ABSTRACT
The situation In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008 Waagner-Biro found itself amidst an unbalanced project portfolio which required a decisive and quick response to prevent a low order take-in. The Waagner-Biro Group is an Austrian-based worldleader in high-technology steel and glass construction, bridge construction, stage systems and special machinery. An uncompromising attitude to high-quality steel processing is common to all core business fields of Waagner-Biro. The approach is evident in the spectacular architectural creations of the Steel and Glass Construction division, and in the stage equipment they supply to the world’s foremost performance venues; it applies equally to steel bridge construction and special machinery. In every case – as is apparent in all of the company’s products and solutions – Waagner-Biro sets out to achieve the extraordinary. Founded in 1854, the tradition-conscious company has amassed more than 160 years of experience. Today, Waagner-Biro has more than 1,400 employees working at some seventeen locations in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The highly specialized steel-glass structures division of Waagner-Biro was particularly affected by the financial crisis since their projects demand significant financial investments from – in most cases – private clients. Notable examples of their products are the Sony Center in Berlin, the British Museum Great Court in London, the Yas Marina Hotel Grid shell in Abu Dhabi and the Islamic Arts Museum at the Louvre in Paris, to name only a few.
