Mountain tourism, particularly in the context of winter activities, continues to be the most important market for Doppelmayr and is set to remain so in the future. One example is the large-scale project centred on the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014. The Doppelmayr Group has already built and started up 35 ropeways in the three ski resorts of Laura/Psekhako, Rosa Khutor and Alpika Service which will be hosting many of the Olympic competitions – other installations are to follow. A wide range of ropeway types have been used to create and expand the tourist infrastructure in the Sochi-Krasnaya Polyana region. These include the world’s fastest and longest tricable ropeway as well as a ropeway for transporting automobiles. However, some of the Sochi projects had not been billed in full at the balance sheet date and will be reflected in next year’s financial statements.

The Doppelmayr Group also set new records in the Alpine region. The Wildspitzbahn with its striking station architecture lies at an altitude of 3,429 metres, making it Austria’s highest gondola lift. The ski resort of Golm made energy efficiency a top priority. The Hüttenkopfbahn is the first ropeway to cover around 30% if its power requirements thanks to photovoltaic cells integrated into the station.

Progress and optimization of energy and material efficiency have always been a focus for the company and extend to its own production facilities. The latest proof of this commitment is certification of the environmental management system to ISO 14001, which Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH successfully achieved in March 2013.

New products and highlights around the world

Summer tourism is another application where the Doppelmayr Group was able to claim a world first last year. Within view of the Swiss lake Vierwaldstättersee, the world’s first tramway with open-top double-decker cabins now takes passengers to the top of the Stanserhorn.

Another highlight from the last financial year was the 10-MGD Emirates Air Line which went into service for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The gondola lift across the Thames is the UK’s first urban ropeway to be integrated into the public transport network.

The use of ropeways in urban areas is also becoming increasingly popular on other continents. In South America, for example, the Doppelmayr Group completed several projects which bring many benefits for the local population and make an important contribution to life in the city. Caracas, San Agustín and now a major installation in La Paz are flagship projects which not only provide a significant boost to the infrastructure but have also helped to enhance the quality of life in these cities.

Top performance for a successful future

Doppelmayr employees work with dedication and ambition to ensure that common goals can be achieved in close collaboration with customers. New employees were recruited over the past year to strengthen the Doppelmayr team. Global headcount rose from 2,297 to 2,378. It is also particularly gratifying to note the great interest shown by young people in a career with Doppelmayr. September saw 24 new apprentices begin their training. This means that 85 future specialists, including five girls, are currently undertaking apprenticeships at the Doppelmayr site in Wolfurt.

In spite of uncertain macroeconomic conditions, Doppelmayr expects to see a stable development in sales revenues and a satisfactory operating result for the financial year 2013/2014. The trust placed in the capabilities of the Group by customers around the globe represents a duty, a challenge and an incentive to continue to develop market-oriented technical innovations, to offer top logistical performance and to build simply the best ropeways in the world.

Factbox:

Inquiries:

Mag. Ekkehard Assmann
Head of Marketing and Public Relations
Rickenbacherstrasse 8-10, Postfach 20
6961 Wolfurt, Österreich 
Tel. +43 (0)5574/604-223, Fax +43 (0)5574/75590
E-Mail:ekkehard.assmann@doppelmayr.com
Internet: doppelmayr.com