Austria's auto industry in the crisis: 6,300 jobs on the brink!

Austria's auto industry in the crisis: 6,300 jobs on the brink!

The Austrian auto industry is under pressure: Current analyzes show that the domestic economy of Volkswagen (VW) is heavily dependent. Every year, goods worth 28.5 billion euros are produced, 85% of which are exported abroad, primarily to Germany. It is particularly alarming that 6,300 jobs in Austria depend directly on VW orders. This number was determined in a detailed research letter from ASCII, logistics from the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and Complexity Science Hub. The researchers identified 135 companies that are directly connected to VW, which illustrates the vulnerability of the domestic industry, especially in view of the factory closures announced by VW for 2026, such as OTS reported.

economic effects for suppliers

The research shows that component manufacturers in particular should be affected by the cuts at short notice, while machine suppliers could experience long -term declines. Peter Klimek, the director of the ASCII, explains that optimism and pessimism vary in estimates for loss of job - between 3,600 and 10,900 jobs could be lost. This economic dependence on VW is not only a risk for the companies concerned, but also for the entire industry in Austria. The experts warn that the current crisis at VW only represents the "tip of the iceberg". In order to prevent serious value-added losses, extensive EU-relevant reforms are necessary that strengthen the competitiveness of the automotive industry, so Volkswagen .

The urgency of these developments is becoming increasingly clear: the German automotive industry loses market shares to Chinese electric car producers, and the previous manufacturers have failed to adapt sufficiently to the new customer needs. The future of one's own innovative strength and jobs in Austria now depends crucially on how companies will react to these challenges. Effective crisis management could be crucial to reduce the technological deficit and prepare the industry for the upcoming challenges.