Lightweight construction represents one of the greatest opportunities and prospective growth areas for the fibre composites industry. Demand in Europe is on the rise, and the sector is looking to the future with optimism – especially in Germany, a hub of innovation with above-average increases in the production of lightweight materials. The positive mood was reflected as well at the 10th COMPOSITES EUROPE, where the anniversary event from 22 to 24 September 2015 set new records all around – in terms of exhibitors, visitors and exhibition space.
The trade fair for fiber-reinforced plastics has been on an uninterrupted growth path ever since the event first took place. COMPOSITES EUROPE 2006 kicked things off with 168 exhibitors. When the event cycled back to Stuttgart this year for the tenth anniversary, 470 companies (prior Stuttgart event in 2013: 405) from 29 nations exhibited and filled three exhibition halls for the first time. With 10,087 visitors in attendance (2013: 9171), COMPOSITES EUROPE set yet another record.
Drawn to the Exhibition Centre in Stuttgart above all were lightweight construction experts from the automotive sector, aerospace, mechanical engineering, the sports and leisure industry, wind power, and the construction sector.
What's more, COMPOSITES EUROPE has long been known as an important gathering place for the international industry: nearly half of all trade fair visitors (45%) came from outside Germany, with one in eight (13%) hailing from overseas. “Over the last ten years, COMPOSITES EUROPE has built an inclusive cross-sectoral network, which today benefits the entire composites industry. In this function, it is one of the most important international relationship brokers today”, says Hans-Joachim Erbel, CEO of Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH, the organizer of COMPOSITES EUROPE.
This article appeared in the Nov/Dec issue of Reinforced Plastics.
