Dangers such as embargoes or currency risks are part of everyday business relationships.
The business relationships of domestic companies in Russia are currently being subjected to a stress test. “If you do business in Russia, you generally have to live with a certain risk,” says Erwin Kotányi with his eponymous spice trade from Lower Austria. “But to be honest, we’ve never experienced a situation like this before.”
Transportprobleme
According to its own statements, the family business is the market leader on the Russian market with its spices. 27 percent of its turnover comes from Russia, every year hundreds of loaded trucks with goods drive from the company and production site in Wolkersdorf in the direction of Moscow.
But the transport route is currently difficult. “We don’t have enough trucks at the moment,” says Kotányi. The reason for this is also the formalities for driving through Belarus. And then there’s the “embargo” sword of Damocles hanging over the export business.
Serenity
Kotányi is relaxed as usual: “As far as that is concerned, other sectors are much more in focus than we are. But the danger is of course there.” Just like the much more evident currency risk. “If the ruble continues to fall, our prices in Russia will have to rise. ”
The closest acquaintance with Russia connection is the Austrian construction company Strabag. The Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska joined this company in 2007. Today he holds a 27.8 percent stake in Strabag through his Cypriot Rasperia Trading Limited. However, Strabag in Russia only generates less than one percent of the Group’s output.
Then there is Siegfried Wolf. In 2010/11 he moved from the Austro-Canadian automotive supplier Magna to the Russian automotive group Russian Machines (68,000 employees) from Deripaska and became chairman of the supervisory board.
High position
The GAZ Group, the largest Russian commercial vehicle manufacturer, belongs to Russian Machines. According to Reuters, Wolf is now chairman of the board of directors of GAZ, in which he holds shares. Wolf took over MAN’s truck plant in Steyr last year and wants to produce vans and buses there in cooperation with GAZ in Steyr.
“The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has no impact on the cooperation between Steyr Automotive and GAZ,” Wolf said through his spokesman.