Textination Newsline

Things can only get better

At the turn of the year, the German Economic Institute (IW) traditionally asked German associations about their economic expectations for the coming year. Most industries are reporting incisive difficulties and are hoping for an improvement in 2021. However, many companies will cut jobs - especially where there were have been already problems before the pandemic started.

At the end of the year, the German economy looked back on one of the most difficult years in recent history. The Covid-19 pandemic already hit many companies in spring 2020, and the current winter and the second wave have put struggling sectors under further strain. It is still not possible to predict when the situation will noticeably improve. This is also reflected in the traditional IW association survey: 34 of 43 associations interrogated reported a worse economic situation than the year ago. Those reporting an improved or unchanged position were often already in a difficult economic situation in the previous year. These include, the automotive and chemical industries respectively.

Four out of five companies in Germany at the turn of 2020/2021 judge the mood even worse than a year before. This crisis-prone initial position partly explains in general optimistic business expectations for 2021. According to the IW’s association survey, higher economic activity is expected in 26 of 43 sectors. By contrast, 13 associations expect a decrease in production in 2021. While there is a moderate recovery in investments overall, employment is expected to decline further in 23 sectors.

Looking ahead to 2021, the IW Association Survey is dominated by confidence. This is not surprising understanding this confidence as an improvement on the crisis year 2020. The expected increases can be explained having the massive drop in view as well as a poor starting point in 2020. For a number of companies and entire industries, this hopeful outlook for 2021 does not necessarily mean a return to pre-crisis production levels. The IW business survey with more than 2,200 companies conducted in November 2020 consistently shows, that around half of the companies surveyed still expect shortfalls in production by 2022 compared to the pre-crisis level (IW Research Group Macroeconomic Analysis and Business Cycle, 2020).

Textile industry and banks particularly pessimistic
After all, most associations are confident with a view to 2021, expecting their situation to improve - although the pre-crisis level is not yet in sight for many sectors. 26 associations are planning increased production for the coming year. 13 associations - including shipbuilding and marine technology, textile and fashion associations, and the food industry - predict lower production. Banks and construction companies also have subdued expectations for 2021, although the pandemic has had relatively little impact on these industries up to now.

Less jobs in the automotive industry
The outlook for the employment market is less optimistic: Only five of 43 associations surveyed expect their member companies to employ more people in the coming year. This includes the construction industry and handicraft businesses, which already suffered from a shortage of skilled workers before the crisis. 23 associations expect a reduction in employment, especially for industrial site. Particularly pessimistic are associations with member companies facing structural adjustment burdens in addition to the corona pandemic – like in the area of finance:

In the previous years, fewer and fewer customers used branches of banks. The automotive industry is also planning with fewer employees: In addition to the weak global economy, are strict exhaust emission limits and quotas for electric mobility put companies under pressure. Exports, which are extremely important for the industry, decreased by a similar amount.

The few industry associations whose members - on average across all enterprises and subsectors - are in the same or better position than at the previous turn of the year, are often sectors that were already in a difficult economic situation at the turn of 2019/2020. The automotive industry, segments of the metal and electrical industry as well as the chemical industry point to this. The Covid-19 crisis already records a negative history for parts of the industry. 2019 the downturn in business was partly the result of a cyclical normalization after a phase of high capacity utilization. Above all, protectionism and geopolitical uncertainties weighed on global investment activity, and hit the German industry, which is heavily involved in the international capital goods business. Technological challenges - due to digitization and climate change for example - also created adjustment burdens.

The Carl Meiser GmbH & Co. KG - started in the early 1950s as a day- and nightwear manufacturer. Over the last 20 years the company has become a specialist in the field of technical textiles. With its brand nopma Technical Textiles the company is present as developer and producer of textile solutions via coatings. The main products are nopma anti-slip - textiles with anti-slip effect, nopma adhesion - adhesive pre-coated films, spacer fabrics and substrates for lamination in automotive interiors, nopma ceramics - abrasive more resistant textile surfaces and nopma silicones - silicone coatings on textile surfaces.

Textination talked to the managing director, Jens Meiser, who joined the company in 2005, realigned the division and developed it into a service provider, about his plans and objectives.

Founded in 1952, Carl Meiser GmbH & Co.KG has changed from a day- and nightwear manufacturer to an innovator in the field of technical textiles, presenting themselves as a specialist for plastic-based coating processes. If you had to introduce yourself in 100 words to someone who does not know the company: What has influenced you most in this development process and what makes you unique?
Innovation is the new normal - This has been true for the textile industry not just since Sars CoV-2. Our industry was one of the first to be disrupted in the early 1990s and has always been subject to constant change. This urge for further development, which is essential for survival, has left its mark on us intensively and has enabled us to manage huge leaps in innovation in recent years

Today we regard ourselves as an innovative development and production service provider with a focus on textile coating. We develop and produce almost exclusively customized special solutions.

Through the combination of coatings on textiles these hybrid materials receive completely new properties.

You manufacture exclusively at your location in Germany. Why? Have you never been tempted to set up subsidiaries in other countries, for example to benefit from lower wage levels?
Today we supply global supply chains from our headquarter in southern Germany. Although we produce in a high-wage country, much more important for us are know-how and the drive of our team to create something new. Globalization will continue to be the key to success in the future. Therefore, subsidiaries in North America and Asia could be very interesting for us in the medium- and long-term perspective. However, this is still too early for us.

You use CIP and Kaizen techniques intensively in your company. How did a Japanese concept come about in the Swabian Alb?
KAIZEN, the change for the better, are actually German virtues. The urge to improve and optimize things is in all of us. Due to the continuous improvement process we do not stand still but evolve constantly. Besides, there is the personal affinity to Japan. A look at another culture simply opens the horizon. And if you additionally recognize parallels in the working methods, it’s even better. 

10 years ago, you turned your attention to new markets: aviation, automotive, protection, caravan and furniture manufacturing, to name just a few. Some of these segments have collapsed significantly during the Covid 19 pandemic. What market development do you expect in the medium term and what consequences will this have for your company?
Of course, the aviation or automotive industry, for example, have substantial problems during or due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Quite honestly, many of these problems existed before. They were further tightened, as if a fire accelerator has been used. Of course, these cut-backs are also hitting us hard economically. But we are pursuing long-term goals. As a medium-sized company, you have to have the resilience to continue on your path. Thanks to our specialisation and the split of our industrial sectors, which we drive forward every day, we manage to decouple ourselves more and more from economic developments in individual industries. For our customers this is a great advantage of relying on a very stable partner with long-term orientation.

