Austrian Plastics and Plastics Processing: Surprisingly Ingenious

The Austrian plastics and plastics processing industry is a powerhouse that encompasses the entire value chain, from raw materials to the finished product. This comprehensive sector includes the production of raw materials, plastics mechanical engineering, tool and mold construction, plastics processing, plastics-specific services, and cutting-edge research and training facilities.

Austria boasts a diverse landscape of companies within this industry, ranging from global giants to trailblazers in niche segments, all dedicated to delivering sustainable, top-quality products to their discerning clientele. It’s no surprise that ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA is thrilled to organize a prominent presence at FAKUMA 2023, the world’s premier trade event for industrial plastics processing. With 18 leading companies showcased at the ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA group stand, it’s clear that Austrian firms are worldclass partners and represent industry at its best – explore the list of participating companies here. Additionally, 40 other Austrian enterprises will be presenting their innovations at individual booths at FAKUMA.

As a cross-sector industry, plastics have extensive connections to fields such as mechatronics, information technology, medical technology, and automotive sectors. Austria’s plastics industry distinguishes itself through effective customer communication, offering reliability as a hallmark trait.

Austrian plastics companies are known for their exceptional collaborative capabilities. They actively engage in addressing contemporary challenges through platforms and partnerships with both academic and non-academic research institutions. For instance, the “Smart Plastics” initiative epitomizes their ability to merge mechatronics, plastics, and design expertise, aiming to create functionalized components that meet the highest quality and design standards. Other collaborative endeavors focus on lightweight construction, production flexibility, and optimization. The plastics cluster, a network of the plastics industry in Upper Austria and neighboring regions, is committed to advancing bioplastics.

Austria’s highly developed engineering ecosystem is a key driver of its competitiveness in the plastics industry. The dual apprenticeship system serves as a role model for numerous countries. Moreover, Austria boasts colleges, technical institutions specializing in plastics, degree programs at universities of applied sciences, and dedicated university courses at institutions like the Mining University Leoben and Johannes Kepler University in Linz.

#greentechaustria is a prevalent theme within the Austrian plastics industry. Plastic, in many applications, saves significantly more energy and resources than are required for its production. Continuous innovation and the shift towards lightweight plastic products contribute to ensuring that only the necessary material is used to achieve product functionality.
“Responsible use of plastic as a resource is already practiced in Austria’s economy. Reducing consumption while utilizing the special properties of the material, recycling, and reuse at all stages of the value chain, through to new material developments and the production of sustainable alternative materials – our companies cover the entire spectrum”, says Konrad Eckl, Director of Energy, Sustainability, and Natural Resources at ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA. Topics like “zero waste” top the plastics industry’s priority list. Achieving recycling and generation in a single-stage process is a key aspect of creating an economically attractive and environmentally friendly circular economy. Austrian companies have pioneered this field, with cutting-edge technology for plastic recycling machines leading the world, ranging from large systems to small, location-independent solutions. To explore potential business partnerships with 18 distinguished companies or discover the latest innovations in the plastics industry, visit ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA’s booth B2-2115 at FAKUMA 2023 or learn more at advantageaustria.org/FAKUMA2023.