'Air Sovereignty' for AT&S: Gold Status Underpins Highest Aerospace Competence in Leoben

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The systems that control modern aircraft are subject to the strictest requirements in the electronics industry. Suppliers to aviation companies must therefore have their production facilities and processes inspected annually by independent auditors as part of the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap). The AT&S site in Leoben Hinterberg recently passed the Nadcap 2025 audit with the highest possible rating of “Gold”.

“The aerospace industry has incorporated Nadcap into its approach to risk management for many years because it demonstrates compliance with industry standards and customer requirements,” says Jay Solomond, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Performance Review Institute, which organizes the Nadcap accreditations. “It is recognized worldwide as a mark of quality and represents an exceptional achievement. I am therefore delighted that AT&S has once again received Nadcap accreditation for its advanced printed circuit board production in Austria and that the hard work has paid off.”

Highest quality from Leoben

Only a few electronics manufacturers in Europe meet the requirements for Nadcap accreditation. With its plant in Hinterberg, which has been certified since 2019, AT&S is one of the pioneers in the production of durable circuits for critical applications. “For electronics manufacturers, Nadcap certification means that their processes meet the highest requirements in terms of reliability, traceability and process control – a decisive competitive advantage in safety-critical industries. In contrast to general quality standards such as ISO 9001, Nadcap is much more specific and technical,” says Michael Mertin, President & CEO of AT&S. “The audits go deep into the process details. It’s not just about whether a process is documented, but whether it is demonstrably stable, repeatable and compliant with standards. The requirements are dynamic and are regularly tightened – standing still is not an option.” By achieving “Gold Status” for the first time, the audit interval for AT&S is extended and the next audit will not be necessary until 2027.

AT&S in the critical on-board infrastructure

The products that AT&S manufactures for the aviation/aerospace sector in Leoben include the entire range of critical on-board infrastructure. “We make everything from flight controllers in the cockpit to the entire engine control system, and our products are even being used more and more in space travel,” confirms Florian Titjung, Operations Director of the Leoben plants HTB1 and HTB2 involved. “The Nadcap accreditation, the Gold status achieved, and the positive feedback from our customers show the high quality of products made in Austria. This is a great success and a joint effort by the entire plant team,” says Titjung.