Andritz Opens Plant

Generator Production Resumes in Linz After a 10-Year Hiatus

The turbogenerators weigh up to 300 metric tons.(Bild: Horst Einöder/Flashpictures)

Due to high demand for renewable energy—and thus for so-called turbogenerators—the Styrian plant manufacturer Andritz has reopened its production plant in Linz. The move is expected to create 150 new jobs. The Danube is key to the location’s success.

In 2016, the Styrian plant manufacturer Andritz closed its plant in Linz—due to an “extreme market downturn,” says Jürgen Holzer, head of the turbogenerator division at Andritz. Turbogenerators balance out fluctuations in the power grid and are therefore particularly important for intermittent solar and wind energy.

And here, the market pendulum is currently swinging back in the opposite direction: “Global demand for renewable energy is rising rapidly,” says Holzer—and with it, demand for these generators. That is why Andritz officially reopened its plant in Linz on Thursday.

Order books full through 2030
As early as this year, twelve of these massive generators—weighing up to 300 metric tons—are scheduled to be shipped from Linz. Once fully operational starting in 2028, the plant in Upper Austria’s capital will be able to manufacture 46 units per year.

“The connection to the Danube makes the Linz location a gem,” says Holzer. This is because the large machines can only be transported by ship. Andritz was able to literally “navigate around” the low water levels: By using special ships, the company was able to export its large units via the Danube even during periods of extremely low water levels.

The reopened plant in Linz already employs 70 people, and that number is expected to rise to 150 by 2028. The order books are full through 2030.