RHI at a Glance

Press release - Federal Minister Buchinger visits RHI production site Hochfilzen   04/08/2008

Erwin Buchinger, Federal Minister of Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, visited the RHI raw material and production site Hochfilzen yesterday.

Plant manager Thomas Drnek welcomed the Federal Minister and explained the characteristics of the refractories business, the global refractories market as well as the special achievements of the Hochfilzen plant and its employees. Following that, Mr. Buchinger discussed important aspects of an ongoing positive development of the production plant with plant manager Drnek, RHI personnel manager Andreas Berger, RHI central works council chairman Karl Wetzelhütter, and chairman of the works council Franz Reiter. Central topics included emissions trading, training of apprentices, the heavy worker regulation and jobs for disabled persons.

During an extensive tour of the plant, which included the areas rotary kiln, mixes plant and the workshops (RSC-T), Federal Minister Buchinger talked to several staff members about their current work situations and their requests and suggestions to political decision makers.

Last year, the Hochfilzen plant celebrated its 50-year anniversary. In recent years, production and staff figures developed very positively and reached record results in 2007. 83 employees currently work at the plant. In addition to final refractory products for the steel industry worldwide (the export rate exceeds 95%, exports go to 65 countries), RHI also operates a group-owned magnesite and dolomite mine in Hochfilzen.

RHI is the global world market and technology leader in high-grade ceramic refractory products and services. The Group employs 7,400 people worldwide (1,800 of them in Austria) and generates revenues in the amount of € 1.5 billion. The RHI share is listed as an ATX security on the Prime Market of the Vienna Stock Exchange.

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from left to right: Karl Wetzelhütter, plant manager Thomas Drnek, Maco Buchinger, RHI personnel manager Andreas Berger, Federal Minister Erwin Buchinger, Helmut Perterer (Municipal Councillor Hochfilzen), Franz Reiter, Manfred Obermoser (Municipal Councillor Hochfilzen).		from left to right: Karl Wetzelhütter, Franz Reiter, Federal Minister Erwin Buchinger, RHI personnel manager Andreas Berger, Maco Buchinger, plant manager Thomas Drnek, Helmut Perterer and Manfred Obermoser (Municipal Councillors Hochfilzen).