"Foundry experts can be counted on" — with these words, Hans-Jörg Dichtl, Chairman of the Austrian Foundry Association, welcomed more than 200 delegates who gathered in the historic university town of Leoben, located in Upper Styria. The aim of the event was to strengthen networks and, in particular, to develop new ideas for shaping the future of the industry.
The European industrial sector — especially the energy- and labor-intensive industries — is currently under severe pressure. Austria is experiencing its third consecutive year of recession. Within three years, the country has lost 10 percentage points in wage cost competitiveness compared to Germany. Meanwhile, Italy’s GDP has grown by an additional 5% compared to Austria over the past five years.
The Austrian foundry industry has not been spared: for many years it generated annual revenues of €1.8 billion with around 7,500 employees. Today, the sector comprises approximately 6,000 employees and a turnover of about €1.4 billion, meaning roughly 1,500 jobs have been lost — at least for the time being. The situation is serious, and all stakeholders — from politics to interest groups and companies — are called upon to act swiftly and decisively to counteract creeping deindustrialization.
There are no simple solutions. What is needed is a new understanding of economic interrelationships in the global context and a consistent, bold economic, industrial, and location policy — both in Europe and especially in Austria. The importance of industry as a cornerstone of prosperity must be recognized and actively supported.
Prosperity is based on Productivity
Adam Smith asked the question 250 years ago: What makes the wealth of nations? Today, we know that prosperity depends almost entirely — 98% — on productivity gains rather than the mere availability of resources. A new focus on the meaning and mechanisms of productivity is urgently needed to restart our economic engine.
Boosting productivity requires the right mindset: courage and optimism, creativity and persuasiveness, as well as the determination to actively shape one's own future — particularly in times of crisis. The foundry industry has proven over decades how systematic technological development can maintain competitiveness even in challenging markets.
At the ÖGI board meeting, it was impressively reaffirmed that the Austrian Foundry Research Institute (ÖGI) — one of Austria’s largest non-university research institutions — together with the Chair of Foundry Science at the Montanuniversität Leoben, will continue to drive technological advancement in close cooperation. Special thanks go to the university professors involved, Managing Director Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Peter Liepert and his dedicated team, as well as the co-organizer ProGuss.
Despite the challenges of recent years, the ÖGI has impressively demonstrated the significant role it plays far beyond Austria’s borders — and once again managed to bring together a high-caliber group of industry experts from both Austria and abroad for this prestigious conference in Leoben.
Networking and personal exchange were top priorities, and as always, the traditional Foundry Evening — this year held at the Hotel Böhlerstern in Kapfenberg — provided ample opportunity for discussion in a pleasant atmosphere.
It is likely that the unique combination of a rich industrial heritage — with key industrial centers in Leoben, Kapfenberg, and Bruck an der Mur — and the close connection between science and industry lends the event its special character.
The conference program featured outstanding presentations from speakers primarily from Austria and Germany, covering topics related to iron and steel casting as well as aluminum light metal casting.
Key topics included successful practical examples of digitalization projects in foundry production, the latest innovations from research and technology, and new product developments for the casting industry.
Despite the current global economic difficulties and the resulting weakness in the foundry sector, the 67th Austrian Foundry Conference left a consistently positive impression on all participants.
The 68th Austrian Foundry Conference will take place from April 23–24, 2026, at Fill GmbH in Gurten.
