‘ESG is becoming an integral part of FM in Austria too’

Thomas Winter is the CEO of Apleona Austria. In this interview, he explains how he is making the Austrian business future-proof through lean and digital processes.

What are the next steps for Apleona Austria in terms of corporate development?

'We want to expand the enlarged service portfolio achieved through the merger to existing and new customers. First, however, we need to implement uniform, efficient, digitalised processes across all areas. Additionally, we intend to further expand our expertise in ESG and support customers with digital solutions. We also intend to continue pursuing PPP projects (construction and operation).

How do you see Apleona positioned in the current market environment?

With our current setup and tools, we are one of the few FM providers in Austria that can quickly deliver consistent quality and performance documentation across the board, from Neusiedler See to Lake Constance, on a long-term basis. We have a comparatively high level of in-house expertise in technical FM services. We are also one of the few companies in Austria with experience of PPP projects. We are the largest technical FM service provider and one of the few with an international presence.

Which market segments would you like to grow in, and why?

We want to continue growing throughout Austria. Thanks to our numerous branch and chain customers, we have extensive experience working with well-known clients and can therefore achieve economies of scale. One very interesting customer segment that we want to focus on is the industrial sector. We want to become a reliable partner for ESG issues here and, in addition to our TFM solutions, further expand our expertise in operating production facilities. We also intend to expand the large-scale project business of our LCS (Life Cycle Projects) division in the regions of Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland and Upper Austria. We have already built six educational campuses in Vienna and a university of applied sciences in St. Pölten with our ARGE partners, and two further special projects (PPP models) are currently in the construction phase.

Would you agree that FM service providers are increasingly becoming partners in the implementation of ESG strategies?

In my view, FM service providers are becoming strategic partners in the implementation of ESG strategies. Our role has long since evolved beyond traditional building management to encompass critical tasks such as decarbonisation, ESG reporting, and digital energy optimisation. With our specialised teams of experts, our innovative tools such as Enerlutec and Recogizer, and our clear focus on sustainability and digitalisation, we are positioning ourselves as an active driver of this transformation. To me, ESG is not just a market trend, but an integral part of our corporate strategy, underpinned by technical excellence, innovation and a deep understanding of our customers' challenges.

Can you provide any specific examples of this at Apleona Austria?

Energy audits, energy efficiency measures and waste management have been integral to our service portfolio for many years. Since 2020, we have successfully collected and processed data for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions under the heading ‘ESG’. AI-supported building control (Recogizer) has been implemented at several locations since 2022. Our Green Real Estate team implements smaller- and large-scale projects that specifically contribute to the decarbonisation of our customers' real estate portfolios.