#Composites

2017-08-11

Excellent forecasts for the construction industry

The building and construction industry represents the most important growth market for fibre reinforced plastics. According to the “9th Composites Market Survey” by the trade association Composites Germany, no other application sector has experienced such a dynamic development. From 19 to 21 September 2017, COMPOSITES EUROPE 2017 in Stuttgart will reflect this trend, dedicating an entire trade fair day to building and construction in the composites world.

In doing so, the trade fair seizes upon a key theme in the industry: 45 per cent of surveyed companies expect the infrastructure/construction area of application to grow. In the prior survey, that figure was at just 35 per cent. The increasing use of composites doesn’t just benefit glass-fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP), which have dominated the construction sector for years; carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are also on the rise. According to the “Composites Market Report 2016” by CCev and AVK, worldwide consumption of the latter is expected to double to 12,100 tonnes by 2022.

Carbon concrete: Life cycle costs often favour CFRP

Carbon-reinforced concrete, or carbon concrete for short, holds great potential for the future. This new element enables the design of thinner, more delicate structural components. “We started developing carbon concrete way back in the mid-1990s”, recalls Dr. Walter Begemann, the project manager of the VDMA Working Group Hybrid Lightweight Technologies in Frankfurt am Main. It took a long time for the new technology to prevail, however. “It wasn’t until 2016 when engineers from the Technische Universität Dresden received the Deutscher Zukunftspreis, the German President's Award for Innovation in Science and Technology, from then-German Federal President Joachim Gauck for replacing reinforcing steel cast in concrete with a mesh of carbon”, says the physicist and former managing director of the umbrella research organisation Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V.

According to the “Composites Market Report 2016”, carbon concrete is often deployed in reinforcements – like repairs of bridges or other structures. In such cases, the higher price is often immaterial when weighed against total life cycle costs. “The high price when compared to steel reinforced concrete is somewhat balanced by the cheaper and quicker assembly times, easier transportation and a sustainable stabilisation of constructions”, states the market report.

Focus Day Building and Construction

Designers, engineers, technicians and buyers with a focus on building and construction applications should reserve 20 September for a trade fair visit. The Focus Day Building and Construction will illustrate how composites can be deployed – alone or in combination with other materials – in the building and construction industry. The time-coordinated programme on the theme day will start at 10 am at the COMPOSITES FORUM in Hall 6/Stand B76. Expert lectures will explore the basics, trends and innovations of composites in the building and construction sector. Participation is free of charge.

Afterwards, during a free one-hour guided tour from 1:30 to 2:30 pm, trade fair visitors will be able to meet exhibitors participating in the trade fair to present their products and services for the building and construction application segment. Stops will include Hexion, Röchling, SAERTEX, Toho Tenax and Vosschemie. Experience has shown that guided tours sell out quickly, so interested visitors should register in a timely manner: www.composites-europe.com/guided-tours.

Lightweight Technologies Forum: Cross-material interface

Topics at the Lightweight Technologies Forum are geared toward the building and construction sector, as well. Sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the combined exhibition and presentation forum serves as the cross-material interface between metal and fibre reinforced composite technologies in structural components. In several application-focussed thematic modules, experts will present their real-world experiences with current questions and issues revolving around material composites in architecture, among other topics.

Here’s what Dr. Begemann, as a long-time friend of composites, is looking forward to above all: “COMPOSITES EUROPE provides visitors with an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of ideas with a detailed focus on technical content. I think it’s a good approach that the Lightweight Technologies Forum (LTF) also provides a presentation platform for exhibitors of lightweight solutions for other materials. Stuttgart isn’t just about composites or about competition with other materials, it’s about all lightweight construction materials working together.”

MEL Composites supports ELA Aviation with advanced composite materials

MEL Composites is supplying advanced composite materials and process consumables to ELA Aviation for the production of its next-generation gyroplanes. The collaboration underlines MEL Composites’ growing role in advanced aerospace mobility, providing lightweight materials designed to improve aircraft performance, manufacturing efficiency and structural reliability.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

JEC World 2026 confirms its standing as the unmissable event for composites and their applications

JEC World 2026 confirms its position as the leading global event for the composite materials industry and its applications across multiple sectors, bringing together the entire composites ecosystem in Paris for three days of business, innovation, and collaboration. True to its Pushing the Limits motto, the 2026 edition delivered outstanding results despite travel disruptions worldwide. The numbers speak for themselves: more than 1,400 exhibitors from over 50 countries, including over 150 first-timers, presented a global panorama of products, equipment, and services across the entire composites value chain.

KARL MAYER strengthens partnerships in the composites industry at JEC World 2026

KARL MAYER further strengthened its role as a reliable and competent partner to the composites industry at JEC World 2026. The global market leader in textile machinery manufacturing used the trade show to meet key customers, establish numerous new contacts, and engage in in-depth technical discussions.

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.