We are positive about the future. Megatrends like sustainability, digitization and ongoing globalization will lead to new business models in the above-mentioned sectors, as in many others, and to renewed growth. Our coatings on textiles and flexible woven materials can contribute a wide range of solutions to this. If, for example, materials become lighter with identical usage properties or suddenly become biodegradable, because of biodegradable plastics, many new opportunities will arise.

Tailor-made instead of solutions for major customers: The topic of individualization down to batch size 1 is making up a large part of the discussion today. In 2015, you opened a large development laboratory where you have a wide range of testing technologies for textiles and plastics available. What do you think about individual product solutions, and in which application areas have you successfully implemented them?
In principle, we do not use any standards. We live individualization with the smallest possible batch sizes. In our field, we do not manage batch size 1, but we start with MOQs of 300 running meters at process-safe series production. We have very few finished products, and above all we have no collections. Our development laboratory is the key for this. Together with our customers we have the possibilities to realize very lean development processes.

Even on a laboratory scale, we can develop and test new products within just a few hours. We then strive to scale up to production at a very early stage in order to obtain production series results. This way, we offer our clients speed and power that represent a special potential for our partners.

You register important input factors in the production process and evaluate them in monthly environmental analyses. What are these factors in concrete terms and to what extent have their analyses already changed production operations? How do you define environmental management for your company?
For us, environmental management means a holistic approach. In principle, we operate production units and manufacture products that consume many resources. Due to the high production volumes, this continues to accumulate. Because of this, it is self-understanding that we record and evaluate our input and output flows and derive measures from them. This makes economic sense, but is also necessary because of our responsibility for our environment. Specifically, these are energy consumption values, consumption data of primary chemicals, electricity load peaks, our Co2 footprint, just to name a few. This consideration has changed us in many areas. Today we operate a power plant with gas condensing technology, our free roof areas are greened or carry photovoltaic modules, we offer our employees and visitors electric filling stations and finally we have converted the entire power supply of our factory to environmentally friendly hydroelectric power.

With nopma, you have been building up a brand for the technical textiles industry since several years and communicate this via an Individual website parallel to Carl Meiser GmbH & Co. KG. How did this brand name come about and what is the product portfolio behind it?
This is the name of a first technical textile product from the 1990s. It was a textile - coated with dots. Dots on a knitted fabric. NOPMA. My father created this brand.

In 2016 you invested in an additional production line for nopma products and were able to start a directly serial delivery in the NAFTA area. How do you currently assess the market opportunities for North America and Mexico?
We continue to see opportunities in globalization and thus on the North American market also. However, these markets are still severely affected by the pandemic and there are major distortions. When these return to normal, we surely will see more success on these markets again.

As an innovation leader, Meiser offers solvent-free PU adhesive systems as pre-coatings for lamination. How do you assess the importance of such innovations in the context of REACH?
These innovations offer our customers the opportunity to decouple themselves from the pressure REACH triggers in some industries. However, we also have some products that have been developed newly in recent months. This keeps us busy, but also creates opportunities to open up new market segments.

How have you felt about the corona era to date - as a company and personally? What would you on no account want to go through again and what might you even consider maintaining on a daily basis?
I think this time has also strengthened us as a society, as people and even as entrepreneurs. Each crisis you go through makes you a little more relaxed for the unforeseen, but also more motivated to achieve your goals. In my opinion, there have been a lot of positive things in the last few months. Suddenly, for example, digitalization tools have become accepted in our everyday lives, and I feel that people are paying more attention to others again. Hopefully this will stay this way.

The futuristic "tube" escalator at the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall is just as impressive as the building itself and the longest escalator in western Europe. In August, a start-up based in Cologne installed an UV technology that keeps the handrails clean at all times. At the same time, you presented an antiviral functional coating that can be applied to all textiles in the form of yard goods. How does this work and for what purposes will this technology be suitable?
We have already been working with antimicrobial finishing techniques for many years. This already started with the swine flu in 2009/2010, when we made initial contacts with a young start-up and launched a development. Due to a lack of market interest, however, this had to be discontinued after a few months. Today we are experts in the field of "antimicrobial equipment by means of coatings". We were also able to build up an enormous amount of knowledge on the subject of approval and biocide regulation. Today, we can support our customers holistically in these areas. The function by skin-compatible active substances from the cosmetics sector with a vesicle booster can kill viruses and bacteria within a few minutes.
Since the pandemic has shown us the enormous importance of a new level of hygiene, the applications are very diverse and differentiated. We have already realized the use in personal protective equipment, work furniture, vehicles and for example gloves. In principle, every application is predestined where textile carriers are exposed to many touches by different persons in high frequency. Here our nopma products offer a new level of protection and hygiene.

To break new ground means decisiveness, overcoming fears - and thus the courage to fail. Not every project can succeed. In retrospect - about which entrepreneurial decision are you particularly glad to have made it?
We fail again and again. This is part of the game. But it has never happened that we did not learn anything. The pandemic situation is another good example. In spring we accepted our corporate responsibility for our society and were one of two companies in Baden-Württemberg to achieve certification for FFP protective masks. Since we did not want to participate in the revolver market at that time, we offered these products only to the public sector at favourable pre-crisis prices. However, the decision makers could not make up their minds for weeks and did not order. This disappointed our whole team very much at that time. Today we have overcome this and have taken a lot of knowledge with us from this development.

The interview was conducted by Ines Chucholowius, CEO Textination GmbH

Economy
With an average GDP growth of 2% in 2018 and 2019, Canada now resembles the word’s 10th biggest economy and is worthy of a closer look wether it could serve as a sales market for investments.

Canada’s average GDP growth of 2 % in 2018 and 2019 initiates an examination if the country could serve as a market or if an investment in the country could be of value. In particular, the service sector, the manufacturing sector, energy and raw materials and agriculture form the Canadian economy. Canada’s business centers are Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, as well as the provinces Ontario and Quebec. The sometimes enormous distances between those regions should not be underestimated.

