Austrian Plastics Industry February 19, 2008

Throughout the world, Austrian plastics companies are known for the quality of their products and the reliability of their machinery.

Borealis PP body panels for the new Smart®fortwo, Engel injection molding machines for consumer packaging, electronics and healthcare applications, cushions for the Airbus 380 from Greiner – just to name a few of the key players whose products are part of our everyday lives.  

The industry at a glance

With a remarkable EUR 5.7 billion of shipments in 2006, Austrian plastics manufacturers and processors are a major contributor to Austria’s industrial production. Aside from resins and plastic products, a number of plastics auxiliaries such as stabilizers, fillers and release agents are made in Austria. Among the most commonly produced plastics are PE, PP and EPS as well as resins for paint and adhesives. Main end users of plastics in Austria are the packaging, electronics and skiing industries.


Breakdown of Plastics Companies and Providers [jpg, 13.5kb]


Foreign trade

Due to the rather small size of the domestic market, the plastics industry is highly export-oriented. Plastic processors have an average export quota of 33% with some companies focusing solely on foreign markets. In total, the plastics industry has an export quota of around 70%.

In 2006, exports of plastic products amounted to EUR 2.7 billion. Germany is Austria’s most important trading partner followed by Switzerland and France. Outside of Europe, the United States is the largest export market for Austrian plastics machinery and products. Austria imported plastics products in the amount of EUR 2.1 billion in 2006, primarily from Germany, Italy and Switzerland. 

Plastics processing

Austria’s plastics industry comprises some 600 companies. These mostly small to medium-sized companies have a total staff of 22,500 employees. Established processing methods such as extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, foam molding, etc. are used to produce film and sheet, pipes, EPS, profiles, windows and doors, siding, packaging, automotive parts, household and sporting goods, among many others.  

The majority of plastics production is located in the provinces of Upper and Lower Austria where more than half of all plastics processing jobs are based and most of the revenue is generated. 

Plastics Cluster

The Plastics Cluster represents a networking platform for its 390+ members to stimulate innovative product and process design as well as enhance the potential and competitiveness of the Austrian plastics industry. Since its formation in 1999, the Plastics Cluster has contributed a great deal to strengthen the image of the Austrian plastics sector at home and abroad through PR events, educational seminars, technology and R&D projects, etc. Please click here for more information on the Plastics Cluster.

Are you interested in more information on the Austrian Plastics Industry or a particular company or product? Please contact the Austrian Trade Commission Chicago by e-mail chicago@austriantrade.org or by phone (312) 644-5556.

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