The planned measures in Europe to reduce CO2 would have a massive impact on the cement industry and the Hatschek cement plant has underlined its concerns mainly about the legal uncertainty.


"That there be a reduction in CO2 emissions must be, is beyond question. And we also have set us the goal of a reduction by 20 percent by 2020. Now they want suddenly 30 percent. This is expensive, "says Franz Kritzinger, who leads with Anton Inger Bart,  the business of the cement plant Hatschek in Gmunden (or Pinsdorf and Altmünster).


If the latter enters into force, it must be expected that the burden of mandatory pollution permits to be acquired burden a tonne of cement with about 30 € in costs. In comparison, a tonne of cement without VAT is currently trading at around 100 €. "For 30 euros you can go far. It is feared that cement will be supplied from outside the EU. This is made worse by environmental conditions,"says Inger Bart to OÖNachrichten.


The Hatschek cement plant is feeling the impact of the economic crisis. Turnover fell from EUR48.1m in 2010 to EUR42m, the result of ordinary activities, not least because of large-scale repairs of EUR10.2 to EUR5.5m. "We have not yet bottomed out," says Bart Inger. Admittedly, with an equity ratio of almost 80 per cent, the company has 174 employees very crisis-proof.


The biggest project currently is the magnification of the marl quarry on the Pinsdorfberg. This is to ensure the supply of raw materials for the next 100 years. The quarry is to be extended from 15 to 26.8 acres.

"We have learned from the past. Such projects will be implemented only with the utmost transparency and in collaboration with the respective leaders of the environmental communities, "protest beard Inger and Kritzinger.