An inner-Canadian trade agreement that came into effect in 2017 aims on the reduction of trade barriers among Canada’s provinces. In addition to that, an investment plan for infrastructure by the government should enable public investments in the amount of roundabout €120 Bil. by 2028. With its national climate strategy and the ratification of the Paris climate agreement, Canada also pursues an ambitious climate policy. Today, more than 50% of the needed electricity is already created by using renewable energies, even though the country has got the third-biggest energy and raw materials reserves in the world.

Due to its dependency on export, Canada is involved in many trade agreements (about a dozen bilateral free trade agreements). The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, which has been in existence since 1994, is expected to be renewed and replaced on January 1st 2020 by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) With the EU, Canada's second most important trading partner, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has been provisionally in force since 21st September 2017. Furthermore, Canada signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (CPTPP) at the beginning of 2018. Besides that, there are amongst other trade agreements with the EFTA-States, as well as South Korea and the Ukraine.

Automotive parts, oil and raw materials (excluding fuels) account for more than one third of Canada's total exports. The US are the biggest customer of Canadian goods with a share of 75.9% of exports. The majority of goods being imported in Canada are motor vehicles and automotive parts; machines and chemical products. The main exporters to Canada in 2017 were the US (51.3%) and China (12.6%), followed by Mexico (6.3%) and Germany (3.2%). Germany mainly exports cars and parts and machinery to Canada and imports raw materials.

Source: GTAI, AHK, AA

Fair market
The close economic relations with the US are also reflected in the exhibition industry. For Canadian exhibitors and visitors, it does not make much of a difference in terms of time and logistics whether a trade show takes place in the neighbouring United States or in Canada. Therefore, many of them take advantage of the opportunity to participate in international fairs in the US. However, some Canadian trade fairs are among the industry's leading trade shows in North America or even worldwide. These include, for instance, the GPS Global Petroleum Show (oil and gas industry) and the Buildings Show (construction industry), but also the PDAC (commodities) and Canada's Farm Progress Show (agriculture) fairs. For exhibitors and visitors from the US and from all over the world, participation at these fairs is indispensable. In addition to the international fairs, there are various regional fairs, which are mainly used by local companies of specific industries.
 
Just as in the US, in Canada it is common for trade fairs to be either organized by trade associations or in cooperation with a trade fair organizer. It also makes sense in Canada to first test the interest in one's own products at a trade show and, in a second step, to decide on a branch or a sales partner. Canadian trade fair visitors are accessible and relaxed, which facilitates the first conversation. The stand construction is usually less expensive than in Germany and the exhibition halls are more compact.

Since the mid-1970s, the Canadian Association of Exposure Management (CAEM) has represented the interests of the Canadian exhibition industry. The members are organizations or persons organizing trade fairs, consumer exhibitions or similar events. Fair-related service providers can become associated members. Among other, the association provides its members with ‘Best Practice Guidelines’ for health and safety. As a partner of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), CAEM also offers specific courses for the Canadian trade fair industry as part of the Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM).
 
Fairs und Organizers 
The Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) approximately lists around 40 fairs in Canada every year. The majority of these events takes place in Toronto, followed by Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary.

Similar to the US, most of the fairs are being organized by the industry associations. Fairs and accompaniment-events are one of the key services for their members, but also the main source of income of the associations. With the main emphasis on metalworking and processing, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers organizes among other the FabTech Fair Canada. The vast majority of organizers only hosts one fair per year. The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy & Petroleum (CIM), for instance, organizes the CIM Annual Convention (Mining) annually at changing places. The Society of Petroleum Engineers organizes the ATCE – Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition fair (Petrochemistry) - and the Woodworking Network carries out the WMS - Woodworking Machinery & Supply Expo (Woodworking).
 
Also, there are for-profit fair organizers, that host different fairs in Canada. The British company Informa PLC for instance has been active on the Canadian market since the takeover of the fair Fan Expo Canada in 2010. Over the years, the enterprise continuously extended its portfolio among other with the takeover of the company MMPI Canada. Dmg events also organizes various trade fairs in Canada, for example the trade show GPS - Global Petroleum Show & Conference. In the field of food and beverage the French company COMEXPOSIUM organizes the trade fair SIAL Canada. The activities of Messe Frankfurt GmbH and Deutsche Messe AG in the Canadian market are explained in more detail in the section "German Organizers".

* listed in AUMA fair database

German Organizers
The Messe Frankfurt GmbH has been active in Canada since 2005. Part of the Portfolio are two fairs, that take place simultaneously, the Waste & Recycling Expo Canada and the Municipal Equipment Expo.

Since 2014 the Deutsche Messe AG is represented in Canada by its subsidiary Hannover Fairs with the CanWEA fair (wind energy). The fair has been organized annually in collaboration with the Candian Wind Energy Association. Another cooperation with the solar industry association (Canadian Solar Industries Association) concerned the organization of the solar Canada fair, which was being held until 2019. The two fairs are being merged from 2020 on as Electricity Transformation Canada. In addition to that the Truck World fair is being organized in cooperation with Newcom Business Media every two years.

Contact
AHK Kanada
Deutsch-Kanadische Industrie- und Handelskammer  Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Inc.  
480 University Avenue
Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1V2
Phone +1 416 598 33 55
Fax: +1 416 598 18 40
E-Mail: Info.toronto@germanchamber.ca  
Website: http://kanada.ahk.de
 
CAEM Canadian Association of Exposition Management
E-Mail: info@caem.ca
Website: https://caem.ca/
 
Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI)
E-Mail: info@gtai.de  
Webseite: www.gtai.de
 
Auswärtiges Amt
Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Postadresse:
P.O. Box 379, Postal Station „A“ Ottawa, Ontario  K1N 8V4
Phone: +1 613-232-1101
Fax: +1 613-780-1527
Website: https://canada.diplo.de/ca-de

AUMA
Christine Zander  
Referent global markets
Regions: North America, Latin-America, Subsahara-Africa, South East Asia, Australia; Voting of foreign trade fair participations, EU-topics
Phone: +49 30 24000-125
Fax: +49 30 24000-320
E-Mail: c.zander@auma.de

• At COMPOSITES EUROPE from 10 to 12 September
   
• Incubator of ideas for multi-material lightweight construction
   
• „Ultralight in Space“: Market study examines lightweight construction trends in aerospace

Whenever there’s movement, mass and weight quickly become destroyers of energy. From 10 to 12 September, the Lightweight Technologies Forum (LTF) at COMPOSITES EUROPE in Stuttgart will show how lightweight construction contributes to more efficient and better cars, airplanes and machines. The focus at the Forum will be on the commercially viable implementation of cross-material and holistic lightweight construction systems. The way to get there is through the digitalisation of the process chain.

