Before Christmas, the last two Mines to close. What remains is the eternity are the tasks that takes the RAG-Stiftung. The costs amount annually to about 220 million euros.
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Last mine: conclusion in the shaft
If before Christmas, the “lid on the mines” the mine of Ibbenbüren and Prosper Haniel in Bottrop, then a significant Chapter of German economic ends history. With the closure of the last two remaining Mines in Germany adopted by the coal mining industry. In the years of economic boom after the Second world war, over 600,000 buddy coal promoted to days. Now for the last 3500 layer in the shaft. What remains are the traces, left by the mining. So-called eternity, the expense, the cost annually about 220 million euros. This task falls within the framework of the so-called Nachbergbaus of the RAG-Stiftung.
The Foundation was established in June 2007 with a capital of two million euros to secure the settlement of the subsidy to German coal mining industry. The promotion of responsible group RAG (formerly Ruhrkohle AG) is a 100% subsidiary of RAG-Stiftung.
Work 1250 meters underground: One of the toughest Jobs there is.
Since may, Bernd Tönjes Chairman of the Board of RAG-Stiftung with its headquarters on the grounds of the world cultural heritage Zeche Zollverein in Essen is in office. For Tönjes, previously long years the chief of the coal mine group RAG, is at least one consolation: “the fact that this is being done in a socially responsible manner, without layoffs, without social upheavals in the regions.” Regardless of the RAG-Stiftung is necessary to take from next year a lot of money in the Hand, to the threat of consequential damage to be avoided. Thus, regions of the former Mines literally not drown, you must be pumped out mine water in the mines continuously. Add to that the polder water over days as well as the cleaning of ground water.
18 billion euros on the high edge
In the year 2007, than for the coal it was decided to rated these eternity costs a year to around 220 million euros. However, due to price effects in the past few years, Tönjes, “that the cost increase”. Whether or not may be up to 250 million euros, the RAG-Foundation-in-chief can’t quantify currently. But financially, the Foundation is able to cope with this task.
The colliery Zollverein: Here you can show his children how it was once with the coal. A world heritage site, Museum, everything.
As the majority shareholder of a prospering chemical company Evonik, you have a sufficient financial cushion, reaffirms Tönjes. “We expect the 18 billion Euro, we have on the high edge.” This year alone, transferred to Evonik of over 360 million euros in dividends to the Foundation. With the placement of 16.3 million new Evonik shares as well as bonds, the RAG Foundation took in this year in addition to one billion Euro. “The income generated by these assets, we can provide the posts for the Nachbergbau 2019”, Bernd Tönjes convinced. Him too much is to make it clear that the taxpayer for the long-term costs with no cents to the cashier.
Objective: Industrial Holding
Currently, the RAG-Stiftung owns 64.3 percent of Evonik shares. The company Evonik was formed in the same year as the RAG-Stiftung, namely 2007. Here, the so-called “white area” of the coal group was bundled RAG. Even if in the Foundation’s Statute, the objective is to reduce the proportion of Evonik to 25.1 percent, so there is no reason to separate themselves from other units is for Bernd Tönjes, nevertheless. They wanted to stay for the foreseeable future the majority shareholder. Finally, we are convinced that the strategy of the new Evonik Executive Board, “is very profitable and we can safely assume a rate of return that meets the expectations of the RAG-Stiftung.”
In addition, the aim is to achieve over the RAG-Stiftung Beteiligungsgesellschaft in the long term for additional income. Through the participation in sustainable, successful company, mostly from the SME sector. The aim is to build an entrepreneur-led industrial holding company. Or, as formulated by Bernd Tönjes: “We acquire companies that have, for example, a problem of Succession, where the owner has an interest in ensuring that he is able to implement a continuing model for his company. Because we are the right Partner, because we want to in the long term, remain invested.”
The structural change in progress
So far, global engineering, automation and industrial services companies were in the foreground. But they are not shy to invest in companies without reference to the technology when these large potential for growth promise. That’s why they rose more than ten percent of the Europe’s leading Online retailers for animal, there is a need for Zooplus. In the framework of the diversification, the Foundation is also a major shareholder of the housing group Vivawest, with approximately 120,000 dwellings to the sector sizes in Germany.
The Foundation needs money in the long run. Not only for the financing of the so-called eternity of the tasks of the mining industry. The duty of the chief Executive officer of Tönjes looks also in shaping the future of the mining regions. The Ruhr area, he says, for example, with over 270,000 students a chance region. “Our concern here must be to keep as many as possible of these talents in the Region to bring new businesses and thus jobs and economic power in the Region.”
As a contribution to the structural change in the Foundation, loose power, therefore for the promotion of education and culture considerable sums in the millions. The coal industry is history, but the workup, there is not at zero cost.
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