General Meeting Of Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG Held
Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG announced the best business results in the company's history and future investments at the well-attended general meeting. The 323 shareholders present decided to make a distribution to shareholders for the first time in nine years.
trends and investments
After the welcoming words from Graubünden government councillor Marcus Caduff, Chairman of the Board of Directors Felix Frei discussed the trends that currently appear to be gaining momentum. "The short-term nature and flexibility of guests' booking behaviour has increased, which makes planning more challenging. Megatrends such as climate change and sustainability are at the forefront of the agenda and no company can leave these issues unaddressed," says Frei.
The Lenzerheide Bergbahnen are currently investing around CHF 8 million in replacing the Stätzertäli chairlift. "We are building the most sustainable replacement facility in the Alps," says Thomas Küng happily. The garage and most of the supports and foundations of the former transport facility have been upgraded, renewed and retained as far as possible. A comfortable 4-seater chairlift with hoods is being built. The drive requires around 10% less energy and the speed automatically adjusts to demand.
After the major investment in the chairlift, the main focus over the next five years will be on expanding the snowmaking system, with investments of over CHF 30 million. Various projects and approval procedures are currently running simultaneously. Construction work to expand the Heidbüel reservoir is scheduled to start next summer, and the snowmaking system around the Valbella ski lift is also to be built. After years of effort, the signatures of all landowners for the Valbella snowmaking system have now been received.
The mountain railways installed their ninth photovoltaic system this summer and work on the next one is already underway. The company's stated goal is to increase the proportion of self-generated energy to 15% of year-round electricity consumption.
In the area of digitalization, various foundations have been and are being laid so that guests can be better supported digitally in the future and internal processes can be made more efficient. This includes the ordering process for annual passes, a professionalization of the voucher system and reservation options for restaurants. Over the course of the winter, a guest guide will be launched in which the most important data in the ski area is available in a simple and compact manner. The project is being set up and managed together with Arosa Bergbahnen AG, Arosa Tourismus and Lenzerheide Marketing und Support AG. In this way, holistic benefits can be created for guests of both destinations. The project is also supported with funding from the canton of Graubünden.
Thomas Küng was pleased that the partial revision of the Rothorn local plan was clearly approved in the vote last Sunday. This created the conditions for the mountain railways to raise the valley station by two floors and create 26 staff rooms there. An urgent need in the Lenzerheide destination.
Jeannot Raschle becomes new member of the management board
Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG also announced at the AGM that it has appointed Jeannot Raschle as the new Head of Slopes and Infrastructure. He will now be a member of the mountain railway company's five-person management team. As the new Head of Slopes and Infrastructure, Jeannot Raschle will take over the management and coordination of the heads of snowmaking and slope preparation, slope and rescue services, garage and facility management at Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG as of December 1, 2024. 39-year-old Jeannot Raschle is a qualified construction manager, trained structural draftsman and bricklayer. With his previous work as a construction manager and project manager at Crestageo AG, he brings a lot of experience with work and projects in the mountains, which is also his motivation for the new task: "Full of energy, I am looking forward to actively supporting Bergbahnen Lenzerheide AG with my experience in the many construction projects and am proud to be part of this great team from December 1st." He is the father of two children and lives in Maladers. Jeannot Raschle succeeds Samuel Lorez, who left Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG at the end of August 2024.
A very successful financial year 2023/24
Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG (LBB AG) is closing the anniversary year of the 10-year existence of the Arosa Lenzerheide ski area connection with a very pleasing result. Board member Alois Bearth was able to present record figures for sales of CHF 39.1 million and EBITDA of CHF 13.9 million. A profit of CHF 1.29 million was reported.
In winter, 1.4 million guests (first-time visitors) visited the Arosa Lenzerheide ski area, which is the second best figure after the 2021/22 winter (1.43 million). In summer 2023, around 3% fewer guests (195,000) visited the mountain railways in Lenzerheide than in the previous year.
After nine years, another distribution
The shareholders decided on a repayment of 10% of the nominal value from the capital contribution reserve. This will implement the new dividend policy, which will allow shareholders to participate in the company success of Lenzerheide Bergbahnen again after a 9-year break.
