Germans in Vienna | Deutsche in Wien | Bilateral Relations

Austria and Germany - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, investment, diplomacy, culture and tourism

Strabag Group Expands Range of Services with Structural Timber Engineering

The German subsidiary Züblin gains access to the field of timber construction through an acquisition.

December 23, 2011

Record-Breaking Start of Tourism Winter Season

Austria’s tourism industry registered 3.98 million overnights in November. Arrivals rose by 3.5%.

December 23, 2011

Lenzing Group and smartfiber AG Intensify Their Cooperation

The Austrian fiber manufacturer takes over production of two specialty fibers from its German cooperation partner.

December 21, 2011

VBAG Sells Insurance Segment

The Austrian Volksbanken AG sells its stake in Victoria Volksbanken to Ergo Austria.

December 20, 2011

Benko Relieved from Money Laundering Accusations

Investigations against the Austrian real estate investor will end soon, German newspapers report. Benko bids for Metro´s subsidiary Kaufhof.

December 20, 2011

Kaufhof-Deal Not Closed Before 2012

The two main competitors for the German retail chain are the Austrian real estate investor René Benko and the U.S. investor Nicolas Berggruen.

December 17, 2011

Plansee Group Sells PMG

The Austrian provider of metallurgically manufactured products sells the business division to a German asset management company.

December 16, 2011

Siemens Austria Expands in China

Siemens Metals Techologies enlarges its production facilities in China. Investments of $ 80m are expected.

December 14, 2011

AUA Sharpens Austerity Measures

The Viennese business location Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, has to become cheaper, says Lufthansa´s CEO Franz.

December 14, 2011

Kaufhof: Investigations Cause Delay in Sale Process

Suspicions of money laundering against the Austrian real estate investor René Benko prevent the take-over for the time being.

December 13, 2011

Vienna International Considers IPO

The Austrian hotel operator aims to be quoted at Vienna Stock Exchange in the medium run. Further growth is planned.

December 12, 2011

Infineon to Invest in Austria

In spite of the weak economic forecasts, the German semiconductor producer wants to invest further in the Austrian business location.

December 12, 2011

Immofinanz Sells Project in Germany

The Austrian real estate group sells its stake in a project in Düsseldorf in order to grow in Russia and Poland.

December 12, 2011

AUA to Strengthen Presence in Austria

Austrian Airlines, the subsidiary of the German Lufthansa, refocuses on the Austrian home market. Flights to provincial airports should be extended.

December 8, 2011

Kaufhof: Benko Offering € 2bn?

The Austrian investor decisively rejected reports that suggested this acquisition price. Metro’s CEO wants to obtain € 2-3bn.

December 8, 2011

Economic Stability: Austria Occupies Top Rank

According to a study by Allianz, Austria has the third rank among the EU countries.

December 7, 2011

Benko Confirms Binding Offer

Both Metro Group and René Benko´s Signa Holding confirmed that a binding offer for Metro´s subsidiary Kaufhof has been put.

December 6, 2011

Increasing Gap in Incomes

Although Austria´s Gini coefficient is relatively low, the gap between high and low incomes becomes larger.

December 6, 2011

Only Small Increase in Exports in 2012

After a substantial growth in 2011, OECD expects only a slight rise in Austrian exports.

December 6, 2011

Zumtobel Registers Profits Decrease

The Austrian light technology company reports an increase in revenues by 8.4% in the first half year. EBIT was down by 10.1%

December 6, 2011

Kaufhof: Benko Is Preferred

According to the seller, the German Metro Group, the Austrian real estate investor has good odds. Benko will submit a binding offer soon.

December 5, 2011

Hypo Group: € 3.0bn Debts at BayernLB

The nationalized Hypo Group is still massively indebted at its former holding company, the German BayernLB. The loan will be due by the end of 2013.

December 3, 2011

Porr Considers Capital Increase

In order to realize further growth, the owners of the second-largest Austrian construction company plan to raise the equity base.

December 3, 2011

Legal Success for Bank Austria

A Swiss court granted the bank’s appeal against an obligation to pay € 245m to a German public body.

December 2, 2011

New Savings Package for Austrian Airlines

The Austrian carrier will not receive financial support from its parent company Lufthansa. Staff reductions are not ruled out any longer.

