AUSTRIA NEWS · Swarovski Optik, producer of precision optical instruments; Tyrolit, producer of...
Transcript of AUSTRIA NEWS · Swarovski Optik, producer of precision optical instruments; Tyrolit, producer of...
AUSTRIA NEWS ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
3/2016
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EDITORIAL
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
2/10
Dear Partners and Friends,
I hope you all had a good summer and got back to work with enough
energy to tackle the economic challenges ahead of us. Times are
difficult in most of Subsaharan Africa. With the low global prices for
natural resources, countries that are dependent on their exports have
seen a significant decline in their incomes. Some countries are hit
harder than others, especially the ones whose economies are least
diversified. In Nigeria companies are struggling to source foreign
exchange to buy raw materials or make investments in machinery. GDP
growth has turned negative and inflation is running high.
At times like these my job is especially difficult. Austrian companies
have seen a significant decrease in business activity with Nigeria and
some of the countries our office covers over the last year. Nevertheless,
we believe that this is the time when meaningful partnerships are being built. While some might leave
the continent to look for opportunities elsewhere, we encourage Austrian companies to enter Nigeria
and its neighboring markets now. Partnerships with distributors, representatives and clients that are
established now will yield results in the future when the economy has recovered. Especially as major
markets like Nigeria are looking at diversifying their economy and investing in their infrastructure and
production capacities. Austrian companies are not known to jump ship when times are difficult. They
are renowned for their reliability and continuity. They will support their partners through difficult
times.
We are thus putting even more efforts into promoting Nigeria and the entire West- and Central African
market and believe that the current challenging situation will have a positive effect on the medium to
long term by turning resource driven economies into global manufacturing hubs.
Read more about our companies and our activities on the following pages.
Nella Hengstler
Commercial Counsellor
Austrian Embassy Nigeria – Commercial Section Lagos
NEWS FROM AUSTRIA
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
3/10
DANGOTE FOUNDATION’S CEO AND UNIDO‘S FORMER DIRECTOR GENERAL SPEAK AT
EVENT IN VIENNA
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, the Foreign Trade Promotion Organisation of the Austrian Federal Economic
Chamber, organized an event titled „Do we need a Marshall
Plan for Africa?”, which took place in Vienna on September
5th, 2016. This High-Level Forum discussed the role of
Business & Development at the interface of multilateral
development institutions, international financial institutions
and the business community.
Special Guest Speakers included Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou,
CEO, Dangote Foundation, Nigeria and Mr. Kandeh Yumkella,
Former Director General, UNIDO, CEO SE4ALL and current
Presidential Candidate, Sierra Leone.
Their invaluable experience and expertise in their respective
fields was well sought after and one of the highlights at the
maiden edition of the forum.
The event intended to stimulate discussion on such issues as how Business & Development can
contribute to a robust and sustainable development in Africa, and what role the private sector should
play in African countries. This Forum brought together high-level representatives from business,
finance, the international development community and politics in Africa and the EU.
RED BULL AND SWAROVSKI - AUSTRIA'S TOP BRANDS
The energy drink Red Bull remains Austria's most valuable brand by a significant
margin.
With a brand value of EUR 15.1 bn (+2%), Red Bull
remains unchallenged at the top of the latest ranking
by the European Brand Institute. Red Bull was
founded in the mid 1980s, is now available in more
than 169 countries and an estimated 60 billion cans
have been consumed so far.
In second place by a considerable margin comes the Tyrolean
crystal producer Swarovski, achieving a rise of 5.3% in brand value
to EUR 3.4 bn, the strongest growth recorded by any Austrian
brand. Swarovski originates from the small town of Wattens, high
in the Austrian Alps. The Swarovski Group now comprises of
Swarovski Optik, producer of precision optical instruments; Tyrolit,
producer of grinding, sawing, drilling, & dressing tools; and the Swarovski Crystal Business.
