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30 years of Haus der Wirtschaft Weiz – a look back at successes and change
The WKO Weiz celebrated 30 years of “Haus der Wirtschaft” as a central service center for the regional economy. Regional office chairman Vinzenz Harrer announced his handover of office.
30 years of Haus der Wirtschaft Weiz – a look back at successes and change
A celebratory event took place in November at which the Weiz Chamber of Commerce celebrated the 30th anniversary of the “Haus der Wirtschaft”. This center, which has been at the heart of the regional economy since its founding, was opened with a musical “Happy Birthday” by presenter Hannes Steinwender and pianist Lukas Meissl. Over 100 entrepreneurs and guests of honor from politics and business were present to honor this special event.
Regional office manager Andreas Schlemmer and the outgoing regional office chairman Vinzenz Harrer emphasized the importance of the house. The conversion, which took place in 1994 from Klammstrasse in Weiz to Gleisdorfer Strasse, was carried out by the then district office manager, Dr. Josef Trinkl and KommR Josef Köck pushed forward with a lot of commitment.
The development of the WKO
Since then, the Chamber of Commerce in the region has developed significantly. In its first 30 years, it not only served as a service provider for entrepreneurs, but also created numerous training and further education opportunities by providing a modern WIFI location. An exciting highlight was the IT laboratory, which helped entrepreneurs understand the new technologies.
The past three decades have been characterized by technical revolutions. Regional office manager Schlemmer illustrated the success by doubling the number of member companies: While 2,477 companies still belonged to the WKO in 1994, the chamber already had 7,374 companies at the beginning of 2024. A significant increase was recorded in the area of one-person companies, which now make up 73% of memberships. Total employment in the district has peaked at over 30,000 employees, and approximately 600 new jobs have been created each year in the last decade alone.
The WKO regional office has adapted its services in line with these changes. The focus is on advice for founders and support on labor law issues. At the celebration, Harrer emphasized the role of the volunteer officials who are actively involved in the economic development of the region.
For Vinzenz Harrer, the anniversary celebration was not only a big occasion, but also a personal farewell. At the turn of the year, he will hand over his position as regional office chairman to Bernhard Stranzl, his previous deputy. The handover was celebrated in a ceremonial setting, which underlined the importance of this change.