On October 19, 2026, the LKR Light Metals Competence Center (a wholly owned subsidiary of AIT Austrian Institute of Technology) officially opened its new site in the Braunau-Neukirchen industrial park in Upper Austria: approximately 3,000 m² of research space, plus 1,600 m² of laboratory and office space, representing a total investment of around €16 million. About 70 researchers work there on high-quality light metal alloys, sustainable processing methods, and functionally integrated lightweight components, covering the full chain from materials research to series production. The new site integrates casting, forming, simulation, and additive manufacturing infrastructure. Its centerpiece is the WAM prototyping lab, which covers the complete process chain for wire-based additive manufacturing of light metals—from material development to component characterization—serving applications in automotive, aerospace, energy, and mechanical engineering. For the first time, all research areas are brought together on a single campus. Austrian federal ministers Peter Hanke (Innovation, Transport and Infrastructure) and Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (Economy, Energy and Tourism), along with Upper Austrian Governor Thomas Stelzer, attended the opening ceremony; LKR Managing Director Christian Chimani and AIT Managing Director Alexander Svejkovsky jointly emphasized the center's role in supporting Austrian industry. Value for powder buyers: (1) Europe is stepping up investment in light-metal additive R&D, expanding public research platforms for advanced forming and additive processes for aluminum and magnesium alloys, which over the medium to long term will generate more demand for lightweight applications; (2) AIT/LKR often leads EU joint projects, and its wire-based additive route is complementary to powder-bed routes—powder companies can watch its materials-process collaborative research and subsequent public cooperation opportunities.