Gaming group Novomatic whose brand is worth EUR 2.9 bn (+3.2%), is third in the ranking.
The European Brand Institute evaluates the most valuable brands every year. The Top 10 in the
Austrian brand value study 2016 represented a brand value totalling EUR 32 bn (+0,9%).
© WKO
© Swarovski
© Red Bull
LOCAL NEWS
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
4/10
EASIER VISA APPLCATIONS FOR AUSTRIA THROUGH VFS
The Austrian Embassy in Abuja recently signed an agreement with the Visa Facilitation Service (VFS).
With immediate effect, travellers who intend to visit Austria have the option to submit their visa
applications at the offices of VFS in Lagos or Abuja without having to book an appointment in advance.
VFS facilitates the submission of visa applications including taking finger prints and forwards
applications to the Austrian Embassy in Abuja for further processing.
For more details please visit the VFS website here.
Countries covered by the Austrian Embassy in Abuja include Benin, Cameroon, Central African
Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Togo.
Schengen visa applicants, living in the following countries covered by the Austrian Embassy in Abuja
can also apply for a visa at:
Ghana: Dutch Embassy in Accra
Cameroon: Belgian Embassy in Yaoundé
Equatorial Guinea: Spanish Embassy in Malabo
São Tomé and Príncipe: Portuguese Embassy in São Tomé
Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, Togo: French Embassy in each respective country
For other countries covered by the Austrian Embassy - Commercial Section, Lagos:
Congo Republic: French Embassy in Brazzaville
Liberia, Sierra Leone: Austrian Embassy in Dakar
Democratic Republic of Congo: Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa
Applications at each one of these Embassies are subject to the regulations and procedures of the
respective Embassy. The Austrian Embassy, Abuja therefore recommends contacting these
Embassies directly.
For more information please download the Austrian Embassy's Visa Information Guide.
CHANGE OF HEAD OF MISSION AT THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY IN ABUJA
At the end of July, Ambassador Joachim Öppinger completed his mission
to Nigeria and left the country to take up his new post in Chile. We would
like to express our cordial gratitude to Ambassador Öppinger for the
excellent co-operation over the past few years.
His successor, Mr. Werner Senfter, arrived in Abuja in the beginning of
August. Before coming to Nigeria, Ambassador Senfter worked as Deputy
Inspector General at the Austrian Foreign Ministry. His previous postings
abroad included the former Yugoslavia, China and the Netherlands.
We look forward to welcoming Ambassador Senfter on his first visit to
Lagos .
LOCAL NEWS
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
5/10
ANTON PAAR - WORLD LEADER ENSURING THE QUALITY OF LOCAL BEVERAGES AND LUBRICANTS
Anton Paar produces high-end measuring and laboratory instruments for industry and research which
are used in different sectors of the Nigerian and West African economies in areas such as the
beverages industry, petroleum sector particularly in the lubricant industry as well as in material
characterization.
It is the world leader in the measurement of density, concentration and CO2 and in the field of
rheometry, viscometry, sample preparation, microwave synthesis, petroleum testing and high –
precision temperature measurement amongst others.
For the past 12 years the local agent Winelight Anaytical has developed a mutually beneficial and
increasingly expanding relationship with local manufacturers promoting Austrian technology and
expertise in the sub region.
To find out more about the companies please visit the websites for Anton Paar and Winelight
Analytics.
AUSTRIAN RESUMES POSITION AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA
Nigeria’s largest construction company which took up operations as a then German owned company
in 1965 with the construction of the Eko Bridge in Lagos has been headed by Wolfgang Goetsch from
2007 to 2014. Mr. Goetsch is an Austrian national who, after studying civil engineering at the University
in Innsbruck, got his first work experience at a large construction
site in Tyrol. After completion
of this assignement his desire
was to work internationally. He
joined Julius Berger Nigeria in
1991 together with his Austrian
wife Lisa. They both fell in love
with the country and its people
and decided to stay and
continue to work at JBN. In
2007 Wolfgang was elevated to the position of Managing Director
which he held until June 2014 when he moved back to Austria
for personal reasons together with his family. He continued
working for JBN as Head of their German subsidiary in
Wiesbaden and Non-Executive Director of the Board in Nigeria.