From the idea to the component – that’s the path the Lightweight Technologies Forum aims to illuminate and support. To that end, the forum will gather current lightweight construction projects in Stuttgart, including from automotive engineering, aerospace and mechanical engineering – precisely those industries whose stringent material, safety and reliability demands make them idea generators for many other industries.
The commonality that runs through all the projects: a consistently digital process chain contributes significantly to the implementation of innovations. Another focus area is connecting and joining technology in multi-material lightweight construction.

"The Lightweight Technologies Forum is conceived as a cross-industry and cross-material incubator of ideas, a place where all stakeholders can consider new concepts. For that, we’re bringing successful flagship projects to Stuttgart”, says Olaf Freier, who on behalf of organiser Reed Exhibitions is responsible for the programme of the forum.

The growing significance of digitalisation and bionics
Support in putting together the forum programme comes from Automotive Management Consulting (AMC). The consulting company specialises in lightweight construction strategies, processes and structures in the automotive industry. “Lightweight construction requires comprehensive, systematic thinking”, says Rainer Kurek, the managing director of AMC. “The most important key factor, though, is the digitalisation of the process chain. Only virtual and simulation-driven design work can bring about competitive lightweight construction products, because they’re launched faster and ensure process safety while costing far less in development”, Kurek adds.

„Ultralight in Space“: Market study on lightweight construction trends in the aerospace industry
When it comes to ultra-lightweight construction, space travel has played a pioneering role since its inception, having driven many disciplines to new record performances. In cooperation with the Luxembourg-based aerospace suppliers GRADEL, AMC are currently conducting a market study to examine the latest technological trends. The results will be revealed at the LTF in Stuttgart on 10 September.
"Even though aerospace is a niche business: technical solutions that meet the stringent material demands here lead the way into the future, which in turn impacts other industries. That’s why it’s important to know the customer’s needs as well as the lightweight strategies, processes, structures and material decision-making of this market”, Rainer Kurek says assuredly.

Also underlining how important space travel is for the development of new technologies is Claude Maack, managing director of GRADEL: “All components are exposed to extreme conditions. Right from the launch of the rocket, they have to withstand enormous acceleration forces. In space, material must resist radiation exposure – and for many years. Then there are the high temperature differences from minus 185 to plus 200 degrees Celsius – alternating every couple of hours from one extreme to the other.“

The material question: Composites with biggest growth potential
Metals currently hold the largest market share among lightweight materials – but fibre-reinforced composites are said to have the biggest growth potential. More and more often they get to apply their strengths in lightweight construction. In the exhibition area, the LTF demonstrates how glass-fibre reinforced (GFRP) and carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) play to their strengths in hybrid structural components.
On display, among other things, will be an ultra-lightweight seat by Automotive Management Consulting (AMC), Alba tooling & engineering and csi entwicklungstechnik GmbH, which was presented as a feasibility study – based on the lightweight construction innovation xFK in 3D – and virtual prototype at the 2018 LTF.

The innovative ultra-lightweight seat, which only weighs 10 kg, is based on a special winding process for fibre-composite components. The  “xFK in 3D process” uses a resin-impregnated continuous fibre from which components are wound and produced without waste to match the load. Conceivable uses for the concept seat include the so-called hypercars, sports cars and the air taxis of the future. Just a few weeks ago, the prototype was presented to the public and swiftly recognised with the German Innovation Award.

Exhibitors will be presenting additional lightweight construction solutions in the adjacent Lightweight Area. Some examples include structural components, semi-finished goods, technical textiles, adhesives and resins for automotive engineering and aerospace.

Altogether, visitors of the Lightweight Technologies Forum and COMPOSITES EUROPE will meet 300 exhibitors from 30 countries who will come to Stuttgart to showcase the entire process chain of fibre-reinforced plastics – from materials to machines for processing to concrete application examples from automotive engineering, aerospace, mechanical engineering, construction, wind power, and the sports and leisure sector. Besides new products, a special focus of the trade fair will be on advances in process technologies for large-scale series production.  
 

• Innovations for Indoor and Outdoor Applications

At the beginning of 2018, the textile company Schmitz-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, Emsdetten, was restructured. In order to be able to react more quickly and flexibly to the markets and their demands, the brands drapilux, swela and mobiltex have since been combined under Schmitz Textiles.

Managing Director of this legally independent company is Stefan Ruholl, who has been working for Schmitz-Werke for more than 30 years, answering the questions of Textination. In 1996 he became head of the finishing department, three years later head of production and development for the textile finishing division, in the beginning of 2000 technical director, and finally 2018 he took over the management of the business unit and of the company Schmitz Textiles.

Schmitz Textiles is a family business that has been offering textile solutions for indoor and outdoor applications for more than 90 years. If you had to introduce yourself in 100 words to someone who doesn't know the company, what makes you unique?
As an almost fully integrated manufacturer in Germany, we have advantages that many other market players are likely to envy. We can respond flexibly, technically and with good service to the needs of our customers. Under the drapilux brand, we distribute intelligent design textiles for the contract sector, outdoor and sun protection fabrics under the swela brand and textiles for the automotive segment under the still young label mobiltex. All brands benefit from the broad know-how in production and product development. A few years ago, Germany as production location may have been regarded more negatively as a pure cost factor, but today we see this as valued by our partners as a clear strategic advantage.

In which product areas do market and partners particularly challenge you?
And with which product innovations in the field of technical textiles do you think you can move most?
In each of our fields of activity, we are confronted with comprehensive challenges. At drapilux, for example, we have to meet strict safety requirements in the context of fire protection certifications for the use of our materials on cruise ships and have invested massively in this subject. The sun protection sector is characterized by high demands on color and light fastness combined with optimum resilience - here we were able to gain a major technological advantage with the change from acrylic to polyester qualities years ago.
With the new, award-winning development of our convertible top fabric for mobiltex, also based on polyester, we were able to realize product properties that are completely new in this form in this segment.

