AT&S shares surge on AI substrate demand
Analysis based on 7 articles · First reported Aug 23, 2026 · Last updated Aug 23, 2026
AT&S, an Austrian electronics company based in University of Leoben, has seen its shares surge more than 450 percent this year, making it one of Europe's most striking beneficiaries of the AI boom. The company manufactures integrated circuit (IC) substrates, critical components that connect chips to memory and power supplies, and is Europe's only major commercial manufacturer of advanced IC substrates. CEO Michael Mertin attributes the success to Europe's ability to occupy important niches in the AI race, despite not competing with US rivals on chip innovation or Asian firms on production scale. AT&S invested over 500 million euros in a research and production center opened last year, and opened a second factory in Malaysia in 2024. The company employs around 2,200 people at its University of Leoben headquarters, which also houses its R&D operations. Demand for AI hardware has driven a significant increase in customer inquiries, and Mertin describes the AI boom as an industrial revolution comparable to the introduction of engines. The growth has brought highly qualified jobs and international visibility to the University of Leoben region, though it also creates new demands for housing, education, and childcare.
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