Profile production still growing

06.02.2006

While celebrating its 350th anniversary, Neuhofer Holz is proving its worth as a family company which combines tradition with progress

The company, which has its headquarters at Zell am Moos in Upper Austria, began life as a sawmill in 1650 and took a new direction in 1965 with the construction of a moulding mill. Employed in this anniversary year is a workforce of about 150, which is expected to generate sales of 19.6 Mio euro (ATS 270 Mio).
Junior chiefs Franz and Martin Neuhofer are looking to average growth of between 25 and 30 per cent for their company. The total annual production run of 40 million metres of profiles is enough to encircle the globe. Franz Neuhofer considers that the right route has been taken: “The profiles market has a fight on its hands, prices have been falling for three years. Solid wood profiles are losing ground, veneered and foiled profiles are gaining ground – naturally that is good for us!”
In this current year the intention is to invest around 3.3 Mio euro (ATS 46 Mio), which should rise to an overall total of 8.7 Mio euro (ATS 120 Mio) by the year 2003. The greater part of this sum will be poured into a new moulding mill covering an area of 7 000 m² on two floors. Neuhofer exports 70 per cent of production to more than 65 countries all over the world, with Germany standing out as its most significant foreign market. In Austria 80 per cent of products are supplied to DIY stores, 15 per cent to furnishing chains, the rest to specialist stores and con-tractors. Company information puts market share in Austria at 70 per cent, at twelve per cent in Germany and three per cent in Europe as a whole. Neuhofer itself intends to take over the function of distributor for any products to be launched in future in order to be in a position to react more rapidly to changes in the marketplace.
Neuhofer Holz also wants to drive forward the development of entire systems. One of these products is “deco-shelf”, a multifunctional wall shelving system. With this product Neuhofer is breaking away from flooring and ceilings and discovering walls as a source of ideas. Also new to the programme are “optima step” for individual stair installations as well as flexible parquet profiles, which make it possible to create curves with a radius of up to 30 cm.
Evident at Zell am Moos is great interest in increasing the proportion of private labels available in DIY superstores and builders’ merchants.
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