COMPANY HISTORY
The history of the Wintergroup dates back to the year 1999. At that time, Franz Winter started his journey into self-employment as a one-man operation by founding the sole proprietorship FW Großhandel Franz Winter.
His secondary job at the time as a driver at the Inzersdorf vegetable market gave the trained industrial mechanic the idea of repairing damaged pallets. Pallets were repaired on a small scale with a hammer and nails. The company quickly grew to become one of the largest pallet producers in Austria.
Alongside this, he was also continuously involved in the production and marketing of wood chips. As early as the following year, a relocation of the site became unavoidable due to space constraints. In the Hofer industrial area, a production hall and an office complex were built on around 2,500 m2. In addition to the trade, which had expanded considerably in the meantime, pallet repair and production could be intensified. Here, the company particularly scored points through its efforts to provide fast and high-quality pallet production.
In 2001, Paletten Winter GmbH was founded. By acquiring two neighboring properties, the enormous need for space was accommodated. This paved the way for further expansion in the context of the waste container service. The next structural expansion took place in 2004 with a new office building including an assembly hall. To use the existing factory hall more efficiently, the company switched to two-shift operation. This was associated with a significant increase in production.
Following an increase in demand for rental pallets in the pallet industry, Paletten Logistik Winter GmbH was founded in 2010. Here, customers are offered a complete solution – from collection to repair to delivery – which ensures a customer-friendly price-performance ratio and stable company development.
Due to various restructurings, the sole proprietorship Großhandel Franz Winter was converted into Hackgut Winter GmbH in 2012. Thanks to the acquisition of modern forestry and recycling machinery, the company was also able to establish itself in this market.
SUCCESS WITH
COMPLETE ASSORTMENT AND
TOP QUALITY
WINTERGROUP THROUGH THE AGES
Over the years, the range of services as well as the premises of the >Wintergroup< have been continuously expanded and further developed. Due to constant growth, the company moved into a modernized 650 m² office building at the beginning of 2019, featuring ergonomically designed workstations and state-of-the-art technology.
In 2019 and 2020, photovoltaic systems were installed on our halls to provide power, and an automatic sorting and repair system for pallet repair was put into operation. 2020 marked the start of construction for another major project. On an area of around 30,000 m², additional storage areas and a repair hall with a fully automatic robotic system were built, which went into operation in 2021.
Through our motto >Success with a complete assortment and top quality<, we have developed in recent years from a one-man business into one of the most successful pallet producers in Austria and, with around 170 employees, into a major employer in the region.
MILESTONES
