The VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau) is the largest engineering industry network in Europe. It represents 3000 mainly small- to medium-sized member companies in the engineering industry. Accounting for sales of roughly € 173 billion in 2010, mechanical engineering is one of the largest industrial sectors and employers in Germany. Roughly two thirds of German production is exported.
VDMA has recently formed a Composite Technology Forum, a new network for machinery manufacturers engaged in the development and production of technologies for the manufacture and quality control of composite materials.
"With its collaboration with COMPOSITES EUROPE, VDMA offers mechanical engineers developing technologies for the manufacture and quality testing of fibre composite materials a strong network of technology and expertise," says Jochen Zaun, managing director of Georg Sahm GmbH & Co KG and spokesman for the VDMA Composite Technology Forum.
The VDMA Composite Technology Forum will be represented at COMPOSITES EUROPE 2011 in Stuttgart on 27-29 September, but in 2012, when the trade show takes place in Düsseldorf, the Forum's presence will be considerably expanded.
COMPOSITES EUROPE is organised by Reed Exhibitions in cooperation with the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) and Reinforced Plastics magazine. Over 300 exhibitors are expected at COMPOSITES EUROPE 2011 in Stuttgart, Germany, on 27-29 September. A prelude to the trade show is the annual conference of the German Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK) on 26-27 September.
