World Champion Austria Interview
“Our industry cannot be valued highly enough” Georg Knill, President of the Federation of Austrian Industries, on the challenges, the most important topics for Austria’s industrial sector and his Christmas wishes.
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he Federation of Austrian Industries (IV Industriellen vereinigung), the voluntary and independent representa tion of interests of the Austrian industry and its related sectors has a new president, Georg Knill, since June. Georg Knill, President of IV Styria, Managing Partner at the Knill Group and Chairman of the Board at Rosendahl Nextrom GmbH, took over from Georg Kapsch after serving eight years as IV Presi dent. We met the new president for an interview.
Alongside the Covid crisis, which challenges does the domestic industry face and in what way? And how can IV give support? The top priority for the industrial sector is combatting the effects of the Covid crisis. Crisis management still remains the key chal lenge. The fight against the economic effects of the pandemic will take a long time to combat. Certain industrial sectors are faced with a downright sharp drop in orders. A further challenge lies in the trade flow as well as maintaining contacts to the clients. I was hoping for a quicker solution when it comes to travelling, but it will take a bit longer until we can get to our clients and until they can come to us. Our export-orientated economy is hampered badly by this. The Federation of Austrian Industries supports its members
Photo: www.alexandermueller.at
Why does Austria need the Federation of Austrian Industries? The importance of the Austrian industrial sector cannot be valued highly enough as it is the guarantor for stability but also of progress and innovation. Strictly speaking it represents 22 percent of the national added value and around one million jobs. It stands for employment and prosperity, and that is what we will continue to focus on. As a lobby, think tank, service facility and network organ isation, we strive to improve Austria as a business location – that is something everyone in the country should benefit from.
IV-President Georg Knill sees a bright future for the Austrian industrial sector.