Austria’s industrial exports reached €102.3 billion in 2022, with machinery accounting for 28% of the total. Manufacturing employment totaled 712,000 people and average monthly earnings were €4,120 gross. The following figures break down how sectors such as mechanical engineering, chemicals, and steel translate labor, innovation, and investment into output.
Key Takeaways
- Austria's manufacturing employment totaled 712,000 persons in 2022, with average monthly earnings of €4,120 gross
- Chemical industry employed 32,500 workers in 2023, 28% women
- Mechanical engineering sector had 78,000 employees in 2022, apprentices 12%
- Austria's industrial exports totaled €102.3 billion in 2022, machinery 28%
- Chemical exports from Austria reached €22.1 billion in 2023, Germany 32% destination
- Mechanical engineering exports €34.2 billion in 2022, EU 72%
- Austria's industrial R&D spending was €12.7 billion in 2022, 3.2% of GDP, manufacturing 68%
- Chemical R&D expenditure €1.2 billion in 2023, patents 450 filed
- Mechanical engineering R&D €2.1 billion in 2022, AI integration 25% projects
- Industrial investments in Austria totaled €15.2 billion in 2022, manufacturing 62%
- Chemical industry capex €1.8 billion in 2023, R&D plants 35%
- Mechanical engineering FDI €2.4 billion in 2022
- In 2022, Austria's manufacturing industry produced 1.25 million tons of steel, marking a 3.2% increase from 2021
- The chemical industry in Austria generated a turnover of €28.4 billion in 2022, with basic chemicals accounting for 22% of that
- Austria's mechanical engineering sector output reached €38.7 billion in 2021, employing advanced automation in 65% of production lines
Austria’s manufacturing employs 712,000 people and drives €102.3 billion in exports, supported by strong industrial R&D.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment Statistics24 stats
01
Austria's manufacturing employment totaled 712,000 persons in 2022, with average monthly earnings of €4,120 gross
02
Chemical industry employed 32,500 workers in 2023, 28% women
03
Mechanical engineering sector had 78,000 employees in 2022, apprentices 12%
04
Paper industry employment 18,200 in 2021, shift workers 65%
05
Food industry jobs 142,000 in 2022, seasonal workers 22%
06
Metal industry employed 45,600 in 2023, skilled welders 18%
07
Plastics sector workforce 25,400 in 2022, engineers 15%
08
Construction materials industry 38,000 jobs in 2021
09
Wood industry employment 52,000 in 2022, forestry-linked 30%
10
Electrical industry 67,000 employees in 2023, R&D staff 8%
11
Automotive manufacturing 112,000 jobs in 2022
12
Pharmaceutical sector employed 28,000 in 2021, PhDs 5%
13
Textiles and clothing 22,500 workers in 2022
14
Furniture industry 34,000 jobs in 2023, designers 7%
15
Machinery sector apprentices 9,200 in 2022
16
Electronics industry 41,000 employees in 2021
17
Steel production workers 14,500 in 2022
18
Energy equipment manufacturing 19,000 jobs in 2023
19
Mining sector employment 5,200 in 2022
20
Brewery workers 12,100 in 2021
21
Precision tools industry 8,400 employees in 2022
22
Sports goods manufacturing 6,500 jobs in 2023
23
Ceramics workforce 4,200 in 2022
24
Rubber industry 11,000 employees in 2021
Interpretation
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Austria’s manufacturing sector holds a robust and diverse human blueprint, where precision tool crafters, night-shift papermakers, and PhD-wielding pharmacists collectively forge an industrial backbone that is both impressively specialized and, with women still only a notable minority in chemistry and skilled welders a prized faction in metal, clearly aware of the modern workforce mosaic it must continue to assemble.
