PR for Frauenthal Handel Gruppe: wholesale in the spotlight

Frauenthal Handel Gruppe AG is Austria’s leading wholesaler for sanitary, heating and installation technology, civil engineering, industry and electrical supplies, with brands including ÖAG, SHT, Kontinentale and elektromaterial.at. Since May 2026, we have supported the group from the strategy phase through to ongoing press relations.

Wholesale usually works behind the scenes: installers, construction firms and industry rely on it every day, yet it barely features in public perception. Frauenthal Handel Gruppe needed to become visible as a systemically important partner for construction, renovation and the energy transition, and to establish its board members and specialists as voices of the industry.

Following a PR analysis and a strategy workshop, we developed a communications concept that puts the role of wholesale centre stage. To kick off, a press release featuring CEO Erika Hochrieser showed why wholesale becomes a risk buffer for installation businesses in times of crisis.

In July, we invited journalists to a media evening at the Perchtoldsdorf logistics centre, with a tour of the warehouse and conversations with the board. This was complemented by timely interview offers, for example on air conditioning in flats during the heatwave, heat pumps and renovation, and digitalisation in wholesale.

Within a few months, more than 15 pieces appeared, including in Kronen Zeitung, Der Standard, Kurier and IMMO Kurier, Salzburger Nachrichten, Heute, trend, NÖN and MeinBezirk. The group also featured on ORF in the programme “Aktuell nach eins”.