Austria in the Far East
“We don’t need to be afraid of China”
"We should see the opportunities in China and take advantage of them, and we don't need to be afraid," summarizes Markus Achleitner (VP), Upper Austria's Provincial Councillor for Economic Affairs, after visiting the Middle Kingdom with a delegation to get an idea of how things are going for companies from Upper Austria with branches in the Shanghai region.
According to the politician, the trip to China - his first visit to the country - cleared up some of the fog: "Development departments here sometimes work in three shifts. That's why we have to be more innovative in Upper Austria, which is more expensive, so that we always stay one step ahead." This is why the research budget in Upper Austria is higher than ever this year for the first time, exceeding the 100 million euro mark.
The region around Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) is China's leading economic region and also Austria's largest trading partner and has around 290 branches of Austrian companies - the delegation led by Achleitner, IV Managing Director Joachim Haindl-Grutsch, WKOÖ Director Gerald Silberhumer and Werner Pamminger (Business Upper Austria) paid a visit to some of them and explored the following questions, among others: Why should domestic companies venture into China?
"China should not accommodate us"
Thomas Bründl, Managing Director of Starlim and IV Vice President, comments: "It has never been a good concept to be closed in at home. China should not accommodate us, which is why we are entering the market and want to set a standard. Every time we have gone abroad, our location in Austria has grown as a result."
Training apprentices as an export hit
Dual training in companies and vocational schools could also become an export hit to China in the future - Engel, STIWA and the Vorarlberg plastics specialist Alpla already offer this in cooperation with the Wifi, and Starlim also wants to follow suit.
At STIWA, for example, China Managing Director Mathias Schwamberger himself completed an apprenticeship as a design engineer. The Chinese apprentices have to take an entrance test, an interview and attend vocational school, just like in Austria - the examiners are flown in from Austria for the final apprenticeship exam.
Best apprentices visit Austria
The best apprentices are then allowed to work in Upper Austria for a few weeks, and vice versa, Upper Austrians also come to China time and again. This was the case for Christina Waldl (26) from Bad Wimsbach and Tanja Roider (24) from Vöcklamarkt - both were delighted to be able to travel the world in their professions as a programmer and mechanic.
"The red carpet is being rolled out for us here"
The signing of cooperation agreements with the "Su-Tong Ecopark" business center in Nantong and the Lin-gang Special Area pilot region also looked to the future: "This should make it easier for our companies to enter China. The red carpet is currently being rolled out for us here, and we should take advantage of that," Achleitner calls on companies to think about China.
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