AT&S starts short time work at Klagenfurt facility

Thanks to its focus on the Automotive and Industrial markets and its successful niche strategy, AT&S Klagenfurt Leiterplatten GmbH, in which AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft holds a 77% stake, has established itself as Europe’s largest producer of single-sided printed circuit boards. In 2007 the 165 employees at the Carinthian plant generated revenues of around EUR 20m, compared with EUR 198.4m for the entire European market for single-sided printed circuit boards. The current economic slowdown has brought about a significant drop in demand, resulting in capacity underutilization. In an attempt to counter these effects, short-time working is planned to be introduced on 1 February 2009 and will last for three months. The Public Employment Service Austria (AMS) was notified of the decision today. Short-time working will account for up to 50% of weekly working hours, although short-term decisions on the actual percentage will be made on the basis of the prevailing order situation. Around 130 employees will be affected by the change.