Fire protection that pays off

 In the wood industry, fire protection is not a “nice-to-have”.
It determines permits, insurability – and in an emergency, the very existence of a business.
That it does not necessarily have to be expensive is shown by the success story of VM Holz in Vöcklamarkt, a company of the RZ Group.

The site has been supported by risk on mind since 2018.
What began as classic fire protection support quickly developed into a comprehensive risk management project – with surprisingly clear economic effects.

Many requirements, little overview

When Stephan Dorner from risk on mind first delved deeper into the site's fire protection topics, it quickly became clear:
There was a lot to do.

Regulatory requirements had to be implemented in line with the official notice, while insurance-related requirements were also on the table, some of which went far beyond what was actually needed.
A typical picture for many industrial businesses: isolated measures, differing expectations – but no common plan.

This is exactly where we started.

Think first, then build

Instead of ordering equipment right away, a comprehensive concept was developed first.
Not maximum, but sensible.
Not by gut feeling, but risk-based.

The key question was:
Which measures are truly necessary to ensure a safe operation that can be approved and insured – and which are not?

The result was a coordinated fire protection concept with a combination of:

• sprinkler systems,

• fire alarm systems,

• smoke and heat exhaust systems (SHEVs),

• spark extinguishing systems in critical areas.

Crucially, the concept was aligned with the authorities and insurers at an early stage.
This avoided later surprises – and that is exactly what paid off.

Saving through expertise

The biggest effects appeared where they are often least expected:
in the costs.

In the tendering process for the sprinkler system alone, savings in the seven-figure range were achieved.
Not through low-cost solutions, but through clear scope definitions and consistent technical review of the bids.

At least as important – and often underestimated – were the savings on the insurance side.
Thanks to the coherent overall concept, several measures that were originally required could be proven unnecessary.

The result:
costs that did not have to be invested in the first place – a key point that clearly demonstrates the economic value of a good fire protection concept.

risk on mind also stayed closely involved throughout implementation.
By ensuring execution in line with the contract, additional costs were avoided and the quality of the systems was sustainably secured.

Trust through results

The collaboration was convincing not only on a technical level, but also strategically.

“The insurability of our site was not a given at the start.
Through the work of risk on mind, we now have a long-term stable and secure solution.
That is why I consciously placed full responsibility for fire protection matters in the hands of risk on mind.”
Dietmar Riegler and Otto Zechmeister, the two owners of the RZ Group

Today, risk on mind supports not only VM Holz, but the entire RZ Group.
At multiple sites, we ensure long-term peace of mind – with the authorities, but above all with insurers.

Insurability can be planned

The VM Holz example makes one thing clear:
it is not about how large a business is.
It is about how good the concept is.

Anyone who sees fire protection as an integral part of risk management creates the foundation for stable insurability – and therefore for business security.

Or, as risk on mind puts it:
Risk management before insurance.

Read the full article in Holzkurier: https://www.holzkurier.com/schnittholz/2026/04/brandschutz_der_sichrechnet.html