stop operating in Hungary.The Hungarian government has criticised the quality of a motorway recently built by the Viennese company. Strauss pointed out today (Tues) that the problems were “of political nature”.The businessman said: “We may have to withdraw from Hungary. I think (the situation […]

Hypo Italia presents SME focus

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Finance

Hypo Alpe Adria Italia has revealed plans to expand.The bank, which is part of Austria’s Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA), announced today (Mon) it wanted to focus on offering services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in northern Italy. Hypo Alpe Adria Italia praised these firms as the “backbone” of the region’s economy. It added […]

Rare geese nicked from farm

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General News

Police in Lower Austria are investigating after two priceless geese were stolen.Officials in Kernhof near Lilienfeld said today (Mon) a farmer reported the loss of the two Red-breasted Geese this morning.A spokesman for local police said: “The farmer told us the geese were worth several hundreds of Euros each. They are a very rare vagrant.”Meanwhile, […]

Zumtobel shines as turnover jumps

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Business

Lighting systems producer Zumtobel AG has managed to improve its turnover by more than 10 per cent.The company, with its headquarters in the Vorarlberg city of Dornbirn, said today (Mon) it achieved a turnover of 908.9 million Euros in the first three quarters of its 2010/2011 business year. The firm emphasised this was a 10.2 […]

Cash transport robbery in Vienna

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General News

Armed robbers made off with hundreds of thousands of Euros when they attacked a money transporter crew last night (Thurs/Fri).The incident occurred in Vienna around 1am. The exact sum cash the trio escaped with is still unclear, according to police. Newspapers, however, speculate that the criminals – who were armed with guns – managed to […]

RHI delivered fire-proof performance in 2010, analysts say

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Business

Fireproofing products maker RHI AG’s earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) could have been almost 150 per cent higher last year than in 2009, according to analysts.Market experts said today (Fri) that the Vienna-based firm – which will present its annual business performance figures next Tuesday – may have achieved Ebit of 134.5 million Euros […]

Austrian income increase predicted

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Business

Salaries in Austria will rise this year, according to an internationally operating personnel consulting firm.Aon Hewitt said today (Weds) Austrian businesses would pay three per cent more to their staff this year than in 2010. Aon Hewitt spoke with decision-makers at 42 Austrian firms of various branches. Aon Hewitt stated around half a year ago […]