For which socially relevant topics do you see particularly great need for innovation in the upcoming 10 years
and what is your assessment that the textile industry will be able to offer solutions with its products?
When we look at the next ten years, then it is surely the topic of sustainability that is already omnipresent today. At the moment we are living in a phase where we want sustainable products on the one hand, but, on the other hand, the willingness to pay higher prices for them is not yet pronounced and people tend towards staying with conventional products. This will change. Sustainable products from companies that really live sustainability in the dimensions of ecology, economy and society will win the race. The textile industry offers the best conditions to turn this vision into reality - albeit under investment in production and research and development.

Today, product and technology innovations mean to a large extent digitalization of production and business processes.
New business models often aim at verticalization and demand the path to batch size 1 - what does this mean for Schmitz Textiles?
For an industrial company with a B2B focus, such as Schmitz Textiles, "batch size 1" must be answered with a certain bandwidth. However, in principle, this topic is not new to us, for example in yarn dyeing, we can couple micro-installations for larger batches - and conversely control correspondingly smaller batches through our process chain. In the digital printing sector for the contract business, we are very individually and customer-oriented positioned with a minimum quantity of 25 meters. For our sister company and customer markilux we are supplier for their "Color on Demand" offer for the individual awning cloth with a choice of 1625 RAL colors. With an industrial production scale, you can hardly get much closer to "lot size 1".

To break new ground means decisiveness, overcoming fears - and with that the courage to fail. Not every project can succeed.
Which entrepreneurial decision are you particularly happy about having made it in retrospect?
If we look further back, about ten years ago, the decision to invest in digital printing and to build up know-how and our own production capacities was the right one. Having passed through these learning curves enables us today to expand our offer into the outdoor market without major problems. We are currently more convinced than ever that by entering the automotive segment with the still young mobiltex brand, we have established a new, important keystone for the long-term future of Schmitz Textiles.

The textile industry has been growing steadily worldwide for decades. The consumption of chemical and textile fibres more than quadrupled between 1975 and 2016. In terms of sustainability, there is, to put it mildly, a mixed feedback for our industry.
What is Schmitz Textiles concentrating on in order to fulfil their social responsibility?
If textiles are produced exclusively in Germany, the regulatory framework already requires a certain sustainable orientation. But of course, there is also room for maneuver. In order to meet the high demands of a sustainable and environmentally friendly production, we operate a very high expenditure. For example, all dyestuffs and textile auxiliaries are first checked for compliance with laws and regulations and for environmental and occupational safety aspects before they are used in-house. In addition, voluntary measures were implemented in the area of production long before legislation came into force, such as regenerative thermal post-combustion for the post-treatment of process exhaust air from finishing plants. This ensures that no harmful emissions are caused by exhaust air, waste water or noise. Many projects have also been successfully implemented for energy recovery from process waste water and process exhaust air. All process waste is either returned to the production workflow, recycled or professionally disposed of. A contribution to environmental protection, that should not be underestimated, is the use of synthetic fibres (here: polyester), which can be modified with much less chemicals than natural fibres and are much more durable.
 
The next Techtextil is just around the corner. What are your expectations at the Frankfurt trade fair?
We are a young but at the same time an almost 100-year-old company, having emerged from the corporate reorganization of Schmitz-Werke GmbH + Co. KG on January 1, 2018. Consequently, we are exhibiting for the first time as Schmitz Textiles GmbH + Co KG with our three brands mobiltex, swela and drapilux. We want to present ourselves as a textile competence center. However, the automotive textiles theme will be somewhat in the foreground. We are exhibiting a complete convertible roof with our mobiltex 388 soft top fabric, which was nominated for the German Innovation Award 2019 by the German Design Council, and we are confident that we may accept an award at the end of May.

• Final Release

The latest edition of DOMOTEX – the world’s leading showcase for carpets and floor coverings (January 11 to 14) – has underscored its reputation as the sector’s biggest and most important hub for business, innovations and trends. Over 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 nations came to Hannover to kick off a successful new year of business. With close to 90 percent of all attendees having decision-making authority, the caliber of the show’s visitors remained extremely high – a fact confirmed by exhibitors. Due to growing market concentration, DOMOTEX recorded a slight dip in attendance. According to the exhibition survey, the order situation of exhibitors remained constant, while the purchasing volume per visitor went up. About 70 percent of all DOMOTEX attendees once again came from abroad – a clear sign of the flagship fair’s international appeal. In terms of visitor backgrounds, attendance was notably up on the part of wholesale and retail professionals. The figures also revealed an increase in attendance by architects, interior designers and contract business professionals. In addition, DOMOTEX 2019 saw an increase in the amount of display space sold.

“Thanks to its strong international drawing power, DOMOTEX serves as the sector’s definitive global marketplace. The positive and optimistic outlook on the 2019 business year that was tangible in the trade fair halls proves the success of this year’s exhibition,” said Dr. Andreas Gruchow, the Managing Board member in charge of DOMOTEX at Deutsche Messe.

“Manufacturers and customers as well as partners, architects and designers from all over the world come together to network at DOMOTEX, spawning new business relationships and collaborative opportunities previously not deemed possible,” remarked Sonia Wedell-Castellano, the new global director for DOMOTEX, adding: “That’s what this year’s theme of Create’N’Connect is all about.”

Upbeat mood among exhibitors
Fabian Kölliker, Head of Marketing at the Swiss Krono Group, voiced early praise for the professional nature of the event: “We are very satisfied with the number, quality and internationality of attendees. Even after day two of the fair, we are already extremely happy with our success so far.”

The Balta Group has remained faithful to DOMOTEX since the origin of the fair. As Marketing Director Geert Vanden Bossche reports: “The rug business is a global business and this is the best place to connect with people and customers from around the world. In only four days we can meet with a lot of customers, giving a good return on our investments.”

For Myriam Ragolle, Managing Director of Ragolle Rugs, DOMOTEX represents the ideal opportunity to present the new products to a worldwide audience within just a four-day period: “It is impossible to achieve that by traveling. We can also make contacts with new customers from all over the world. This makes DOMOTEX unique.”

Exhibitors from the skilled trades also expressed keen satisfaction with the run of the show: “Here at DOMOTEX 2019, we have once again succeeded in impressing a trade audience from Germany and abroad,” said Julian Utz, CEO of Uzin Utz, adding: “The show’s international focus gives us access to exactly the right potential customers.” As he pointed out, Uzin Utz is strongly focused on Asian and Arab-speaking markets. “So the strong turnout by customers from these regions is a real boon for us.”

