Local inspection

“The weather suits the mood here in Mattighofen”

There had been a crisis at KTM for some time, now the bombshell. The screwdrivers are packed away for months. And almost everyone in the region around Mattighofen is affected in some way.

(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

The weather is gray in gray - only brief moments when the sun ventures out. The "Krone" local inspection in Mattighofen shows how much the region has grown together with KTM: "Almost everyone is affected in some way. Either because you work there yourself, or because a family member or friend does."

In Mattighofen, it was cold, windy and gray on Thursday at the "Krone" location, with rain pelting down on the almost empty town square. "The weather suits the mood here," muses Mayor Daniel Lang. "The fact that it happened so quickly was a shock to us all." It won't be a quiet Advent at the city office either - because KTM is one of the biggest sources of income for the budget. In view of the many personal fates in the region, this may only be a side issue - but Mattighofen is doing well because KTM, for example, is doing well and so are other companies that benefit as direct suppliers or simply as bakers who supply the shift workers.

"Everyone only talks about this topic"
The many employees of KTM and the other companies are facing an uncertain future just before Christmas and the turn of the year. "Everyone is talking about it, everyone knows someone who is affected in some way," reports Petra Holzknecht, a tobacconist. A young woman from the Innviertel region talks about a family friend - the house has just been finished, the couple, who have children to look after, are forced to stay at home.

The mood is very sombre. I'm affected myself, I haven't worked for four weeks. KTM's insolvency is a blow for the whole region, so many of us are affected.

Johann Gollhammer, arbeitet bei Zulieferer

"Growing too fast"
For some, the bankruptcy came as little surprise due to the extreme expansion course. Employees who have been laid off for weeks have been plagued by the gloomy outlook.

I am not affected myself, but I know some who have already been made redundant or are worried about their jobs. It's scary when such a large, leading company, which people in the region were very proud of, is insolvent.

Julia Priewasser, aus Pischelsdorf

There's no such thing as giving up
And yet: "There is no giving up! We'll find a job somewhere. Many of us are specialists and skilled workers who are urgently needed," said an optimistic employee of the motorcycle giant. Fittingly, the rain let up in Mattighofen in the afternoon and the sun briefly flashed through the dark sky.