Carinthia's electronics industry: a high technology hub with a global influence

Carinthia's electronics industry: a high technology hub with a global influence

The Carinthian electrical and electronics industry is in the spotlight because it has established itself as one of the leading industries in Austria. Last year, the industry had an impressive turnover of 6.3 billion euros, which makes it the largest industry in the state. With around 7,300 employees, a significant increase of 90 percent compared to 2010, the industry is both an employer and an important exporter.

Michael Velmeden, the division of the Carinthian industry, confirms that 25 companies are active in this area, with some of them have a remarkable export quota. An example of this is the company CMS Electronics, the export share of which is 70 percent. These companies mainly produce for the European and global market. As key players in the areas of digitization, artificial intelligence and alternative energies, they offer essential components.

a pioneer in microtechnology

The importance of microelectronics for Carinthia is underlined by economist Norbert Wohlgemuth, who emphasizes that around three quarters of Austrian added value come in the production of electronic components from Carinthia. Among them are large players such as Infineon in Villach, where the majority of the 4900 employees work in this sector. Infineon recently reported technological progress by producing the thinnest silicon-performance-hal leader wafer. With a thickness of only 20 micrometers, which corresponds to a quarter of a human hair, this innovation enables a significant reduction in performance losses in power supply systems.

These developments result from a dense network of suppliers and research cooperations that has been established in Carinthia for years. For example, the Italian company plans to open a new location in Villach next year and invest five million euros, which should also lead to the creation of 20 new jobs. LAM Research has significantly expanded its business in recent years, including a new construction stage that was opened in summer and offers space for another 150 jobs.

in the Villach Technology Park and in the Lakeside Park in Klagenfurt, valuable cooperation have also been created. Together with Styria, a strong ecosystem has grown, which is funded by initiatives such as the Silicon Alps Cluster. With annual investments of 500 million euros in research and development and more than 3000 F&-employees, Carinthia proves to be a central player in the microelectronics industry, despite challenging global market conditions, especially in the automotive sector.

The demand in the semiconductor market, however, shows positive signs: after a decline in the last year, a increase in sales of around 14 percent will be forecast by 2025. These trends could create the prerequisites for further growth and innovation in Carinthia, especially if competitiveness can be promoted by lower work and energy costs. You can find out more about these developments here .