On Sunday, the world-famous Academy Awards were held in Los Angeles. However, there was more to celebrate for the Austrian companies on the “Oscar weekend”. They were honored by the Austrian Trade Commission for their outstanding achievements in the United States. The winners – just like the nominees - are evidence of the Austrian entrepreneurship, their innovation and commitment - even in difficult times and in one of the most competitive markets in the world, the United States.
The winners of the US-A-BIZ AWARD 2022 are....
...in the category Investment:
EGGER Wood Products - In 1961, a sawmill in Tyrol becomes the first EGGER particleboard plant, where wood scraps, instead of being discarded, are recycled. The seemingly worthless by-product was turned into something new and today, with 20 plants in 10 countries and over 10,000 employees, EGGER is one of the world's leading brands for wood-based products. Even during the pandemic in 2021, investments were made: The new plant in Lexington, North Carolina, was completed, where - at full capacity - up to 326,000 tons of wood can be processed annually. In addition, sustainability is a priority even in their shipping method: instead of using trucks, Egger products are now also shipped by rail.
...in the category Innovation:
FRAUSCHER AMERICA - The Frauscher boat builders have been impressing with their innovations for more than 90 years. With their new electric catamaran, the family-owned company from Upper Austria has once again revolutionized boating in calm waters. The TimeSquare20 combines calmness with speed and has also earned plenty of recognition on the US market: in 2021, this "eye-catcher" alone generated $2 million. At Frauscher America, electromobility accounts for around 40%. In other words, sustainable electromobility on water, coupled with a healthy dose of innovative power!
...in the category Growth:
Greiner Bio-One - COVID-19 has brought many challenges to all of us, but especially to people in research. As a manufacturer of plastic products for healthcare, Greiner Bio-One quickly recognized the need for virus transport tubes: They launched VACUETTE® and delivered it in record time throughout the whole United States. Therefore, in 2020 they employed more than 2,300 people worldwide at 28 locations in 20 countries, and the annual sales experienced 36 percent growth for up to 693 million euros. As most of this success was achieved in North America, Greiner Bio-One took home the award in the category growth.
...in the category Spectacular:
Binderholz - Binderholz is definitely a "spectacular" company, with sophisticated solutions made of solid wood products. Their product portfolio ranges from sawing products, over timber construction products to biofuels. The common denominator in all their products is their commitment to sustainability and the zero-waste principle. However, the INTRO project in Cleveland, Ohio is even more astonishing: made of Binderholz CLT BBS, the INTRO is the largest solid wood building in the United States (it holds the record with nine floors and an area of 505,000 square meters). Therefore, Binderholz sets a new standard when it comes to sustainability and "made in Austria".
