Milestones

The major steps in the development of our company

1819

Founding by Alois Miesbach on the Wienerberg in Vienna

1869

Start of public trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange

1918

Loss of plants in Croatia, Hungary and Czechoslovakia in the wake of
World War I

1945
Hundreds of dead and destruction of plants on the Wienerberg in aerial attacks

1955
Record production following the reconstruction of Vienna after World War II

1972
Investment in Bramac concrete roof tile company in Austria

1980
Beginning of reorganization and turnaround by new management under Erhard Schaschl

1986
Start of internationalization and expansion through acquisition of the Oltmanns Group in Germany

1989
Founding of the Pipelife joint venture (plastic pipes), investment in Treibacher Chemische Werke (metallurgy and abrasives) and the ÖAG Group (sanitary ware wholesaler), expansion of clay pipe activities

1990
Start of expansion in Eastern Europe through market entry in Hungary

1994
Sale of the ÖAG Group

1995
Acquisition of the Sturm Group in France

1996
Acquisition of Terca, the leading facing brick producer in Benelux, majority investment in Semmelrock (pavers) in Austria

1997
Introduction of Wienerberger Value Management and focus on core business, sale of the Business Park Vienna real estate project and Treibacher Abrasives

1999
Advance to Global Player through the acquisition of General Shale in the USA, purchase of ZZ Wancor in Switzerland, acquisition of Mabo in Scandinavia by Pipelife

2000
Transformation to pure player in building materials through sale of Treibacher Industries and Wipark garage business, acquisition of Cherokee Sanford in the USA

2001
New Managing Board under Wolfgang Reithofer, acquisition of Optiroc brick division in Northern Europe, implementation of a groupwide restructuring program with focus on Germany

2002
Acquisition of Hanson plc brick activities in Continental Europe

2003
Development of a second core business roofing systems through acquisition of a 50% stake in Koramic Roofing and advance to Number 2 in clay roof tiles in Europe

2004
Transformation to a pure free float company, full acquisition of Koramic Roofing and thebrickbusiness in Great Britain

2005
€ 400 million debut bond issued

2006
Acquisition of Robinson Brick in the western region of the USA

2007
Market entry in Canada, expansion of market position in Great Britain, issue of a hybrid bond (volume: € 500 million) and capital increase (net proceeds: € 424 million)

2008
Acquisition of a majority stake in the British clay roof tile producer Sandtoft, increasing spread of financial crisis to the real economy triggers global economic crisis

2009
Economic crisis leads to collapse of Wienerberger markets, Heimo Scheuch appointed new CEO as of August 1, successful implementation of comprehensive restructuring program 2009 – liquidity sustainably secured, capital increase (net proceeds: € 320 million)

2010
Slight improvement in operating EBITDA despite weather-related limits on construction, issue of a new bond (volume: € 250 million)

2011
Returning to profit zone through considerable increase of earnings, extension of stake in Tondach Gleinstätten to 50%, issue of a new bond (volume: € 100 million)