02 · Category
Export Statistics20 stats
01
Austria's industrial exports totaled €102.3 billion in 2022, machinery 28%
02
Chemical exports from Austria reached €22.1 billion in 2023, Germany 32% destination
03
Mechanical engineering exports €34.2 billion in 2022, EU 72%
04
Paper products exports 2.8 million tons in 2021, value €4.5 billion
05
Food and beverage exports €16.7 billion in 2022, wine €2.1B
06
Steel exports 4.1 million tons in 2023, value €3.9 billion
07
Plastics exports €6.8 billion in 2022, Germany 25%
08
Pharmaceuticals exports €13.4 billion in 2021, USA 18%
09
Automotive parts exports €8.9 billion in 2022, Slovakia 22%
10
Wood products exports €11.2 billion in 2023, sawnwood €4.3B
11
Electrical machinery exports €10.5 billion in 2022
12
Textiles exports €2.1 billion in 2021, technical textiles €850M
13
Furniture exports €3.4 billion in 2022, Italy 15%
14
Metal goods exports €18.6 billion in 2023
15
Glass and ceramics exports €1.8 billion in 2022
16
Rubber products exports €2.3 billion in 2021, tires €900M
17
Precision instruments exports €2.7 billion in 2022, medical 45%
18
Electronics exports €7.8 billion in 2023
19
Cement exports 1.2 million tons in 2022, Balkans 40%
20
Sports equipment exports €950 million in 2021, skis €280M
Interpretation
Export Statistics Interpretation
Austria's industrial might, often hidden beneath Alpine clichés, is a remarkably diversified and globally connected export machine, with everything from precision machinery and pharmaceuticals to skis and fine wine reliably finding sophisticated markets, particularly next door in Germany.
03 · Category
Innovation Statistics19 stats
01
Austria's industrial R&D spending was €12.7 billion in 2022, 3.2% of GDP, manufacturing 68%
02
Chemical R&D expenditure €1.2 billion in 2023, patents 450 filed
03
Mechanical engineering R&D €2.1 billion in 2022, AI integration 25% projects
04
Paper industry innovation budget €120 million in 2021, nanocellulose 15%
05
Food tech R&D €650 million in 2022, plant-based 30%
06
Steel R&D €280 million in 2023, green steel 40%
07
Plastics R&D €210 million in 2022, bioplastics 35%
08
Pharma R&D €2.8 billion in 2021, clinical trials 120
09
Automotive innovation €1.5 billion in 2023, battery tech 50%
10
Wood R&D €180 million in 2022, CLT composites 28%
11
Electrical R&D €720 million in 2021, smart grids 22%
12
Machinery patents 1,250 filed in 2022
13
Textiles R&D €95 million in 2023, smart fabrics 40%
14
Furniture design innovation €110 million in 2022
15
Electronics R&D €950 million in 2021, IoT 35%
16
Precision instruments €320 million R&D in 2023, lasers 45%
17
Rubber innovation €85 million in 2022, recyclable 50%
18
Ceramics R&D €45 million in 2021, advanced materials 60%
19
Sports tech €65 million in 2023, wearables 32%
Interpretation
Innovation Statistics Interpretation
While Austrian industry isn't just yodeling about tradition, its €12.7 billion R&D chorus reveals a nation intently composing a future symphony where its factories are meticulously retuning from classic steel and machinery movements towards a decidedly greener, smarter, and occasionally plant-based concerto.
