The coming-together of 450 exhibitors from 30 nations emphasises the international significance of Composites Europe, which has continuously performed at record levels since its inauguration; for the first time, this year Composites Europe is exhibiting across three fair halls.

Composites Europe 2015 is also promoting new themes, programme highlights and premieres. In addition to automation for serial production and new light construction concepts, future themes, such as material repairs of fibre-reinforced plastic components, potential biologically based materials and of basalt fibres, are increasingly adopted.

In total, 11,000 light construction experts, from automobile construction, air travel, mechanical construction, boat construction, wind energy and the construction sector are expected to attend the Mess Stuttgart exhibition grounds, a third of which are coming from overseas. It is clear how important the fair has become for the international composite industry by the well-booked national pavilions from Italy, the Netherlands, France, China and the USA, the partner country of Composites Europe this year.  

Mass-production manufacturing processes as a focus of fairs and fora

The greatest challenge for the industry remains the development and optimisation of mass-production manufacturing and the processing of composite components. At Composites Europe, the industry shows the appropriate production and processing procedures, material innovations and current light construction projects. Industry and scientific expertise in specialist areas

The COMPOSITES forum offers an exciting lecture programme consisting of exhibition proposals, as well as sessions dedicated to the themes “Composite 4.0 at RWTH Aachen University: Innovative technologies, from fibre production to repair solutions” and “Composites in the application of wind energy”. It is free for visitors to the fair to take part in the forum.

It is “experienceable” when placed in front: In the Product Demonstration Area, one of the visitor highlights of each Composites Europe is where the fair assembles new high-tech products and makes “experienceable” the existence of composites components in live demonstrations. Among the exhibitors are Evonik Industries, the Institute for Aeroplane Construction from the University of Stuttgart, Euro-RTM-Group, RH Schneidtechnik and Piekenbrink Composites.

In the specialist area, “Industry meets Science” — being held for the second time after its successful premiere in 2014 under the management of the Institute of Plastic Processing (Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV)) — the most recent developments and highlights from the domains of processing technologies, design, quality assurance and repairs are demonstrated.

Good businesses with natural products: The “Bio-based Pavilion”

Whether used as dashboard, in car door panels or as service cars in aeroplanes, wood and natural fibres such as cotton, flax fibres, hemp, jute and kenaf are increasingly gaining significance as biological composites. Together with the Nova Institute, Composites Europe shows how good sustainability can exist in light construction. More than 20 businesses exhibit their products at the fair, ranging from plastic materials made from meadow grass through to flax fleece and reinforced volcanic rock filaments.

Basalt fibre network

The basalt fibre network demonstrates that basalt also offers numerous technological options for the composite industry. At one community stand, 28 businesses and research institutes from all over Germany expose the potential of basalt fibres. Special attention to the network lies in the development of textile technological processes, as well as in the research of composites and semi-finished products.

Expanded Guided Tours products

After a successful prelude last year, the Guided Tours are being expanded this year via Composites Europe. Tours are conducted for the exhibitors based on three different topics: “Thermoplastic composites: materials, procedures and applications”, “Reinforced fibres in comparison: an overview of different reinforcement systems” and “Composites in the application of wind energy”. The number of participants is limited and participation is free.

Fair highlight: 1st International Composites Congress (ICC)

The highlight for Composites Europe 2015 is the “1st International Composites Congress (ICC)”, which takes place 21–22 September 2015 in Stuttgart. The congress replaces the previous AVK conference and in the future will be organised by the Trade Association of Composites Germany as a prelude to the fair. The conference documents the innovations in the area of fibre-reinforced plastics. The international podium discussion at the end of the congress addresses the question, “Composites – a key technology for high-income countries from the viewpoint of machinery manufacturers?”

New: bio!CAR Conference

With the bio!CAR, Composites Europe offers a new conference for the automotive industry for the first time, with a focus on biologically based materials in automobile construction. Its premiere celebrates the international conference at the fair from 24–25 September. The conference is organised by bioplasticsMAGAZINE in collaboration with Reed Exhibitions trade fair organisers, Nova Institute and AVK.

Parallel organisation – HYBRID Expo

Multi-material networks have long established themselves in automobile construction, electronics or medical technology. The HYBRID Expo, which takes place in parallel to Composites Europe, shows innovative hybrid construction solutions. The 70 international exhibitors include many branches from machine construction, tool construction, and research and development, as well as numerous suppliers of complete solutions, showing the entire process chain around the serial manufacture of hybrid components. Of particular focus at the fair are process integration and acceleration in the manufacture of metal-plastic compounds.