The benefits of attending DOMOTEX
Susanne Gerken, a Color & Trim designer at Volkswagen, came to DOMOTEX 2019 to catch the latest trends and check out innovative materials. As she pointed out, color trends and issues such as sustainability, recycling and new material lifecycles are all equally applicable to the automotive industry, and her takeaway was much more than just new impressions: “At DOMOTEX I picked up several ideas I can use to great advantage in my work.”

In contrast, business matters were the prime objective for Alex Hosseinnia, CEO of Dallas Rugs in Dallas, Colorado: “My line of work is all about buying and selling,” he said, adding that what he liked about DOMOTEX was the way it made it easy for him to meet up with suppliers, and that it was an ideal place to discover the latest trends and fashions, for example colors and patterns, that were “likely to be showing up in U.S. retail channels in the course of the next year or two.”

“CREATE’N’CONNECT” at DOMOTEX 2019
The inspiring “Framing Trends” showcase in Hall 9 proved its worth. In its second year, it once again featured impressive displays of innovative products by manufacturers, artists, designers and students. International architects, designers, planners and influencers were particularly appreciative of “Framing Trends” as the beating heart of the event. The new showcase has proven to be highly effective at bringing visitors together and spawning lively interaction and business dialogue.

Under the motto of “Gaining Ground”, the “Treffpunkt Handwerk” skilled trades hub in Hall 13 proved popular among interior designers, parquet and floor layers, painters and varnishers. The hands-on demo area gave flooring experts an opportunity to see innovative floor treatment and finishing tools and machinery in action while comparing notes with fellow professionals.

Digital tools for sales and marketing in the floor covering industry
A key topic at the event involved solutions for the digital presentation of carpets and floor coverings. The new digital solutions ran the gamut of VR and AR applications, including visualization aids for every aspect of the marketing mix, plus innovative software which makes it easy for customers to discover and choose their favorite designs and collections while providing retailers with new options for digital product presentation and sales.

• Manufacturers rely, among others, on German Machines

Tokyo (GTAI) - When it comes to functional textiles, Taiwan belongs to the international top league. To ensure that this remains the case, industry manufacturers invest in modern equipment and innovations.

Taiwan is an important global supplier of functional textiles. The sector wants to maintain this position and expand it as much as possible. They are therefore investing in new capacities, research and development. There are good sales opportunities for suppliers of pre-products and equipment.

The demand for functional textiles is increasing in the sports, leisure and footwear industries. In other sectors, such as the automotive and medical industries, building materials and agricultural aids, these are also increasingly being used. Functional textiles are usually not recognizable as Taiwan products. Nevertheless, some of them are very visible.

For example, at least 15 out of 32 teams at the 2018 FIFA World Cup wore clothing made with textiles of Taiwanese origin for internationally renowned brand names, according to the Taiwan Industrial Development Bureau (IDB). According to the Taiwan Footwear Manufacturers Association, Taiwanese manufacturers are responsible for approximately 80 percent of all sports shoes produced worldwide.

Textile manufacturers invest
Far Eastern New Century (FENC) is one of the largest textile manufacturers on the island. Its production capacity is nowadays mainly located abroad with productions in China, Japan, the USA and Vietnam. FENC is also expanding its capacity in Taiwan. Polyester spunbonded nonwovens have been produced for the Asian market in a joint venture with Freudenberg in Germany since 1987.

Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb has announced that it will set up a third production line for nonwovens at the Tayuan plant, thereby increasing the existing production of 20,000 tons by 11,000 tons per year. Construction of the new production facility, which is scheduled to start operations in 2020, has now begun. The latest automated production technology is to be used. According to the company, the investments amount will approximately be at USD 43 million.

Source: CommonWealth Magazine, Taiwan Stock Exchange

Germany remains an important equipment supplier
Taiwan's textile manufacturers import their equipment mainly from China, Japan and Germany, with some of the machines produced in China coming from companies with Japanese, German, Italian or Taiwanese parent companies. German deliveries declined by 13.7 percent to USD 71.1 compared to 2016 million in 2017. However, Taiwan's imports from Germany increased by 24.3 percent in the first six months of 2018, exceeding deliveries from Japan at USD 42.5 million.

The fact that the import of equipment remains at a high level has to do with the fact that companies in the textile industry in Taiwan are modernizing existing plants and converting them to Industry 4.0. In addition, the number of textile manufacturers in Taiwan has increased in recent years. According to statistics from the Taiwan Federation of Textiles, the number of companies rose from 3,143 to 3,214 between 2014 and 2017.

*) HS-Codes 8444-8453; without 8450
Source: Customs Statistics, Ministry of Finance

Core functions remain in Taiwan
By contrast, the production value of the textile sector fell slightly. In local currency terms, it fell in 2017 compared with 2016 by 1.7 percent. Converted to US dollars, the production value of textiles was USD 9 billion, according to the statistics from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The production of synthetic fibers stagnated at just under USD 3 billion in 2017.

Taiwan is home to the headquarters of the often family-run textile companies. Purchasing and marketing decisions are mainly made here, and, last but not least, research and development are carried out here too. For example, several manufacturers are currently developing smart textiles with integrated temperature control, heart and location functions.

Foreign activities are diversified
The textile manufacturers are investing predominantly in new capacities outside Taiwan. For example, FENC 2018 is expanding its capacity for PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and terephthalic acid (PTA), which among others are required for the production of synthetic fibers. Together with an Indonesian and a Mexican partner, FENC acquires two new plants of a bankrupt US company in West Virginia and Texas. Among other things, this reduces the risk of possible trade restrictions and, conversely, increases the opportunity to benefit from free trade agreements.

Vietnam is also a focus of investment. Here, most Taiwanese textile companies are in the process of establishing or expanding new capacities. FENC, Formosa Taffeta, Eclat, Makalot and several others invested in the southeast Asian tigerland several years ago. By contrast, new investments in China have become rare, primarily due to rising wage costs.

• Sales increase of 4 to 6 per cent targeted for 2018
• Population favors traditional shopping experience

Hong Kong (GTAI) - Hong Kong's favorite pastime is shopping. Chinese tourists also visit the city just for shopping quite often. The demand for jewelry, watches and cosmetics in particular is booming. The retail sales of the Special Administrative Region (SVR) is expected to rise to around USD 60 billion in 2018. The status-conscious consumers prefer Italian and French luxury goods. German providers can score in certain categories.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) retail sector experienced one of its worst years of recent history in 2016. According to the statistics office, sales shrank nominally by 8 percent compared to the previous year. On the one hand, domestic consumers showed themselves buttoned-up side in the face of a rather sluggish economy. Private consumption rose in real terms by just under 2 percent.
 
