Something new in Elsbethen
Traditional Austrian marching band music is playing, a salt crystal is presented, and sparkling wine, coffee and cake are ready. Relief is spreading throughout PALFINGER EPSILON and STEPA in Elsbethen on 4 February. Untiring workers, cordoned-off areas and construction site noise have been the everyday background noise since early summer 2019. This was the start of the expansion of the existing building by two floors, carried out by the Steindl family (Steindl Kran GmbH). Urgently needed space was created for 100 PALFINGER EPSILON and STEPA employees over an area of approximately 830m².
New technologies are giving rise to not only innovative products, but also whole new departments such as robotics, mechatronics and software development. In recent years, PALFINGER EPSILON has expanded to more than 180 employees in these areas. In addition, the number of cranes produced by PALFINGER EPSILON has increased at an above-average rate over the past two years. The innovation centre, which only opened in 2015, soon proved to be too small. An expansion was unavoidable.
Drum roll, salt and bread
By the morning of 4 February, balloons and flags surrounding the new entrance were already visible from a distance. A red ribbon billowed in the wind, waiting to be cut. In the afternoon, the marching band, Trachtenmusikkapelle Elsbethen, arrived alongside guests and employees of PALFINGER EPSILON and STEPA. Among them were the builders, the Steindl family, the mayor of Elsbethen, Franz Tiefenbacher, as well as the PALFINGER Executive Board comprising CEO Andreas Klauser, CFO Felix Strohbichler and COO Martin Zehnder.
And, in order to continue the success of recent years, a representative of the Hallein Salt Mine presented a salt crystal from the mine in accordance with an old tradition. Because salt has symbolised prosperity, settledness and community since time immemorial. Bread symbolising the “daily bread” was also presented. With this bread supposed to protect against bad influences, nothing can go wrong in Elsbethen!
In the best of moods, guests and members of the band battled the wind and snow showers to convene at the entrance of the extension where, accompanied by a drum roll, the red ribbon was cut and champagne was served. The new offices were then open for the guests to look around and coffee and cake marked the end of the event.