In light of the dire situation the Nigerian economy is facing,
Julius Berger Nigeria had to lay-off more than 10.000 of its workforce. Mr. Goetsch was then called
back to assume his old post as Managing Director which he did on 23rd July of this year.
We would like to extend a warm “Welcome Back!” to Mr. Goetsch and wish him all the best for the
challenging job he has taken up!
© Julius Berger Nigeria
© Julius Berger Nigeria
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
6/10
FRAUD-PROOF ID CARDS FOR CONGO-KINSHASA STUDENTS BY VARIUSCARD
With a mandate by the Democratic
Republic of Congo to deliver high
volume and quality fraud-proof picture
identity cards within a short time frame
for the coming academic year 2016/17,
Austrian company Variuscard GmbH,
produced over 100.000 cards per day in
its Vienna headquarters. The cards
have visible and invisible as well as
forensic security marks and integrated
codes for definite identification.
Variuscard is a second generation family business, specialized in developing and
producing innovative plastic cards for a variety of industries as well as manufacturing of high security
identity solutions for the private and public sector. The company also offers system solutions for
staff, client as well as voucher management.
SUNNYBAG - YOUR PERSONAL PORTABLE CHARGING STATION
It is two o’clock in the afternoon. Your mobile phone only has 10% battery life left. You forgot to
charge your powerbank the night
before. You are nowhere near a place
you could possibly use your charger.
The prospect of being without a phone
is too difficult to fathom. Being Africa,
it is however a sunny day. Enter Sunnybag, a fully functional
solar bag.
The SunnyBAG solar system provides for a mobile and
environmentally friendly way to charge electronic devices
such as mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, small video
cameras and MP3 players with the help of sunlight via the
built-in USB port. Solar panels on the bags generate energy
directly from the sun which in turn provide the SunnyBAG with
power to charge your devices. Never again will you have to find yourself with a dead phone.
For more information and to see the different bag designs, please visit the following link.
© SunnyBAG GmbH
© Variuscard GmbH
© SunnyBAG GmbH
© Variuscard GmbH
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
7/10
GIS AQUA AUSTRIA - STEEL/PLANT CONSTRUCTION AND WATER TREATMENT EXPERTS
GIS Aqua Austria GmbH was founded in 1912 and since the 1970s has provided top quality, in-depth
know-how in the planning, production and implementation of
components and complete plants. GIS Aqua has become a
specialist in the water treatment, steel construction and plant
construction sectors.
The company is in search of joint venture partners for projects
with end customers in the water infrastructure sector and for
plant construction projects, services and know-how in the
water engineering sector and production of stainless steel and
plastic components.
For more information please visit the GIS Aqua website.
SUNDROPS® AND AZUD - TRUSTED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND MOBILE SOLAR POWER PLANTS
1stLevelSolar GmbH is looking for a distributor for Sun-
Drops®, the mobile solar power plant, and AZUD drip irri-
gation and filter systems.
The focus is on the distribution of SunDrops®, which has
the ability to produce power anytime and anywhere, power
solar pumping systems and treat drinking water.
The distributor and its employees must complete an in-
depth training course in order to be able to sell, maintain
and repair SunDrops® and the irrigation systems.
For more information visit the following link.
GAW TECHNOLOGIES - WORLDWIDE PREFERRED SUPPLIER TO THE PAPER INDUSTRY
GAW Technologies is seeking new contacts to paper and carton producers.
Their product portfolio includes processing plants for the
manufacture of refined paper and cardboard based on decades of
experience and global expertise .
Amongst their core competencies are coating colour kitchens, work
stations, dispersing machines, starch and pigment processing,
metering technology, filter systems, GCC machines, coating colour
quality analysis, process control systems.
