Klausner to sell sawmills to Russian rivals, reports say

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Business

Struggling wood-processing firm Klausner is considering selling off its factories in Germany to a Russian rival, according to reports.Austrian newspapers report today (Weds) that the Tyrolean company, which is headquartered in Oberndorf, received an offer of 12 million Euros for its two sawmills in Landsberg am Lech and Wismar from competitor Ilim Timber Industry.Company bosses […]

Library to pay for stolen Jewish books

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General News

The Austrian National Library said it would pay 135,000 euros (164,000 dollars) for thousands of books in its possession that were taken by the Nazis from Jews during World War II.In a symbolic gesture, library director Johanna Rachinger handed over the books to the Austrian National Fund for the Victims of National Socialism at a […]

Magna founder eyes E-Cars and cattle breeding

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Business

Frank Stronach has revealed plans to move into forestry and cattle breeding as the Magna founder launched a scathing attack on American companies over the conditions they keep their herds in.Stronach said: “I’m planning to buy 20,000 hectares of woods in (the US state of) Florida. The climate is excellent there.”Speaking about his intentions to […]

Asamer takes the train as €8mn logistics centre opens

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Business

A construction material company awarded the “Sustainable Development Award 2010” will transport the vast amount of material produced at one of its plants via train.Manfred Asamer, head of Upper Austrian firm Asamer, said today (Weds) 80 to 90 per cent of the material won at the Roitham factory – or 180,000 tons of gravel – […]

Fabergé egg stolen as neighbours look on

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General News

Boldfaced robbers have stolen a Fabergé egg worth half a million Euros from an elderly couple’s house after they left for a flea market.Police in Theresienfeld, Lower Austria, said today (Tues) the crooks had told curious neighbours they had been ordered to pick something up while they loaded up their car with the 500,000 Euro […]

Horrendous car repair price gaps reported

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Business

Consumer rights watchdogs are up in arms over soaring price gaps at garages.Officials at the Labour Chamber’s (AK) Vienna branch said today (Tues) they have found out that some garages charge up to 110 Euros more than others for one hour’s work.A spokesman for the body announced: “We tested 39 car repair shops in Vienna […]

Three €600,000 drug mules nabbed at VIA

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General News

Vienna International Airport (VIA) custom officers arrested three drug couriers trying to smuggle illegal substances worth more than half a million Euros inside their bodies.VIA authorities said today (Fri) the suspects – a 35-year-old Spanish woman, a 25-year-old Spaniard and a 31-year-old man from the USA – arrived individually at VIA on a flight from […]

ÖVAG back in the black as search for partner continues

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Finance

Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) reports good business figures for the first quarter of this year after suffering dramatic losses in 2009.ÖVAG chief Gerald Wenzel said today (Fri) earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) soared to 21.6 million Euros after the bank had losses of 93.4 million Euros in the first three months of last year.He added […]

Government ‘spends €600,000 on Habsburg website’

Categories
Politics

The Austrian government has come under fire for allegedly spending more than half a million Euros on a website documenting the history of the Habsburg family.Austrian newspapers report today (Thurs) that the coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and People’s Party (ÖVP) invested 600,000 Euros in the creation of the homepage www.habsburger.net which does not feature […]

Cold winter serves up hot figures for EVN

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Business

Increasing demand for warm water and energy in the long extended winter helped energy provider ENV’s earnings soar.The Lower Austrian company said today (Thurs) earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) rose by 5.7 per cent to 194.4 million Euros in the first half of the 2009/2010 business year compared to the first half of the […]