The Wietersdorfer Group can look back on a challenging 2025 financial year. Despite the subdued global economy, weak construction and industrial impulses as well as volatile international project markets, the Carinthian family-owned company kept its sales base largely stable. Global group sales in 2025 were 1.09 billion euros, 1.3% below the previous year. After several internationalisation steps, the focus in the past financial year was on the integration of new companies, active portfolio management as well as consistent cost management and intensive market cultivation.
Consolidation after international expansion
The Wietersdorfer Group has consistently expanded its international presence in recent years. After entering the African market, building up business activities in Latin America and entering the Australian market, the focus in 2025 was on operational consolidation. The integration of new companies was pushed forward, structures and processes were sharpened, and international project opportunities were managed with a focus on cost discipline and intensive market development. "The year 2025 was not a continuation of linear growth. After several internationalisation steps, it was crucial to integrate new companies organisationally and operationally, to further develop processes and to realise international project opportunities while at the same time consistently controlling costs and managing risks," explains Michael Junghans, CEO of the Wietersdorfer Group.
Europe remains the Group's strongest market
In 2025, Europe remained the strongest market in terms of sales for the Wietersdorfer Group, which operates in the five business areas of cement and concrete, lime, GRP pipe systems, PP pipe systems and industrial minerals. Sales in Europe amounted to 830.7 million euros. This means that around 76% of Group sales were generated in Europe. The Alpe-Adria region in particular remained a stable factor for the Group, which is historically strongly anchored there, especially with the business areas of cement & concrete, lime and industrial minerals.
The country with the highest turnover within the Wietersdorfer Group in 2025 was Austria, with a share of 15.3% of group sales and an increase of 6.7% compared to the previous year. The increase in sales is attributable to successful market development, inflation developments and Wietersdorfer's investment in semiconductor supplier Sico Technology. The USA remained one of the most important individual markets with a sales share of 15%, but recorded a decline of 7.7% after a strong previous year. On the US market, the Wietersdorfer Group sold more linear metres of GRP pipes in 2025, but the sales price was depressed by falling raw material prices. Italy developed particularly positively, with a revenue share of 13.5% and an increase of 37.9%. The takeover of the Italian cement plant Fanna played a special role here. Germany contributed 13.1% to Group sales, Slovenia 12.6%. Spain grew by 59.7% and benefited in particular from irrigation projects and the expansion of the industrial business. At around 1.09 billion euros, group sales were only slightly below the previous year. "Despite challenging conditions, Europe remained the most relevant market, while international project markets were more strongly influenced by public investment cycles, price and currency fluctuations," emphasizes Hannes Gailer, CFO of the Wietersdorfer Group.
Pipe systems remain a strategic platform for internationalisation
GRP and PP pipe systems achieved a combined turnover of 519.7 million euros and thus accounted for almost half of the group's sales. They are closely linked to global future issues such as drinking water and wastewater, irrigation, desalination, energy supply and infrastructure expansion.
At the same time, the high volatility of international project markets was once again evident in 2025. The expiry of individual major projects from the previous year, price and margin pressure, increased competitive pressure, currency effects and regional fluctuations influenced the development of the GRP pipe systems business segment in particular. "The global demand for high-performance water, sewage, irrigation and energy infrastructure remains high. This can be seen, for example, in the US market: in 2025, we sold more linear metres of GRP pipes than in the previous year. This is exactly where long-term opportunities for our pipe systems lie," says Junghans.
Cement and concrete with significant growth
The business areas of the Wietersdorfer Group developed differently in 2025. The cement and concrete business segment grew particularly strongly with sales of 323.4 million euros and an increase of 17.6 percent compared to the previous year. This growth was driven by the acquisition of the Fanna cement plant and the strong position in the Alpe-Adria region – Austria, Italy and Slovenia, among other things.
The Industrial Minerals business segment generated 193.0 million euros, an increase of 4.5%. The lime division developed steadily at 44.3 million euros, an increase of 0.9%. The PP pipe systems achieved 87.5 million euros, the GRP pipe systems 432.1 million euros. Different business models, regions and project cycles help us to better cushion fluctuations in individual markets," says Gailer.
Investments in locations, efficiency and decarbonisation continue
Despite a year of consolidation, the Wietersdorfer Group continued to invest. The global investment volume in 2025 amounted to 105.6 million euros. Of this, 20.7 million euros were attributable to Austria and 13.3 million euros to Carinthia. Around 14 percent of the total investments were implemented as GreenInvest projects. The Group's largest investment projects included the expansion of the Houston site (USA) with a new office building in the GRP Pipe Systems business area with an investment volume of 11.2 million euros, and a new silo facility at the Wietersdorf site in Austria with an investment volume of 3 million euros in the Cement & Concrete business area. This will serve to develop further sustainable products in the cement and concrete business area and strengthen the future viability of the Carinthian site. "The fact that we invested 105.6 million euros in a consolidation year shows our long-term ambition. We are investing in efficient locations, more sustainable products, decarbonization and the future viability of the Group," emphasises Michael Junghans.
Common understanding of leadership and values for 3783 employees
In the 2025 financial year, the Wietersdorfer Group employed 3783 people worldwide. Of these, 748 worked in Austria and 328 in Carinthia. Around three-quarters of the workforce worked in Europe. The Carinthian group of companies invests specifically in the development of future management and expert roles. The two-year talent management program has been offered internationally since 2024. A total of around 50 participants completed the programme. The second international round was launched in 2026. The focus of the training is on cross-business cooperation, international project work and the development of common management standards. "Internationalization means not only new markets and locations, but also a diversity of employees. It therefore also requires a common understanding of leadership, clear values and cooperation across business areas and national borders. This is exactly what we continued to work on in 2025," says Hannes Gailer.
Innovation and digitalisation were further advanced in 2025. A group-wide AI ideas competition in all five business areas led to eight strategically relevant innovation projects. As part of a learning journey to Silicon Valley, project ideas were mirrored with international technology developments, pilot measures were defined and the implementation of AI projects in the respective business areas was launched.
Outlook for 2026: Growth expected, uncertainties remain
For the current 2026 financial year, the Wietersdorfer Group expects a challenging environment to continue. Geopolitically induced cost increases, high energy prices, trade and customs uncertainties as well as volatile international project markets remain challenging. At the same time, the current business development is proceeding as planned, with positive impetus in business development almost exclusively being achieved through M&A and intensive market development.
From the point of view of the Wietersdorfer Group, industry in Europe needs better framework conditions in order to be competitive in the long term. "Europe's industry needs reliable framework conditions, open markets, affordable energy and significantly less bureaucracy. If you want transformation, decarbonization and security of supply, you also have to quickly enable the necessary infrastructure," Gailer emphasizes. "For 2026, we are deliberately remaining cautious in our planning. Geopolitical uncertainties, volatile energy prices as well as trade and customs policy risks will continue to keep us very busy," Junghans concluded.
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