Interested companies can contact GAW Technologies by visiting the
following link.
© 1stLevelSolar GmbH
© GIS Aqua GmbH
© GAW Technologies
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
8/10
TZ AUSTRIA - THE RELIABLE SUPPLIER FOR FURNITURE-FRONTS AND CARCASS-
ELEMENTS
TZ Austria is best known as a reliable and always on time supp-
lier of furniture-fronts, carcass-elements and furniture-
components. Over the years the company has specialised on mo-
dern surface lamination. Via it factories in Austria and Asia TZ
Austria also offers high-gloss finished parts.
Today, TZ Austria is one of the most innovative suppliers to the
furniture industry in the world. Their success is based on high
quality materials, state of the art machines, pioneering innovati-
ons and highest quality production standards.
For more information please visit their website.
iSi - ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO ENRICH GASTRONOMY
From simple whipped cream to complex, sweet and savory foams, and
everything in between, the iSi System of whippers and soda siphons, powered
by Austrian-manufactured gas chargers, allows you to achieve pure flavor in
endlessly creative ways. Crafted with exceptional quality, these innovative
products have become essential tools for both the home and professional
kitchen.
The iSi product range includes cream and soda chargers, cream whippers,
and soda siphons that are targeted at the catering, hotel, food and drinks
industries.
To find out more about iSi kindly visit their website.
RUBBLE MASTER - THE SPECIALIST FOR MOBILE CRUSHERS
Rubble Master mobile crushers are ready for immediate deployment wherever they are needed and
provide excellent performance for recycling (construction rubble,
concrete, bricks etc.) and processing natural stone thanks to their
cost effectiveness and environmental relevance. For example the
high quality grain they produce is used as a construction material in
road building projects.
Rubble Master is looking for direct customers for their cost-
effective compact crushers which can be used in the following
fields: environmental technologies, renewable energies, transpor-
tation and logistics, construction and infrastructure, machinery and
plant construction. Rubble Master is already successfully establis-
hed in Cameroon.
For more inforation please visit Rubble Master‘s website.
© Rubble Master GmbH
© iSi GmbH
© TZ Austria GmbH
USEFUL LINKS
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
9/10
EVENT CALENDER
NOVEMBER
10—11: iPAD Energy Infrastructure Forum, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Clark Energy, representatives of Austrian company GE Jenbacher will be
participating at the event.
23—24: West Africa Power Convention (WAPIC), Lagos
You can visit the Austrian company Omicron at their stand.
28– 30: Austrian Trade Mission to Nigeria, Lagos
DECEMBER
1.12 Extrunet GmbH Industry Serminar on: Window profiles and production, Lagos
FEBRUARY 2017
14—16: AfricaBuild, Lagos
Austria will again be represented with a group exhibition - come find us at the
Advantage Austria stand!
FRESH VIEW Organic Food
You can download the FRESH VIEW MAGAZINE on Organic Food to find out
more about business opportunities available in the Austrian organic food
industry.
Special edition: Austria‘s Born Global Champions II
The special Fresh View edition on Austria‘s Born Global Champions can al-
so be accessed via the link above .
For a full list of available FRESH VIEW magazines, please visit our website.
CONTACT & SERVICE
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA LAGOS
10/10
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Lagos Austrian Embassy - Commercial Section
65, Oyinkan Abayomi Drive
Ikoyi, Lagos
NIGERIA
T +234 1 280 1305
C +234 809 097 8603
W www.advantageaustria.org/ng
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, with its network of foreign trade
offices, is the Foreign Trade Promotion Organisation of
the Austrian economy. Under the auspices of the Austrian
Federal Economic Chamber, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA is
Austria's largest service provider and driver of all inter-
national economic activities. ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA acts
as an official lobby, representing the interests of its Aus-
trian members both at home and abroad.
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business or profits, in relation to usage of this newsletter.
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