The manufacturing industry, with approx. 680,000 employees in 30,000 companies and a gross value added of approx. 50 billion euros per year is the backbone of Austrian economy. Almost every fifth euro in Austria is earned by the domestic manufacturing industry, almost two thirds of the workforce depend directly on it. All the more reason why producing internationally competitive products is an essential factor for prosperity.
Therefore the goal is to keep the manufacturing industry in Austria and to make it fit for the future. Many outstanding production companies are located in Austria, not few of these are global and technological leaders. Still, the pressure from international competition is enormous and domestic industry can only survive if it can develop innovative technologies and improve in productivity.
