World Champion Austria Styria
Styria – a province full of enthusiasm Stefan Stolitzka, President of the Styrian Federation of Industries, and Josef Herk, head of the Styrian Economic Chamber, speak about the province’s businesses and show their optimism.
A
© Marija Kanizaj
fter more than a year of Covid-induced crisis, Styrian businesses are enthusiastic, a trend survey by the Styrian Economic Chamber shows. All business indicators – from turnover to investments – are well into the black and the trend is pointing further upwards. The Styrian economy is on the up again, the numbers clearly show: Total turnover (+1.9 percentage points, compared to -36.2 in autumn 2020), order situation (+14.7 percentage points, in autumn -34.3),
Josef Herk: “All business indicators in our trend survey are pointing upwards.”
price level (+44.3 percentage points, in autumn -2.8), investments (+27.9 percentage points, in autumn -8.3) and employment (+6.7 percentage points, in autumn -8.6). The feedback from businesses was thus better than the Economic Chamber had hoped. The expectations for the months to come are also high for turnover (+42.4 percentage points), order situation (+35.2 percentage points), price level (+51.3 percentage points), investments (+25.7 percentage points) and employment (+21.9 percentage points). All figures are clearly pointing upwards. If no further Covid restrictions come, the Styrian Economic Chamber believes in a lasting path of growth. Stefan Stolitzka, President of the Styrian Federation of Industries, and Josef Herk, head of the Styrian Economic Chamber, give further insights into Styria’s economy. Mr Herk, Mr Stolitzka, how are Styrian businesses doing? Josef Herk: Considering all factors, they are doing well again. We went through a difficult time, the Covid pandemic turned all our lives upside down – in particular in the economic sector. We were confronted with restrictions that we could have never imagined. This resulted in a massive crisis that we have managed to overcome quite well thanks to comprehensive relief packages in which the Economic Chamber played an important part. We were able to avoid an economic domino effect. If there are no further restrictions now, we will have reached the light at the end of the tunnel. All business indicators in our trend survey are pointing upwards. 57.7 percent of all Styrian entrepreneurs believe in a better economic climate in the coming months while only 16.3 expect the situation to worsen. Stefan Stolitzka: Optimism is stronger than any crisis and we have a lot of optimism in Styria. Rightly so – the Styrian indus-
