The weather is gray on gray – only brief moments when the sun ventures out. The local inspection “Krone” in Mattighofen shows how closely the region has grown with KTM: “Almost everyone is affected in one way or another. Either because you work there yourself, or a family member or friend.”
In Mattighofen it was cold, windy and gray on Thursday at the local inspection “Krone”, the rain fell on the almost empty town square. “The weather suits our mood,” says Mayor Daniel Lang. “The fact that it happened so quickly shocked us all.” It will not be a silent Advent at the city office either – because KTM is one of the largest sources of income for the budget. Given the many personal fortunes in the region, this may only be a side issue – but Mattighofen is doing well because, for example, KTM did well and therefore other companies benefited from this as direct suppliers or simply as bakers supplying the shift workers.
“Everyone just talks about this subject”
The many employees of KTM and other companies face an uncertain future, especially just before Christmas and the New Year. “Everyone talks about it, everyone knows someone who suffers from it in one way or another,” reports tobacconist Petra Holzknecht. A young woman from Innviertel tells about a family friend of hers: the house has just been completed, the couple, who have to take care of the children, are forced to stay at home.
“Grew too fast”
For some, the bankruptcy was hardly a surprise due to the extreme expansion. Workers who have been laid off for weeks are plagued by the bleak outlook.
Giving up – there is no such thing
And yet: “We don’t give up! A job will be found. Many of us are specialists and professionals, we are urgently needed!”, said an optimistic employee of the motorcycle giant. Related: In Mattighofen the rain subsided in the afternoon and the sun shone briefly through the dark sky.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
