Windhager builds second plant – salzburg.ORF.at
business
The Salzburg heating manufacturer Windhager is significantly expanding its production capacities. A new plant and logistics center is being built in Pinsdorf in the Upper Austrian district of Gmunden.
The company wants to create an additional pillar there with the manufacture of heat pumps. The groundbreaking should take place in May 2022, completion is planned for mid-2023. At the same time, Windhager is also investing heavily at its headquarters in Seekirchen (Flachgau).
In recent years, the family company has specialized in the development and manufacture of heating systems for wood, pellets and wood chips. With the production of heat pumps, the company’s management will now expand its expertise in renewable energies. “Heat pumps are one of the fastest growing areas in the industry,” said Windhager Managing Director Stefan Gubi on Thursday of the Austria Press Agency (APA). In a first step, 40 employees are to work in the new plant, the employment of up to 100 employees is planned.
Double-digit millions for both locations
Windhager also wants to invest in boiler production in Seekirchen. This should be brought up to date with the latest technology by the end of the year. In addition to a fully automated boiler welding system, a new fiber / laser cutting system is to increase production capacities threefold.
In both Seekirchen and Pinsdorf, a “substantial double-digit million amount” was invested, said Gubi – without giving any specific figures. At the new plant, however, all modern technologies are to be used for the heating and energy supply of the building in order to do justice to the topic of “green technology”.
Strong increases expected in all
The company anticipates further strong growth in almost all of its markets in the coming years. In the Corona crisis, people benefited from the fact that people were investing more in their own homes. In addition, there were subsidies and incentives for politicians to get out of oil heating. “That helped a lot during the Corona period,” reported Gubi.
Windhager was founded in Seekirchen in 1921 and today employs around 550 people with two foreign branches and an international partner network. Production is currently carried out exclusively at the company’s headquarters in Salzburg.
100 million annual sales, 70 percent export share
The export share is around 70 percent. According to the company, sales in 2020 were 100 million euros, the financial statements for 2021 are still open. However, Windhager is assuming double-digit percentage growth for the past financial year.