On the other hand, the number of foreign visitors decreased. The tourism authority counted around 57 million arrivals in 2016 only, which was almost 5 percent less than in 2015. Three quarters of the tourists traditionally come from the neighboring Chinese mainland and are particularly eager to buy. But in 2016, they restricted their purchases.

Domestic consumption rose in real terms by nearly 7 percent in the third quarter of 2017
However, the second half of 2017 brought the turnaround. The overall economy of SVR revived noticeably. Consumer spending in the third quarter increased by nearly 7 percent in real terms compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of tourists also rose again. From January to December, the authorities registered a growth of more than 3 percent.

*) Forecast
Source: Hong Kong Tourism Board

Retail sales rose in 2017 as a result by just over 2 percent to more than USD 57 billion. Especially at the end of the year, business had developed very briskly. In the fourth quarter, revenues increased by nearly 6 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year. That leaves the economic researchers hoping for 2018. The auditing company PWC, for example, expects a market growth of 4 to 6 percent. As a result, the total revenues should rise to around USD 60 billion. It would thus be on about the same level as in 2014, but only in nominal terms.

*) Forecast
Source: 2014 til 2017: Hong Kong Statistical Office; 2018: PwC

The individual sectors of the retail trade developed very differently in 2017. The demand for electronic articles was weakening. But the business with jewelry, watches and cosmetics flourished. These are small and light goods, that Chinese tourists usually can take across the border without customs clearance. The equally lively sales of food and beverages as well as motor vehicles is mainly due to the greater spending pleasure of domestic consumers.

Source: Hong Kong Statistical Office
 
For German providers of consumer goods, the former British colony is a not unattractive market. Although the population of 7.4 million is quite small, it has a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita that is at the level of Germany. Since there is virtually no manufacturing industry, almost all goods need to be imported. The Chinese tourists increase the volume of demand. In 2017 45 million visitors from the People's Republic came to Hong Kong. Many of them came just for one day, whose only goal was shopping.

German consumer goods are quite popular with both domestic consumers and Chinese tourists. However, there are big differences between the different sectors. Apparel, leather goods and cosmetics are dominated by French and Italian brands in the upper market segment. For furniture (especially kitchens) or stationery German suppliers however play a significant role. Also body care and food "Made in Germany" enjoy a great popularity.

Big chains dominate the market
The retail sector is predominantly in the hands of large corporations. In the food sector the chains Wellcome and ParknShop dominate, in the drugstore area Watsons and Mannings as well as in the electronics division Fortress and Broadway. The e-commerce however has undermined its dominant position a bit.
However - the population still prefers the traditional shopping experience. Purchasing via the Internet does not yet play a major role for the end customer as in other countries around the world. But it has changed the business in the B2B area. In the meantime restaurants and hotels mostly shop online.

• Fair as an opportunity for cooperation
• Investment climate is improving

Bonn (GTAI) - With a population of almost 200 million, a high proportion of young people and a growing middle class, Pakistan offers good prospects. In particular, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor has the potential to trigger a new growth spurt and attract foreign investment. The 10th Expo Pakistan, which takes place in Karachi from November 9th -12th 2017, provides an opportunity to initiate business with Pakistani partners.

Largest trade fair

EXPO Pakistan is the largest trade fair in the country and offers the most comprehensive presentation of the country's export economy and service sector. In addition to local companies, numerous exhibitors from the neighboring countries also present their products to international visitors. Among others goods from sectors leather, textiles and clothing, sporting goods, automotive and automotive parts, pharmaceutical products, machinery and services in the field of information technology, logistics and health will be exhibited.

The four-day EXPO Pakistan, which has been held every two years since 1997, is directed exclusively to foreign buyers during the first three days. B2B meetings between suppliers and buyers will be arranged by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). According to the Pakistani Trade Promotion Agency at the last trade fair in 2015 business contracts worth of approximately USD 1.2 billion were generated. In addition more than 70 declarations of intent were signed. The framework program for the trade fair participants included, among other things, company visits and fashion shows. Within the framework of EXPO 2015, 571 Pakistani manufacturers and exporters exhibited their products and services. According to the organizers a total of 750 foreign buyers and importers from 77 countries visited the fair.

Prospects for the economic development remain positive.

In the recent years the Republic has recorded an annual economic growth of around 4 percent. According to the forecasts of the International Monetary Fund, the gross domestic product (real) will reach 5 percent in 2017 and will increase an average growth of 5.5 per cent by 2020. Growth drivers are above all the increasing privat consumption as well as high investments in the transport infrastructure and the energy sector. As uncertainty factors remain the domestic policy conditions before the parliamentary elections in the second half of 2018 as well as the macroeconomic stability. The analysts of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) expect an average current account deficit of 4.4 percent of the GDP from 2017 to 2021.

The course of the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE 100) has steadily improved to more than three times since 2012. The index provider Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) has once again raised Pakistan from a "frontier market" to an "emerging market" in May 2017. The financial crisis in 2008 led to a temporary closure of the stock exchange due to a liquidity bottlenecks and thus to the exclusion from the MSCI EM Index. An improved market classification was followed by a strong course correction. The in July published trade deficit of USD 27.5 billion, as well as the rising government debt contributed to a 20% drop in the courses by mid-September.

A major contributor to Pakistan's current high debt is not least the high investment in the mega project China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The corridor is a collection of various infrastructure projects with a current value of around USD 62 billion, which has been realized throughout the country since 2013. They are part of the Chinese Megaproject "Belt and Road" with investments in the sectors energy, transport and special economic zones. The Republic finances many projects primarily through borrowing. The impact on the country is assessed. The through the corridor improved location attractiveness of the country is expected to promote the domestic economy, reduce the trade deficit and relieve the state budget.

Economic structure and trade

The Pakistani economy is the second largest in South Asia after the neighbor India. The gross domestic product rose from around USD 35 billion in the early 1980s to just under USD 283 billion. Above all the transformation from an agricultural to a service state has promoted this positive development. The service sector accounts for about 59 percent of the GDP. Central segments are trading, transport, storage and communication. The industrial sector however with a share of 20 percent is still upgradeable. The clothing, leather and textile sector has the most important share of the industry and represents the largest export sector with 67 per cent.

