Challenges and opportunities: Plansee is fighting for competitiveness

Challenges and opportunities: Plansee is fighting for competitiveness

The economy is faced with considerable challenges these days, and the Plansee Group feels the effects in different areas. At this year's anniversary celebration, CEO Karlheinz Wex expressed critical thoughts on developments that, in his opinion, could have been avoided.

Breitenwang is not only the company's headquarters, but also a center for important investments. In the current year, over 50 million euros will flow into improving the systems and infrastructure. Particular attention is paid to the new hydrogen electrolysis, which is to be put into operation in the fourth quarter of 2023 and ensures that CO2 emissions at the location drop by 40 percent. At the same time, the automation of the systems and the associated technologies are improved.

warning of economic step backwards

Wex commented on the dwindling charm of Austria as a business location. According to him, this development endangers the existing prosperity. An analysis of the Swiss management institute IMD shows that Austria has fallen from 15th to 26th in international competitiveness in the past five years, while countries such as Sweden and Denmark remain constant in the top ten.

A reason for this decline is the high labor costs in Austria. WEX reported that the Plansee Group in Breitenwang spends 200 million euros annually for wages and salaries, of which only 100 million euros land on the employees' accounts. This leads to a tax burden of over 60 percent. "This is very frustrating for the employees and contributes to the feeling that hard work is no longer worthwhile," he said.

consequences of the tax system for employees

The effects of these loads are noticeable: Many employees opt for part -time models and try to compensate for their income through government subsidies. The board sees a central problem in the existing tax system. In addition, the bureaucracy in Austria is growing, which Wex described as a "bureaucracy burnout".

In addition to these internal challenges, the economy also faces external factors. The decline in demand in the automotive industry, according to WEX due to political wrong decisions such as the combustion engine from 2035, has a negative impact on various key sectors, including mechanical engineering and medical technology. WEX fears that there are no signs of economic recovery in sight.

Despite the difficult economic framework, the Plansee Group recently received an award as one of the top employers in Austria. According to an evaluation by the industrial magazine, the company was chosen among the top ten employers and is also one of the most attractive companies in the world, as Forbes reported.

Finally, WEX motivated his listeners not to lose optimism: "Every crisis also has opportunities. It is important to focus on solutions in these challenging times." In order to learn more about the situation and developments, www.meinbezirk.at can be used.