Jahresbericht 2001 - Fachverband der Stein- und keramischen ...

industrial construction and civil engineering
(+7.9%) as well as in bridge construction
(+5.0%) could not catch the breakdowns
with housebuilding (8.8%), with
road construction (8.2%) and with the
adaptations in the above ground construction
(4.4%) by far.
In 2001 no substantial impulses for a turnaround
of the economic situation were to
be expected from the public sector. Altogether
public investors spent 3.5 billion € –
around 2.5% less than 2000.
Both in the public foundation engineering
(total 2.2 billion €; –1.1%), and in the public
above ground construction (1.1 billion €;
–1.7%) a decrease was certifiable, which
was particularly salient with housebuilding
(–11.2%) and with the adaptations (–18.7%).
Clear growth rates are however to be determined
with the public industrial- and civil
engineering (+78.3%), tunnel construction
(+52.0%), railroad construction (+21.3%),
bridge construction (+8.0%), and with the
hydraulic engineering (+7.9%).
According to WIFO (Institute for Economic
Researches) the gross investments in buildings
were altogether around 2.3% smaller
in 2001 than in the previous year.
For 2002 WIFO expects another small
decrease (–1%) for the Construction Sector
despite the trade cycle-program of the
Federal Government; the situation should
stabilize in 2003 (+1.5%).
Building Materials and Ceramic
Industries
In 2001 the turnovers of the member-enterprises
of the Austrian Association for
Building Materials and Ceramic Industries
have – according to its own survey – decreased
with 1.25% to 2.73 billion €.
The general development was determined
by the negative trends in the construction
sector, which led to quantity and turnover
losses:
Partly fewer goods were produced, partly
fewer were sold.
Competition continued to intensify as a
consequence of the over-capacities on the
supply-side.
The occupational groups which are dependent
on construction works had to accept
altogether a loss of 2.4% (of 2.36 to 2.30
billion €) in relation to the previous year.
The occupational groups independent from
construction-activities (Fine Ceramics Industry,
Refractory- and Abrasives Industry) could
increase their turnovers by altogether 5.5%
(from 400.8 millions € to 422.8 millions €).
But the turnovers of these occupational
groups only amount to 14.7% of total members-sales
of the Austrian Association for
Building Materials and Ceramic Industries
Reasons for results
Besides the general economic situation it is the
strongly declining number of the building permits
since 1997 which has to be taken into
account. Enterprises of small and middle sizes,
which are dependent on the above ground
construction, have more and more difficulties
to through-dip to the next upward trend.
Further reasons for the results are the reduced
investment-activities of the public investors
in the field of above ground construction
and hydraulic engineering due to
savings for the reaching of the "Zero-deficit".
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