3e AG grows internationally

The Austrian cooperative 3e AG recorded sales of € 530 mio last year, a 1.3 per cent increase on the previous year. Its domestic market in Austria accounted for € 398 mio of this, one per cent less than in the previous year. This was due to a surprisingly negative trend in the fourth quarter, which nullified the growth of 2.3 per cent achieved in the first nine months. Member businesses outside Austria saw growth of 9.1 per cent to € 132 mio.
The 28 members in Hungary, for example, increased their sales by 17 per cent, making the country the group’s most important international market. Double-digit growth rates were also recorded in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. On the other hand, sales were down in Serbia due to a lack of international investors. “Although there are isolated member businesses in fringe markets such as Albania, Kosovo or Slovenia, these markets are not currently being serviced strategically,” explains 3e chairman Dr Günther Pacher.
For the current financial year he expects “an increase in sales of two per cent in Austria”, and further sales growth in international markets of around ten per cent due to market consolidations. Overall the group expects sales to increase by around four per cent.