Germany was the fourth largest customer of Pakistani goods with USD 1.7 billion in 2016. Textiles and clothing as well as leather and leather goods had a share of about 87 percent. In the same year, German companies however exported goods worth USD 1.2 billion. Machines 33 percent, chemical products 18 percent and electrical equipment 7 percent formed the main export goods.

Improvement of the energy supply

The establishment and management of a factory for foreign companies in Pakistan are still proving difficult. According to the Doing Business Report 2017 the World Bank Pakistan ranks 144th out of 190 countries. Corruption, protection of intellectual property rights, protracted legal enforcement and poor power supply are among the greatest obstacles. A positive change in the power supply situation or the overall infrastructure should become achieved by the CPEC.

The Trade Department of the Pakistani Embassy is available for further questions and information during the 10th EXPO Pakistan.

Contact:

Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Commercial department
Schaperstrasse 29
10719 Berlin, Germany
T +49 (30) 212 442 02
cc@pakemb.de, tdo@pakemb.de

• Market study “Lightweight Construction as Innovation Factor”: Presentation at COMPOSITES EUROPE
• 21 September: Focus Day Automotive

No other industry has drawn more public attention to glass- and carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP/CFRP) than the automotive indus-
try. Next to the aerospace industry, it’s one of the innovation and growth drivers for composites. The great significance of composites for the automotive industry must be credited to the continuing lightweight construction trend. From 19 to 21 September, COMPOSITES EUROPE in Stuttgart will show how the composites industry can support automakers and their suppliers in this area. Programme highlights include the Focus Day Automotive and the Lightweight Technologies Forum.

Presentation of the study “Lightweight Construction as Innovation Factor”
When it comes to composites in the automotive sector, modern lightweight construction is the No. 1 topic, according to industry expert Rainer Kurek, CEO of AUTOMOTIVE MANAGEMENT CONSULTING GmbH (AMC) from Penzberg near Munich. After all, he says, it comprises all the aspects of lightweight automotive construction – from concept, functions and joining technologies to materials. The training and consulting company specialises in auto-industry strategies, processes and structures; together with COMPOSITES EUROPE organiser Reed Exhibitions, they will, on 21 September, present the study “Lightweight Construction as Innovation Factor” (“Leichtbau als Innovationsfaktor” in the original German), which takes a holistic and detailed look at the issue. “Created in cooperation with Reed Exhibitions, the market study ‘Lightweight Construction as Innovation Factor’ synthesises the German automotive industry’s knowledge from nearly 150 years of experience”, explains Kurek. “Against the backdrop of increasing environmental and climate-protection requirements, a fragile energy supply and the resulting more stringent resource-conservation targets, it serves to sustainably enhance and strengthen Germany’s role as a centre of innovation.” The developer says he used to think in terms of materials first, but “design engineers today approach lightweight construction with an integrative mindset – with other joining and production technologies as well as with new materials. These days, the typical tasks we get from OEMs are almost always based on integrative lightweight construction.”
 
Positive Outlook
With about a third of the GFRP materials produced in Europe being used in the transport sector, innovations and the current development status of composites for the automotive market will be emphasised in the exhibition halls of COMPOSITES EUROPE 2017, as well. The future looks bright, according to Composites Germany’s latest market survey. No fewer than 46 per cent of responding companies expect this segment to grow. Only 15 per cent anticipate a downturn. The automotive industry isn’t just one of the biggest buyers of thermoplastic composites, it’s also a major purchaser of thermoset materials like SMC. Exhibitors such as Saint Gobain Performance Plastics, capricorn COMPOSITE, Lange+Ritter, SGL TECHNOLOGIES GmbH, ARKEMA France, Cevotec and EMS will be onsite to address the automotive industry’s composites requirements.

Theme day for “motorists”: Focus Day Automotive
What’s more, the entire third day of the trade fair – dubbed the Focus Day Automotive – will be dedicated to visitors predominantly interested in composites for the vehicle industry. A free one-hour guided tour at 11 am on 21 September, for example, will give visitors a comprehensive overview. Stops include the stands of industry-leading companies such as Evonik Industries, Huntsman, the Institute of Aircraft Design at the University of Stuttgart, PHP Fibers, Toho Tenax Europe and Vosschemie. Since the number of participants is limited, it would be advisable to register in a timely manner by visiting: www.composites-europe.com/guided-tours.

The subsequent Automotive Business Lunch taking place at the stand of sponsor Hexion (Hall C2, BO6) at 12 pm will provide an excellent networking opportunity. In addition, expert lectures at the COMPOSITES Forum in Hall 6, Stand B76, will cover automotive basics, trends and innovations. Admission is free of charge for trade fair visitors.
 
Hybrid lightweight construction: The best from different material worlds
Hybrid lightweight construction, which combines metallic materials with composites, is another trend in automotive engineering, as Kurek confirms. In his estimation, it’s imperative to intelligently leverage the strengths of each respective material. “We need to think very carefully about how the different materials can be used in line with the required strength.” Composites, for instance, are great at absorbing tensile forces, while metallic materials are better suited for compressive forces.” This is exactly the issue Kurek sees as COMPOSITES EUROPE’s most critical task: “Even with composites, we long ago moved from ‘either-or’ to ‘both’. Metallic materials have a right to exist just as composites do.”
That’s why the Lightweight Technologies Forum at COMPOSITES EUROPE will provide answers to questions revolving around lightweight construction with other materials like aluminium or steel. The combined exhibition and presentation forum featuring exhibitors such as Kunststoffwerk AG Buchs, Linn High Therm, Schütze, OCSiAL Group, Hexcel Composites and ar engineers will serve as the cross-material interface between metal and composite technologies in structural components.

Trade fair opening event: 3rd International Composites Congress (ICC)
Kicking off COMPOSITES EUROPE 2017 on 18 and 19 September 2017 will be the “3rd International Composites Congress (ICC)” hosted by the trade association Composites Germany in Stuttgart. Current trends, new applications and technologies, and a comprehensive overview of market developments in Europe and worldwide will be the centre of attention at the 3rd ICC. This year’s partner country, South Korea, will be represented with several exclusive speakers.