How can Austria remain a competitive business location? What role do investment, innovation and skilled professionals play? At the inaugural Erste Future Summit in Vienna, HANDLER Managing Director Michael Schranz joined business and financial leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Austrian companies.
Adaptability as a Competitive Advantage
Rising energy and material costs, geopolitical uncertainty and reduced investment activity continue to challenge the construction industry.
Despite these conditions, HANDLER has continued to invest in process optimisation, digitalisation and prefabrication. Particularly during difficult economic periods, adapting to change and improving established processes are essential.
“Investing during challenging times is how we create tomorrow’s competitive advantage.” – Michael Schranz
Apprenticeships: Building the Foundation for the Future
Austria benefits from stability, well-developed infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce. At the same time, reducing bureaucracy, accelerating processes and removing barriers to investment remain important priorities.
At HANDLER, apprenticeship training is a fundamental part of our long-term development. Investing in skilled professionals and their continuous development enables us to remain adaptable and competitive.
We see artificial intelligence as a technology that supports people in their work, never as a replacement for them. Especially in construction, the combination of craftsmanship, human expertise and digital technologies will remain essential.
Embracing Change
The key takeaway from the discussion: challenging economic times demand the courage to change, the ability to innovate and an openness to emerging technologies.
For HANDLER, this means continuing to invest in people and new methods, questioning established approaches and actively shaping the future of construction.
“If you only manage the status quo, the market will end up managing you.” – Michael Schranz