25.08.2017
Minister Andrä Rupprechter host at the Pfeifer Holz in Imst
High level visit at the headquarter of the Pfeifer Group in Imst: Andrä Rupprechter, Federal Minister for agriculture and forestry was impressed by the Austrian timber industry company.
Rupprechter did not miss the chance to visit the company headquarters of one of the leading timber processing group in Austria in the framework of a quick visit in Tirol. CEO Michael Pfeifer and CTO Clemens Pfeifer drew an impressive image of the Pfeifer Group in the presence of the prominent guest. The group employees 2,000 people at eight sites in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic and lately has reached an annual turnover of 630 millions Euro.
DIVERSE POINTS OF CONTACT On the occasion of the visit, it was clear not just the level of performance of the traditional company of Imst, but also diverse points of contact between Pfeifer and the Federal Minister for agriculture, forestry, environment and water resources management. So Pfeifer ha received many awards as climate active company initiated by the Federal Ministry thanks to its exemplary sustainable climate protection measures. Also regarding round timber purchase, there is a prominent connection: the Pfeifer Group is one of the largest individual customers of the Austrian federal commercial forests.
Timber mobilisation as a challenge
In the framework of the visit of the Minister Rupprechter, among others also strategies for the mobilisation of timber reserves in local forests are discussed. In fact: every year more timber grows than the quantity that is cut, the timber demand is higher than the available offer because of lack of specific forest management. For the Austrian timber industry, this topic represents an equally crucial strategic challenge as the one of a generally sound forest management. Regular timber harvest and parallel reforestation are decisive principles for the sustainable forest care.
APPRECIATED BUSINESS LIFE-LONG PERFORMANCE The Minister had also the chance to make a guided tour in the most modern glue-laminated timber plant in Europe in the pasture of Imst. Rupprechter showed respect to the Pfeifer family: “It is an impressive business life-long performance that has been made by three generations of the Pfeifer family here in Imst. For Austria, these companies represent the backbone of the industry and the labour market, but also an immensely important partner of the many forest managers”, as said by the Federal Minister. The Minister delegation was joined by a high-level team of local politicians such as the mayor of Imst Stefan Weirather, town councillor Christoph Stillebacher, district governor Raimund Waldner and the regional chairman of the JVP Tirol Dominik Schrott.