Atomic Skis

The Atomic Austria GmbH is an Austrian company that makes skiing articles. It is wholly owned by the Finnish Amer Sports Group, which also includes Wilson, Suunto, Precor, Salomon and valance are.

History

Alois Rohrmoser founded the company in 1955. 1966 began with the plant expansion in the industrial Wagrain ski production. Another plant was built in 1971 in Altenmarkt im Pongau.

When the company began in 1981 to produce in a factory in the Bulgarian town of Chepelare in the Rhodope Mountains Ski and Skiartikel, Atomic was the first western company, which opened a factory in an Eastern Block country.

The first ski that was produced was the Atomic SL1, which is produced up to the present time with the same name "SL". He was further developed to SL 12

Atomic Ski is represented in ski racing. Inextricably linked with the rise of a global brand, the Austrian ski racers Olga Pall and Annemarie Pröll, as well as the American Bill Johnson. In recent years, various Atomic riders on the podium, including Marcel Hirscher and Benjamin Raich, Michael Walch Hofer, Daniel Albrecht, Renate Götschl, Michaela Kirchgasser and Hermann Maier was. A total of about 50 racers are sponsored by Atomic. In recent years, the brand has established itself in the freeski segment and prominent drivers in their ranks.

Bankruptcy

Beginning of the 1990s grew the financial difficulties at Atomic as a result of problems when switching to the shell ski technology with a high rate of rejects and failures in the booming snowboard market. In 1994, the BAWAG filed for bankruptcy on Atomic, which was abolished legally in March 2006 after the completion of the procedure.

Speculation about illegalities in the bankruptcy proceedings

The high failure rate of 93 % for BAWAG P.S.K. and 73 percent for the creditors fueled speculation that the bankruptcy is not necessary and the financial recovery would have been possible. So the company had moved up to the date of the bankruptcy in its approved credit limit. In addition, a positive forecast would have been for the company for the period after the bankruptcy.

The long-time CEO Alois Rohrmoser refused BAWAG people to accept Atomic peak positions. At the same time he negotiated with a group of refurbishers, which he wanted to cede up to 85 percent of its shares. According Atomic Mass administrator Vavrovsky BAWAG have felt ignored and made the loans in the wake Atomic overdue. BAWAG had initially created a further guiding or takeover concept. Accordingly, the BAWAG should bring 500 million shillings from overseas in Atomic. Suddenly the plan but no more had been pursued. KTM CEO Stefan Pierer, who had Rohrmoser advice in crisis, suggested that the BAWAG due to the sudden collapse of its Caribbean businesses (see BAWAG affair) suddenly needed money to cover the speculation losses. In fact, payments had been paid to the Irish BAWAG- daughter, who was involved in the Caribbean businesses.

After the bankruptcy of the Finnish company Amer acquired in November 1994 Atomic at a price of 918.7 million shillings ( 66.8 million euros ). In January 1995, in turn, acquired the BAWAG P.S.K. ten percent of Atomic and paid for 350 million shillings ( 25.4 million euros ). Atomic thus was worth just a little more than a month 3.5 billion and no longer only 918.7 million shillings. These transactions in the course of the Atomic bankruptcy, and the bankruptcy itself, in addition to other object of the banking inquiry committee of the Austrian National Council in 2007.

Bank inquiry committee

According to committee chairman, the FPÖ politician Martin Graf, practiced BAWAG massive pressure to conceal the exact circumstances of the Atomic bankruptcy. So official liability lawsuits and criminal charges have been filed against an investigatory prosecutor and investigating police officers. In addition, BAWAG boss Helmut Elsner had the then Interior Minister Karl Schlögl ( SPÖ) asked the investigating law enforcement officer, Chief Inspector Werner Mayer " zurückzupfeifen ". The committee of inquiry were also withheld important evidence. For example, National Bank and financial market supervision had agreed about which files go to the Committee: an approach which hold the majority of political groups for the law. The Green MEP Werner Kogler suspected in this context, abuse of office and demanded consequences.

Brands

Atomic now produces the following brands:

  • Dynamic ( Ski)
  • Volant (luxury skiing )
  • Atomic (skis, snowboards )
  • Salomon (skis )

Earlier marks were:

  • Oxygen ( Raceboards )
  • Koflach ( Hiking Sports )

Awards

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