Siemens to build Vienna’s “smart city”

Categories
General News

Siemens is to start building a “smart city” in Vienna which will be one of the largest urban development projects in Europe. Together they are supposed to explore ways of optimizing resources by integrating interactive communication systems, power grids and building systems. The 38.6 million Euro budget project is due to be located in Aspern, […]

Fine dust health check appeal issued

Categories
General News

A pulmonary specialist has highlighted high fine dust rates’ negative effects on humans’ physical condition. Sylvia Hartl told the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper today (Thurs) physically robust people would have less difficulties coping with the situation in eastern Austria’s industrial areas like Graz and Vienna these days. However, the expert warned that those who felt burning […]

Viennese surveillance camera scheme seen as success

Categories
Politics

Almost 2,800 surveillance cameras have been set up at council houses in Vienna in the past three years, city officials announced yesterday (Weds). Social Democratic (SPÖ) Housing Councillor Michael Ludwig said 2,769 camera systems were installed at the so-called Gemeindebau housing estates which have been subsidised and managed by the city since autumn 2008. The […]

Few Austrians own shares

Categories
Finance

The vast majority of Austrians have no interest in stocks, according to research. Pollster Imas found that 75 per cent of residents of the country had no intention to acquire shares. The survey also shows that just 13 per cent of Austrians hold participations in companies via shares and investment funds. The figure resembles results […]

British windfall for BAE bribery suspect

Categories
Business

An Austrian lobbyist who complained about not being given a comb and “decent” underwear in British custody has received nearly half a million Euros for his six-day detention in London.Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly’s lawyer Harald Schuster announced today (Thurs) British authorities decided to compensate his client with 430,000 Euros. The entrepreneur and lobbyist was arrested and kept […]

Tobacconist struck down with stun gun

Categories
General News

A clerk at a tobacconist’s suffered minor injuries when she was attacked by a robber with an electroshock gun.The criminal – who is being sought by police – asked the woman to unlock a glass showcase of lighters before striking her down with a stun gun. The 43-year-old bit the robber in the hand after […]

OMV and Zumtobel top staff branding ranking

Categories
Business

An energy sector group and a lighting systems manufacturer are tied for first place in a survey assessing how Austrian businesses use their homepages to hire the best-qualified staff.Milan-based corporate communications consultancy Lundquist announced today (Mon) oil and gas firm OMV and Dornbirn-based Zumtobel headed the first Austrian edition of its Employer Branding Online Awards.OMV, […]

Zumtobel shines as turnover jumps

Categories
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 […]

SBO snatches Dubai firm

Categories
Business

Oil industry equipment maker Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG (SBO) has taken over an Arabian rival, it has been announced.The global market leader, which is headquartered in Ternitz, said today (Mon) it had acquired a 100 per cent interest in Dubai-based Drilling Systems International Ltd. (DSI). A takeover price was not disclosed by the Lower Austrian […]

Thieves collared after fuel blunder

Categories
General News

Bungling crooks were arrested after tapping the wrong kind of petrol from a parked car.The Slovakian pair – aged 26 and 28 – stole three satellite navigation systems, four tyres and licence plates from parked cars in northern Burgenland before heading towards the Austrian-Slovakian border on Monday.They drilled a hole into a parked car’s sheathing […]