Boardsport Source reports that the Austrian snowboard factory of Global Sports Technologies (GST) will cease production at the end of July. The plant's 85 staff were apparently informed on 25 February that the activity in Antiesenhofen had become untenable because production costs are relatively high in Austria while selling prices and turnover are on the slide. Orders reportedly dropped to €7 million for the upcoming season, down from €12 million for the 14/15 winter. Among the factors behind the decline is Capita's opening of its own snowboard factory and a move by several brands to the SWS factory in Dubai. GST started in 1995 after the Austrian businessman Thomas Berger acquired a former Hagan Skis factory. Production began with 30,000 boards but reached 180,000 boards in 2008, with orders from brands such as F2, Bataleon, Santa Cruz, Drake, Volcom and many more.

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