For the latest issue of the ELCA newsletter, we spoke with Walter Mauritsch of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure to discuss Austria’s role as a “hot spot” for lightweighting innovation. Our conversation explored how the country leverages regional clusters and international networks like the European Lightweighting Network (ELN) to drive global competitiveness , the integration of lightweighting into circular economy and sustainability strategies , and the collaborative efforts needed to overcome challenges such as high production costs, recycling limitations, and specialised talent shortages.

 

Why has lightweighting become a priority for the Austrian government? In your view, how does Austria’s approach differ from that of neighbouring countries?

Lightweighting is central to Austria’s economic and environmental goals, offering significant opportunities to cut resource CO2 use, reduce emissions, and boost industrial competitiveness. The government’s approach is collaborative and agile, integrating lightweighting into broader policies like the Circular Economy Strategy. From my perspective, Austria has been highly successful in leveraging regional clusters and EU partnerships to rapidly adapt to emerging trends such as additive manufacturing and bio-based materials. Our strong ties with neighbouring countries further enhance knowledge exchange, fostering innovation and collaboration across borders.

What types of support from the Ministry have proven most effective in promoting lightweighting innovation across industry and academia? Where do you see room for improvement?

The Ministry’s support has been most effective through targeted funding programmes, such as those managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), which prioritise industrial manufacturing, materials engineering, and mobility. In partnership with the European Lightweighting Network (ELN), we annually launch a dedicated Eureka lightweighting call to fund cutting-edge projects. Additionally, we work to integrate lightweighting into broader funding frameworks, such as M-ERA.NET, ensuring that lightweighting remains a priority across multiple funding streams. Collaboration within the ELN also allows us to adopt and roll out best practices, such as the Lightweighting Atlas and the PhD network, further strengthening knowledge exchange and innovation.

While we have made significant progress in collaboration with our ELN partners over the past few years, achievements we can be proud of, there is always room for improvement. Specifically, we need to further expand support for SMEs, which continue to face challenges in scaling and maintaining cost competitiveness.

As an active member of the European Lightweighting Network (ELN), how do you see lightweighting maintaining its relevance within EU policies in the coming years?

The European Lightweighting Network (ELN) strategically aligns national lightweighting initiatives with EU policies, positioning lightweighting as a driver of sustainable growth, innovation, and competitiveness. ELN advances the satellite account for lightweighting a tool that quantifies the sector’s economic and environmental impact, enabling data-driven policymaking. It also strengthens the PhD network, fostering knowledge exchange and workforce development. ELN leverages funding schemes like Eureka to support cross-border R&D, promoting collaboration between industry and academia. The annual ELN Conference serves as a key platform for academia, industry, and public administration to share best practices, research, and policy insights. By integrating these efforts, ELN ensures lightweighting remains a European priority, reinforcing Europe’s leadership in sustainable industrial innovation.

What are the main challenges facing lightweighting innovation in Europe today, and how can European industry remain globally competitive?

From my point of view, Europe’s lightweighting innovation faces three major challenges: cost competitiveness, recycling limitations, and skills shortages. High production costs continue to restrict the large-scale adoption of lightweight materials, particularly in mass-market applications. At the same time, recycling processes for advanced materials are often complex and not yet fully developed, weakening sustainability efforts and slowing progress toward circular economy goals. These challenges are further compounded by a shortage of highly specialised talent. ELN partners bring diverse strategic goals, backgrounds, and areas of expertise to the table. In my view, collaboration among these partners has already led to activities and outcomes that would have been unthinkable five years ago. This multidisciplinarity, mutual learning, diversity of perspectives, and the trust that has been built are, for me, the decisive success factors enabling Europe to maintain its competitiveness in the future.

Many thanks to Walter Mauritsch from the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure. DG Innovation and Technology, for his contributions and insights.

View issue 7 of our newsletter that features this interview plus more!

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