The Austrian electrical and electronics industry (EEI) can look back on a strong year 2021. The second largest branch of industry in the country was able to increase its production value by 14.9 percent compared to 2020 to 19.73 billion euros last year. However, the EEI is concerned about rising energy costs and supply chain problems.
With around 70,000 jobs, the branch of industry is back to the “pre-crisis level of 2019”, according to the association’s managing director Marion Mitsch. The “very good year” is also reflected in a sales increase of 17.9 percent to 22.7 billion euros. Exports accounted for around 84 percent of EEI’s sales in 2021. Products and services with a total value of 17.65 billion euros were exported last year – an increase of 17.4 percent. The most important target countries were Germany, China and the USA.
However, the mood in the industry is currently divided. In an internal survey, around 70 percent of the companies said they were confident that sales would increase again this year. However, due to disrupted supply chains, high energy costs and supply uncertainty, 15 percent would consider reducing production.
Uncertain view of the future
According to the chairman of the trade association and Siemens boss Wolfgang Hesoun, production bottlenecks in the industry could have “unexpected effects” on critical infrastructure such as mobile communications, electricity and water supply and “thus on every individual”. “As much as we would all wish for it, the challenges will not ebb in 2022.” Hesoun therefore “emphatically” called for the EEI to be taken into account as a key industry in the Energy Control Act.
Source: Nachrichten
