With technologies used in gears, rotors and electronics Wind turbines are used and components for E-Autos is the Upper Austrian industrial company Issues grew significantly last year.
Sales increased by 8.1 percent on 1.205 billion euros. 60 percent of this was achieved in the industrial goods sector and 40 percent in the automotive business. The family-run company has not provided any information about profitability for years.
Wind energy and e-mobility tripled in 2 years
In the wind energy sector alone, sales have tripled in the past two years, said Miba’s CEO F. Peter Mitterbauer. Innovative solutions have contributed to this, such as plain bearings for gears or friction pads for brakes, which are installed in wind towers that are more than 400 meters high and can generate electricity for 80,000 households.
Miba is also successful in e-mobility with components, such as battery systems or pulse inverters. Sales in this area have also tripled in the past two years. Also almost half of those registered last year 48 new patents and utility models come from e-mobility.
“Room to breathe”
CEO Mitterbauer is not worried about the decline in sales of electric cars since the beginning of the year. He also expects significant growth to continue. He is also confident about production in Europe. The height Equity ratio von 53.8 percent It also gives the company “room to breathe”.
New plants in Mexico and China
Miba invested in 2023 130 million euros. Investments are expected to be of this magnitude again this year. The company’s first location will be in Mexico arise. Also in China A factory is planned in which components for electric cars will be produced. In Styrian Kirchbach the production site is expanded. Near the company headquarters in Upper Austria Laakirchen A training and further education center for apprentices and skilled workers is to be created.
The manufacturer sees itself hardly affected by the tariff and subsidy dispute between the EU and China. “We produce in the regions for the regions,” said Mitterbauer. In China, where wind power and electric car components are manufactured, they also sell to Chinese customers or international corporations that have factories in the country.
Concern about competitiveness
Mitterbauer observes the competitiveness of Austria as a location “with concern”. The cost of an employee is about three times higher than in Slovakia. The Labor and unit labor costs have grown faster nowhere in Europe in recent years than in Austria. Medium-sized and smaller companies in particular would find it difficult.
Overall, Miba employs in 29 locations in Europe, Asia and North and South America 7,600 employees. In Austria they are scarce 3.000. 130 were added in this country last year.