AT&S boss: Microelectronics are essential for the weather and power transition

Gerstenmayr: The European Chips Act is an essential first step, but need to not be the final one

The boss of the listed Styrian revealed circuit board manufacturer AT&S, Andreas Gerstenmayer, sees Austria and the EU in worldwide opposition in microtechnology “running a bit behind the pores and skin”. This is exactly what is essential for the power and weather transition. There are right conditions within the Alpine Republic, but those have to be used skilfully – however something extra desires to be completed for this, the supervisor stated in the Ö1 “Journal zu Gast” on Saturday.

“Microelectronics need to turn out to be part of the climate trade and the strength revolution,” stated Gerstenmayer. More investments in energy and records infrastructure are needed than were deliberate inside the EU and Austria so far. The planned European “Chips Act” is an vital step, however it could simplest be a first and certainly not a very last one. In the direction of the challenging digitization and electrification of society, it's miles a be counted of dispensing energy and statistics volumes – “and they continue to grow”.

As stated, AT&S is one in every of six agencies and a companion in Austria as part of the EU microelectronics initiative that receive European and Austrian grants totaling as much as EUR one hundred seventy five million for modern-day era projects in this country. There are also AVL and Infineon Austria among others. The sum includes one hundred twenty five million euros from the European Recovery Fund and 50 million euros from countrywide budget.

In the EU, there's currently a complete of forty two billion euros in new subsidies that have not begun to be finalized. South Korea and the USA, for example, have set up large IT funding applications that exceed the ones deliberate within the EU.

In precept, Austria can construct on its strong automobile provider industry, however this too should be transformed digitally and geared greater towards electromobility. An appealing environment is critical for (high-tech) corporations – no matter whether or not they are local or foreign, which can be to settle here. It is ready the availability of professional workers, the studies infrastructure and the fee infrastructure. “The studies infrastructure in Austria is fantastically top; that is an asset of many European nations,” stated Gerstenmayer, who turned into born in Bavaria. All of them have problems with the skilled people, which honestly can't be solved with out qualified immigration, even though some events in Europe are in opposition to it. “We need the certified immigration and we should open ourselves to it, for that we need a welcoming tradition,” stated the supervisor in Ö1. Too excessive (labour, taxes and obligations) charges would ought to be offset with the aid of subsidies.

Digitization isn't always most effective approximately information safety for human beings – additionally for corporations. According to Gerstenmayer, organization, studies and customer information need to be secure as a way to be included into networks.

The AT&S group had simplest recently mentioned a large stoop in sales and profits for the first quarter of its 2023/24 economic year. Year-on-12 months income fell through 28 percent to EUR 362 million and the consolidated result turned negative from EUR ninety six million to minus EUR 2 million. However, as compared to the preceding area, income extended by a 5th. “In what continues to be a difficult marketplace surroundings with forecasts that change nearly each day, we've controlled to stabilize operational improvement,” said CEO Gerstenmayer on the presentation of the figures ultimate Tuesday. The efficiency and value optimization applications could take impact sooner than planned. A total of EUR 440 million is to be saved within the next two financial years.

AT&S has one thousand million-dollar project in Kulim in Malaysia. The last topping-out for Plant 1 become the begin of manufacturing in autumn 2024. However, the start of manufacturing for Plant 2, which has already been completed, maintains to depend on marketplace tendencies, the enterprise said currently. The project is progressing more slowly than at first supposed. In Leoben, as an instance, you can anticipate the know-how that has been built up over a protracted time frame and mainly the professional employees, says Gerstenmayer.

There, 500 million euros will circulate a studies and development center this is to be finished and will consist of collection manufacturing for IC substrate technology. 700 jobs are created in Upper Styria. This generation with the substrate production is available on this scale for the primary time within the western global. With this and the new plant in Kulim and the established manufacturing web sites in Chongqing, Shanghai (each China), Ansan (Korea) and Nanjangud (India), the AT&S Group intends to be “a decisive step ahead” in worldwide competition.