Invest in France Agency germany Office

Herbert Ortner, Managing Director, ÖkoFEN

What does your company manufacture?

ÖkoFEN was established in Niederkappel, Austria, in 1989 and is today one of the leading European manufacturers of automatic wood pellet heating systems. We introduced the first type-tested pellet heating system onto the Austrian market in 1997 and in 2004 we were able to present the world's first fully automatic pellet heating system featuring condensing technology.  Besides boiler systems for domestic applications, ÖkoFEN now offers its "PELLEMATIC 56 KW", developed some time ago, for industrial and commercial premises.  At present, our export business accounts for 80% of our production.  Our production facilities are located in Upper and Lower Austria and we also have subsidiaries in France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.  Our products are sold in as many as 13 European countries and at present we have a total work force of 245 employees, of whom 15 are in France.

Why did you decide in favour or France? How did you enter the French market?

We have been represented in France by a sales branch and a service centre since 2002.  France has a population of almost 64 million and is the second largest market in Europe.  The building industry has been developing particularly well in recent years, and this has also had a positive affect on business in pellet heating systems. Around 2,000 pellet heating systems were sold in France in 2005.  By 2006 this annual quantity had increased to 6,000 and last year it was in the region of 7,000.  Not only have high oil and gas costs led to a greater demand for pellet heating systems but also increasing environmental awareness.  Energy efficiency and sustainability are playing an ever greater role in this development.  This has also been recognized by the French government and the structural conditions for the promotion of sustainable energies have been considerably improved.  The decisions and measures implemented in this context are having a very positive influence on sales.  Any French homeowner or business proprietor who decides to install a pellet heating system currently enjoys more financial benefits than in Austria, for example.

Any French homeowner or business proprietor who decides to install a pellet heating system currently enjoys more financial benefits than in Austria, for example.

Where are you based in France?

Our base is in Barberaz near Chambéry in the Rhône-Alpes Region. We also have a network of sales engineers that covers the whole of France.  There are vast areas of forest in the Rhône-Alpes Region, which means that there is a large timber processing industry there. This is important on account of the sawmill waste – wood chips and sawdust – which is used for the pressing of wood pellets.

Last year you received the French Innovation Award 2007.  What did you win it for?  

ÖkoFEN was awarded the Innovation Award 2007 at the trade fair "Energies Renouvelables" in Lyon for its development of the "Energy Box".  Equipped complete with a boiler and a pellet tank, the "Energy Box" is a prefabricated garage-like container that can be installed outside the building to be heated.  This self-contained system is suitable for houses without cellars and/or with limited living space.  With its heating capacity of up to 224 kW, it can also be used for the heating of business premises, workshops and small factory buildings, public amenities and terraced houses.  The system is already in use in France in various public amenities, such a community halls, schools and nursery schools.

Austrian know-how is in demand.  How do you pass it on to the French?

There is indeed a great demand for our know-how in France.  In order to make this know-how available to our French sales engineers and hence to ensure the sustained high performance of our products, we have established our "Pellet Academy".  This year we have offered as many as 40 training courses all over France.  The courses are basically aimed at all who are involved in the technical and/or commercial aspects of pellet heating systems. Our prime aim, however, is to train the fitters who install the heating systems.  At present, we have a network of over 700 trained fitters in France.

 

 

See other related information:

• ÖkoFEN