The VIENNA REGION Marketing GmbH was founded in 2008 with the aim of internationally marketing and positioning the business location Vienna Region. It is owned by the Austrian Federal Provinces of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland and is a joint initiative of the Vienna Business Agency, ecoplus-The Business Agency of Lower Austria and Wirtschaftsagentur Burgenland.
We connect international entrepreneurs, founders, start-ups, scientists, research and educational facilities, public institutions and professional associations from the Vienna Region and countries abroad.
To get louder about us, we are looking for testimonials within the Vienna Region.
Describe yourself and your business in a few words.
Matthias Unger: As an Austrian group of companies operating in the construction industry, the Unger Steel Group is one of the leading and internationally most successful industrial companies in Europe. Its core competences is in the fields of constructive and architectural steel, as well as project development and the delivery of complete projects as a general contractor. In more than 20 subsidiaries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the Middle East, regional experts offer access to all of the group’s services. The two production sites with a total capacity of 70,000 tons per year – in Oberwart (Austria) and Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) – allow the completion of a large variety of projects. The family-owned business with approximately 1,200 employees was founded in 1952 and has a top credit rating. The Unger Steel Group is the leading steel construction company in Europe.
Matthias Unger: “I joined the company in 2008 as the third generation. In 2015 I took over the management of Unger Steel Middle East FZE and in 2017 I entered the management of Unger Stahlbau Ges.m.b.H. and was responsible, among other things, for project development, Unger’s third established division. Since the beginning of 2020 I have been CEO of the Unger Steel Group.”
Why is it profitable for your business to be in the Vienna Region?
Matthias Unger: There are many reasons, such as the good geographical location in the heart of Europe as well as the closeness to the border to CEE countries. The local employees have great education as the Austrian education system is quite good and includes vocational training. Being situated in Burgenland means that Vienna as an international hub with superb connections to the whole world is really close and offers among other things an abundance of cultural life.
The Vienna Regions means for me ….
Matthias Unger: … the home in the heart of Europe, the best of everything, long tradition meets various cultures, people and languages.
Three things you love about the Vienna Region
Matthias Unger: The three things I love about the Vienna Region are the central geographic location with influences from many different cultures, good source of labour and Vienna as an international hub.
Is there anything you miss in the Vienna Region?
Matthias Unger: Not really, maybe the seaside sometimes… but short access to international ports in the north and in the south makes also cross-continent logistics possible.
Three arguments for future businesses to bring their business to the Vienna Region
Matthias Unger: The most important arguments are, as far as I am concerned, the central geographic location and the top infrastructure and connections. Furthermore, Vienna Region is an optimal location for logistics, good source of labour and includes Vienna as an international hub.
What is your favourite place in the Vienna Region and why?
Matthias Unger: Actually I have no favourite place. The Vienna Region, which consists of the three provinces Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna, offers so many different interesting and beautiful places, that there are numerous opportunities for every occasion, mood and desire. Thus, just like me, everybody will immediately find an abundance of many favorite places.
Name three problems you had to overcome when starting up your business in the Vienna Region.
Matthias Unger: It was difficult to identify available land-plots for the establishment of new businesses as well as the availability of venture capital, which has a somewhat complex system of taxation.