December 2, 2011

Wiedeking Joins Benko’s Signa Holding

The German manager becomes a member of the Austrian real estate group’s advisory board.

November 30, 2011

Vienna Has the Best Living Standard

The Austrian capital defended its position as the city with the highest standard of living. It is followed by Zurich and Auckland.

November 29, 2011

Immofinanz Refinances Shopping Center in Poland

Two German banks arranged a € 210m facility for the Austrian real estate group’s Silesia City Center in Katowice.

November 29, 2011

Austrian Post Intends to Grow through Acquisitions

CEO Georg Pölzl wants to invest € 100m in Eastern and Western European markets. The dividend might be raised to € 1.65 per share.

November 29, 2011

Strabag Wins New Orders for Environmental Technology Division

The Austrian construction group secured new business worldwide. The total volume is € 110m.

November 29, 2011

Austria to Pay for Failing Kyoto

By 2014, Austria will have to pay penalties because of the missed Kyoto targets. Payments could amount up to € 1.0bn.

November 28, 2011

Benko Puts Pressure on Kaufhof

The Austrian real estate investor René Benko presents his growth program and wants to outbid his rival, the U.S. investor Berggruen.

November 28, 2011

Austrian Tourism Industry is Cautiously Optimistc

The Austrian Minister of Economic, Reinhold Mitterlehner considers that the tourism industry has learned to deal with an economic crisis.

November 28, 2011

Austria to Participate in Merkel´s Bond Plans?

According to the German Prime Minister Angela Merkel, triple-A countries should issue common “elite bonds”. Austria should take part.

November 28, 2011

Investigations Against Benko

The Austrian real estate investor Benko is suspected for money laundering. Benko denies and sees a link to the Kaufhof-deal.

November 26, 2011

Uniqa Plans Sale of German Subsidiary Mannheimer

The Austrian insurance group’s new strategy brings increased concentration on Eastern European growth markets.

November 24, 2011

Tourism Industry Looks Back on Strong Summer Season

Summer season 2011: Arrivals exceed 18 million mark for the first time; 64 million nights spent.

November 23, 2011

OMV to Sell Petrol Stations to Slovak Slovnaft

The Austrian oil and gas group OMV has already announced its downsizing strategy in the petrol station business. Slovnaft, a Slovak subsidiary of the Hungarian MOL, shows interest.

November 22, 2011

Strabag Confirms „Solid Outook“

The EBIT forecast of the Austrian construction group has been raised to € 340m. Net income is expected at € 185m.

November 21, 2011

CA Immo Invests in Munich

The Austrian real estate group purchased a 50% stake in the Skygarden project in Munich. The acquired property value amounts to around € 63m.

November 21, 2011

Kaufhof: Benko Has Good Odds

The Austrian real estate investor has high chances to acquire the German retail chain Kaufhof. The sale could be closed before Christmas.

November 19, 2011

Siemens Austria to Manufacture Trams Worth € 100m

The German technology group will build 40 new generation vehicles in Vienna, with parts coming from the plant in Graz.

November 18, 2011

AutoBank Achieves Further Growth

The Austrian specialist bank increased new business volume to € 59.6m. The operating result more than doubled and amounted to € 817,000.

November 18, 2011

Increasing Interest for Kaufhof

The Austrian real estate investor René Benko got another competitor. Now three tenderers in the sale process will participate.

November 14, 2011

€ 400m for Solar Power

Tauernwind, which has built a solar power park in the Austrian Alps, intends to expand substantially.

November 12, 2011

UBM Improves Results

The Austrian real estate development company presented a moderate rise in earnings. Sales remained stable.

November 12, 2011

ECO Business Reports Losses

The Austrian real estate company, which is listed at Vienna Stock Exchange, announces losses for the first nine months of € 6.8m.

November 12, 2011

CA Immo Sells Hotel Site in Berlin

The Europacity urban district, in which the Austrian real estate group owns a major part, is progressing apace. A first-class hotel will be opening in early 2014.

November 9, 2011

Lauda Leaves FlyNiki

Niki Lauda, founder of the Austrian Airline FlyNiki, sells his 50.1% stake to the German Air Berlin.

November 8, 2011

Benko to Acquire Kaufhof

The Austrian real estate investor René Benko plans to purchase the retail trade chain Kaufhof from the German Metro group.

November 2, 2011