!!!Glasindustrie
Glass Industry: Around 1900, when automation processes were first
introduced in the glass industry, Austria played a leading role in
world glass production, with glassware exports 11 times as large as
imports ( Glass). While this predominance came to an end on account of
the First World War, the manufacturer of custom jewellery stones,
Swarovski, who had moved his production from Gablonz (now Jablonec nad
Nisou, Czech Republic) to Wattens, Tirol, in 1895, was able to expand
external relations owing to the company's sophisticated technology. In
all other fields of production supraregional arrangements during the
years of crisis sought to ensure the viability of Austria's glass
industry and its adaptation to technological improvements. During the
Second World War, the industry maintained at least part of its
independent standing and even introduced automated processes (though
limited to technological developments in Germany). During the war,
many glass factories were destroyed, so that the post-war period was
characterised by a considerable shortage of glass products. After the
war, new factories were founded, some of them in the course of the
take-over of glass factories by the USIA Administration as former
German assets; only few of the new enterprises survived. On account of
the political situation, glass-makers from Gablonz settled in Upper
Austria, assisted by the Swarovski company. The crystal jewellery
stone industry, which had seen a major upswing after 1918, saw a new
flowering and became the most important sector of Austrian glass
production. At the same time, immigrants from Bohemia who founded
firms in Austria boosted production of high-quality commercial glass.
Thus, the Riedel family founded a factory at Kufstein (1956), which
not only continued the glass-making tradition in that town, but with
sophisticated technological advances and outstanding designs won
numerous international awards and greatly contributed to the
reputation of Austria's hollow-glass industry.
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After the conclusion of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955,
reconstruction of the industry proceeded rapidly, and the years that
followed were the industry's most successful period. By 1962 total
production had increased by 52%, and the industry's trade surplus was
on the rise. The advent of self-service in commercial enterprises
boosted demand for container glass and triggered large-scale
investments. Despite further automation the number of employees
continued to increase.
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The petroleum crisis of 1973 caused production costs to rise rapidly
in this energy-intensive industry, which had in the meantime largely
converted its plants to petroleum and natural gas; as a consequence,
low-energy processes and improvements in tank construction had to be
introduced.
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Around 1980, the recession, growing international competition and
belated adjustments of the industry's workforce caused considerable
problems. Stoelzle-Oberglas, which had been formed in 1978 by a merger
of Austria's largest hollow glass manufacturers, had to be sold in
stages in the course of the 1980s, including Europe's most modern
container glass factory at Poechlarn.
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Today, the structure of Austria's glass industry differs greatly from
organisation patterns in other countries. The branch with the largest
output and highest export ratio is glass jewellery, glass for lighting
fixtures and gifts. Container glass production covers the entire
product range, while other branches concentrate on niche products;
window glass production was discontinued in 1977.
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Owing to its specific structure, Austria's glass industry generates a
trade surplus: in 1992 its exports came to approx. 70% of production
and exports exceeded imports by ATS 2.37 billion. The total
workforce was 8000. Total production was valued at approx.
ATS 9 billion (1992), to which the individual branches
contributed the following percentages: Crystal jewellery stones and
bijouterie articles 39 %, sheet, plate and insulating glass
21 %, container glass 18 %, glass for lighting fixtures
11 %, commercial glass and refining 4 %, other products
7 %.
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Chief locations of the Austrian glass industry: Tirol: Wattens,
Swarovski & Co; Kufstein, C. J. Riedel, Ti. Glashuette GmbH. -
Upper Austria: Braunau, Inn Crystal-Glass GmbH; Schneegattern,
C. J. Riedel Schneegattern GmbH; Kremsmuenster, Vetropack Austria
GmbH. - Lower Austria: Altnagelberg, Neue Stoelzle Kristall GmbH;
Poechlarn, Vetropack Austria GmbH; Stockerau, Tel Mineralwolle AG;
Brunn am Gebirge, Erste Oesterreichische Maschinenglasindustrie AG. -
Styria Voitsberg, Technoglas Produktions-Ges.m.b.H.; Koeflach and
Baernbach, Stoelzle-Oberglas AG.
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