AustriAlpin – The Tirolean quality business and its tenacious managing director

“You used to have to be right at the heart of the scene”

That’s what she says now. She says she didn’t even see the risk back then, because she’d never known it any other way.

Accessibility has also improved significantly in the area around the Steinsee and Muttekopf huts thanks to the work of Climbers Paradise. “In the past, you had to be deeply involved in the scene to even ask about anything. Nowadays, I go onto the Climbers Paradise website and look for a new area in thePitztal – which is really odd for someone from the Pitztal.”

Manager and mother

Katrin Mark-Winkler has been working for AustriAlpin since 2006 – initially in marketing, and later as managing director. She is happy to put up with the roughly 45-minute journey from the Pitztal to Fulpmes in the Stubai Valley so that she can spend half the week at the office and the other half working from home. In total, she devotes 30 to 32 hours to AustriAlpin, with the rest of her time spent with her Family. Over the past few years, Katrin Mark-Winkler has proven that this balancing act can work even for a manager.

Stephan Mitter wanted to know exactly how she came to join AustriAlpin, what the secret to the company’s success is, and what role the Hörtnagl family plays as owners.

Stephan Mitter asks

When did you first hear about AustriAlpin?

I can’t remember when, but I do remember where: on an icefall in Lüsens. I’d only just started Ice Climbing. On 8 December – a public holiday – we drove to Arco and bought some ice axes. We were completely mad, climbing the wildest routes. On that particular day in Lüsens, another climber spoke to me and lent me his ice axes to try out. I climbed up and was absolutely blown away, because they worked so much better than mine. I sold my old ice axes and immediately bought a new set from AustriAlpin.

When and how did you first come into contact with the company itself?

It was a stroke of luck: I was nearing the end of my degree and heard through a friend that AustriAlpin were looking for someone. The position hadn’t been advertised, so I applied on spec. The interview with Michael Uhrmann lasted half a day because we got on so well.

After that, however, I didn’t hear from him for three months. I was very disappointed, because the chemistry seemed right and it would have been my absolute dream job. So I rang again to let him know that I was now going to start looking for something else. And that’s when Michael Uhrmann told me that he was expecting me to start work next month.

How many women work at the company?

Loads. Julia, Elfi and Manuela in accounts, Lisa and Doris in marketing, and then there’s me and Fatime, our fairy godmother. So seven.

The hardware sector is generally dominated by men, isn’t it?

Yes, that was really strange for me at first, although… Actually, not so much for me as for the others. The big advantage, though, was that people got to know me quickly, simply because there are fewer women working in the industry.

25 years of AustriAlpin – from the Stubai to a brand in its own right

How has the company developed over the last 25 years?

AustriAlpin grew out of ‘Stubai’ – or, to be more precise, from the mountain sports manufacturers within Stubai. In 1996, they wanted to set up their own division within Stubai so that they could manage their own budget. Stubai did not agree to this request, so the mountain sports manufacturers left and set up their own business.

The early years must have been very difficult due to the resentment and envy that can quickly take root in such a small village. Their good fortune was that Hans Denifl took over sales and managed to bring many retailers on board. Through the mountain sports sector, AustriAlpin managed to establish itself more and more. In 2002, Michael Uhrmann joined the company and ultimately succeeded in turning things round completely. He laid the foundations for what AustriAlpin stands for today.

Over the past ten years, AustriAlpin has not only grown but has also come to be recognised for the branded products we know today. You’re not just active in mountain sports, but also in the industrial sector. On what scale does this take place?

Industry has been providing massive support to mountaineering for many, many years. We’re talking about an 80:20 ratio, because in the industrial sector it’s primarily about volume. For example, we’ve developed a special buckle, the Cobra buckle, which – and I can say this without exaggeration – is the best buckle on the market. It originally comes from paragliding and doesn’t come undone under tension. When the US military then took notice of the buckle for its special forces, sales skyrocketed. By way of comparison: when I started in 2006, we had orders for 1,000 Cobras, which we were delighted about. Today, that’s the minimum order quantity just to be able to place an order at all.

Is there a patent on it?

Yes, loads of them. A great deal of time and money has been invested in them by now. In fact, a large part of our job involves protecting and defending patents.

The Hörtnagl family owns the company. How do you feel as an outsider, even though, after 14 years, you’re practically part of the family?

They give us complete freedom. The working atmosphere is very good. The Family is mainly involved in day-to-day operations and production. They leave sales to us, although of course everything is done in close consultation. As true Stubaier locals, the Family never wanted a woman as managing director – as a matter of principle. That was a bit difficult at first, but I’ve now managed to win their trust through my competence and commitment.

You’re constantly bringing new products to market, such as the HMS Rondo Slide. How long does it take from the initial idea to the finished product?

Four years, if all goes well. As we use cold forming, we’re always a bit limited by the material and our ideas. What’s more, not everything can be calculated with this method, and it requires experience. In any case, it takes countless steps before a carabiner ends up on the shelves. It’s always a lovely feeling when, after four years, you see the carabiner for the first time on someone else – someone you didn’t give the product to yourself.

All your products are certified; they’re CE and UIAA-approved. Do you pursue both certifications? Why?

Yes, that’s right. The UIAA standard is a bit stricter and more established in the mountaineering market. The CE certification looks just like ‘China Export’. By holding both certifications, we also want to clearly communicate that this is an Austrian product. After all, we manufacture 95 per cent of our products in-house. Only slings – such as those for quickdraws – are sourced from external suppliers. Here, too, we ensure that our Partners manufacture in Europe and that we have confidence in them.

“We’ve got all the mountains in our heads”

AustriAlpin is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Are there any special events planned?

Yes, we’d planned a big party, but unfortunately it had to be cancelled. With the coronavirus situation, it’s not easy to celebrate a 25th anniversary properly this year. That’s dampening the mood a little, because we’d actually had something big planned. So it’ll just be a low-key event to let people know that this Austrian family business is turning 25 this year.

But the last year in particular has also shown just how beautiful Tirol is and how good the products we have here in Tirol are. Do you see a change here too?

Many people don’t even realise how good we have it here. I was one of those who used to travel to Arco to buy ice axes there. The big players have a strong presence thanks to their positive image. We, on the other hand, must try to occupy our niche effectively. Knowing that we manufacture our products in Tirol – from raw materials through development to final production – increases the appreciation for our Tirolean business. What’s more, Fulpmes can look back on a long history of metalworking. In the past, metal was even mined in the Schlick. So we’re carrying on a Tradition and keeping an old craft alive.

What skills does an employee need to fit into your team?

Laugh. We’re easy-going, and so should they be. The chemistry has to be right. We’ve all got ‘mountains on our minds’. When the weather’s nice, you might have to be quick off the mark with ‘I’m off then’, because we’re all the same in that respect – whether it’s winter or summer. The mountains are our main focus – from morning till night, even when the office work, especially the patent work, is often really tough.

Would a non-mountaineer find it hard to fit in with you lot?

No, not necessarily. We have one colleague who plays tennis. These days, though, he’s even tackling the odd Via Ferrata/Iron Way. So we’re slowly getting him there.

That’s certainly one of your strengths, as is listening, recognising opportunities and putting them into practice. I’m thinking of Dyneema vine ties, where you now produce the best ones available on the market.

We’re very happy when we’re presented with good ideas that are actually feasible. I’ll speak for myself: if there’s a product I’d like to have for myself, then of course we try to make it happen.

What’s coming from AustriAlpin next year?

That remains a big surprise for now. But there’s always something coming. We’re developing products left, right and centre.