#Composites

2025-12-04

JEC World 2026 reveals the list of finalists for the Innovation Awards

Each year, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards recognize collaborative, innovative, and ambitious projects that illustrate the potential of composite materials. Created in 1998, this benchmark program aims to identify, promote, and reward the most innovative composite solutions worldwide. In 28 years, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards have attracted more than 2,200 participating companies from around the world. A total of 269 companies and 811 associated partners have been recognized for the excellence of their innovations.

The competition is open to companies, universities, or R&D centers with a compelling concept or collaborative innovation to present. The JEC Composites Innovation Awards also offer a leading international platform, allowing the selected innovations to benefit from increased visibility among a professional audience attentive to new trends in composites.

For this edition, 154 applications were submitted, of which 33 finalists were selected, and a winner will be chosen in each of the 11 categories:

Aerospace – Parts (DAHER, Flying Whales, Spirit AeroSystems)

Aerospace – Process (Airborne, CTC GmbH - An AIRBUS Company, Leibniz University Hannover)

Automotive & Road Transportation – Parts (ENGEL Austria GmbH, BMW Group, M GMBH, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.)

Automotive & Road Transportation – Process (University of Technology Chemnitz, Gestamp Autotech Engineering Deutschland GmbH, Cygnet Texkimp)

Circularity & Recycling (IDI Composites International, Toray Advanced Composites, Angeloni Group)

Digital, AI & Data (Purdue University, The University of Southern Queensland, AIMEN Technology Centre)

Maritime Transportation & Shipbuilding (Ampelmann Operations, Loiretech Ingénierie, Carbo-Link AG)

Pipes, Tanks & Hydrogen (TWI Ltd, COVESS, CTC GmbH - An AIRBUS Company)

Railway Vehicles & Infrastructure (Stratiforme Industries, Composite Braiding Ltd, G12 Innovation)

Renewable Energies (Synthesites, CSSI New Composite Products Development, METYX)

Sports, Leisure & Recreation (bespline, Toray Carbon Fibers Europe, fenix composites)

Projects will be evaluated by an international jury.

The winners of the JEC Composites Innovation Awards 2026 will be announced at the JEC World Premiere on January 12, 2026, in Paris. This event will also present the highlights of JEC World 2026 and announce the 20 startups selected for the JEC Startup Booster competition.

JEC World Première will be live-streamed online on January 12, 2026.

Launch of the first JEC Forum Middle East

JEC is proud to announce the signature of a strategic collaboration agreement with the OSP and IFC Promosalons, the representative of JEC in the region. The major agreement aims to organize a series of events dedicated to Composite Materials held in Saudi Arabia for the first time in the Middle East starting in June 2025. The events will facilitate the creation of opportunities for local and international companies and accelerate the adoption of sustainable materials across multiple industries in the region.

JEC World 2025: a record-breaking 60th edition driven by innovation and circularity

After 3 dynamic days of intense business interactions, expertise sharing, and knowledge exchange, the 60th edition of JEC World 2025 has reaffirmed the pivotal role of the composites industry in building a more sustainable future. Under the unifying theme “Pushing the Limits,” the event showcased the extraordinary versatility and innovation of composite materials that continue to redefine lightweighting, performance, and design possibilities for an increasing number of applications.

JEC Composites Startup Booster 2025 winners

In just eight years, JEC Composites Startup Booster has established itself as a global reference for entrepreneurship in the composites industry in 2025. Over a hundred entrepreneurs, startups, and university spin-offs submitted their applications, with 20 selected as finalists. From March 4 to 6, these finalists have the opportunity to present their projects before an expert jury on the JEC World stage.

MEL Composites delivers advanced hull infusion for Técnico Solar Boat’s hydrogen-powered São Gabriel 01

MEL Composites has reinforced its partnership with Técnico Solar Boat through the successful hull infusion of the São Gabriel 01, an 8m long, 2.4m wide, hydrogen-powered hydrofoiling vessel. Designed to compete at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge in July 2026, the São Gabriel 01 is the team’s most technically demanding project to date and showcases the future of sustainable marine engineering by combining advanced composite manufacturing with clean energy systems.

Sicomin appoints CS Kompozyty as exclusive Distributor for Poland

Sicomin is pleased to announce the appointment of CS Kompozyty as its exclusive distributor for Poland. The partnership will provide Polish composite manufacturers with comprehensive access to Sicomin's broad range of performance epoxy resins, green epoxies, hardeners, and adhesive solutions, supported by local technical expertise and rapid delivery capabilities.

MEL Composites and Carrocerías Ayats collaborate on lightweight composite window frames

MEL Composites is proud to announce its ongoing collaboration with Spanish bus and coach manufacturer Carrocerías Ayats, showcasing the benefits of advanced composite technologies and scalable manufacturing processes originally developed for the sporting goods sector. The joint development of lightweight composite window frame covers demonstrates how MEL’s process innovation can be successfully transferred to the transportation industry to meet new regulatory and performance goals.

Stability in volatile markets: Heimtextil 2026 launches with 3,000 exhibitors and design expertise from Patricia Urquiola

Heimtextil opens the new season with 3,000 exhibitors from 66 countries – maintaining stability while becoming even more international. The new hall layout increases visibility and connects supply and demand even more efficiently. At the opening, architect and designer Patricia Urquiola and Rosa Bertoli, Global Design Director of Wallpaper magazine, talk about AI, innovative materials and future-oriented design for modern living environments.

Innovation center for textile circular economy inaugurated

Just over eight months after the foundation stone was laid, the new Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy was officially inaugurated today at TITK Rudolstadt. Thuringia's Minister President Mario Voigt, TITK Director Benjamin Redlingshöfer, and other guests of honor cut the ribbon to the modern building complex and viewed the premises, which are now ready for occupancy. The “DICE – Demonstration and Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy” is TITK's largest single investment to date. The Free State of Thuringia supported the total cost of €11.5 million with €8 million in GRW and FTI funding.

Sustainable design of Geosynthetics and roof underlayments made from recyclates

Is it possible to recover plastic recyclates from previously unused waste streams in order to produce high-quality fibers and films? How can bio-based polymer fibers be manufactured so as to allow adjustable biodegradability? These are the questions being addressed by researchers from the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE in the Zirk-Tex project.