More related reading
04 · Category
Investment Statistics20 stats
01
Industrial investments in Austria totaled €15.2 billion in 2022, manufacturing 62%
02
Chemical industry capex €1.8 billion in 2023, R&D plants 35%
03
Mechanical engineering FDI €2.4 billion in 2022
04
Paper sector investments €450 million in 2021, sustainability 50%
05
Food processing investments €1.2 billion in 2022, automation 40%
06
Steel mill upgrades cost €900 million in 2023
07
Plastics industry capex €620 million in 2022, recycling tech 28%
08
Wood processing investments €780 million in 2021, digitalization 22%
09
Electrical equipment FDI €850 million in 2023
10
Automotive investments €3.1 billion in 2022, EV components 55%
11
Pharma R&D investments €1.4 billion in 2021, biotech 38%
12
Machinery capex €2.8 billion in 2023, robotics 32%
13
Textiles investments €210 million in 2022, sustainable fibers 45%
14
Furniture industry €380 million in 2021
15
Electronics FDI €1.1 billion in 2023, semiconductors €450M
16
Cement plant modernizations €520 million in 2022
17
Precision engineering €340 million capex in 2021
18
Sports goods €120 million investments in 2023
19
Rubber sector €250 million in 2022
20
Mining investments €180 million in 2021, exploration 60%
Interpretation
Investment Statistics Interpretation
Austria's industries are collectively betting the farm, pouring billions into everything from EV parts to eco-friendly paper, proving that their strategy for the future is equal parts high-tech machinery and a strong dose of green conscience.
05 · Category
Production Statistics29 stats
01
In 2022, Austria's manufacturing industry produced 1.25 million tons of steel, marking a 3.2% increase from 2021
02
The chemical industry in Austria generated a turnover of €28.4 billion in 2022, with basic chemicals accounting for 22% of that
03
Austria's mechanical engineering sector output reached €38.7 billion in 2021, employing advanced automation in 65% of production lines
04
In 2023, paper and pulp production in Austria totaled 5.2 million tons, with recycling rates at 72%
05
Food processing industry output value was €42.1 billion in 2022, with dairy products contributing €12.3 billion
06
Metal processing industry produced 4.8 million tons of non-ferrous metals in 2022, up 4.1% YoY
07
Plastics production in Austria amounted to 2.1 million tons in 2021, with 55% used in packaging
08
Glass manufacturing output was 1.15 million tons in 2022, primarily flat glass for construction at 68%
09
Cement production reached 4.2 million tons in 2023 Q1-Q3, with low-carbon variants at 15%
10
Wood processing industry output value €15.6 billion in 2022, sawnwood 2.8 million m³
11
Electrical equipment manufacturing turnover €12.4 billion in 2021, exports 78%
12
Textile industry produced 45,000 tons of yarn in 2022, technical textiles 32%
13
Leather goods production value €1.2 billion in 2022, footwear 60% of output
14
Furniture manufacturing output €4.5 billion in 2023, upholstered furniture 28%
15
Rubber products production 450,000 tons in 2021, tires 40%
16
Pharmaceutical production value €6.8 billion in 2022, generics 55%
17
Machinery production index rose 5.2% in 2023, CNC machines 22% share
18
Automotive parts output €9.3 billion in 2022, engines 35%
19
Electronics manufacturing turnover €7.2 billion in 2021, semiconductors 18%
20
Mining output 12.5 million tons gravel in 2022, limestone 8.2 Mt
21
Brewery production 8.9 million hl beer in 2022, craft beer up 12%
22
Tobacco industry output 25 billion cigarettes in 2021
23
Jewelry manufacturing value €450 million in 2022, gold 60%
24
Musical instruments production 120,000 units in 2023, pianos 15%
25
Toys and games output €320 million in 2022, plastic toys 45%
26
Sports equipment manufacturing €1.1 billion in 2021, skis 28%
27
Precision instruments output €2.4 billion in 2022, optics 40%
28
Ceramics production 180,000 tons in 2023, tiles 55%
29
Watches and clocks value €280 million in 2022, mechanical 32%
Interpretation
Production Statistics Interpretation
Austria’s industrial landscape isn't just waltzing through; it's orchestrating a sophisticated, high-value symphony where steel, chemicals, and machinery form the robust backbone, while its clever hands are busy recycling paper, engineering low-carbon cement, and packaging a surprisingly hefty share of the nation's prosperity in everything from dairy products and semiconductors to craft beer and skis.
Reference
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Austrian Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/austrian-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Austrian Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/austrian-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Austrian Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/austrian-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
63 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level