Review 2006

• Successful launch of COMPOSITES EUROPE exceeds expectations
• New European trade fair for composites draws 60% participation from outside of Germany

Essen. ‘A perfect start’ is the comment from Britta Wirtz, Director of the new trade fair COMPOSITES EUROPE, which was launched successfully in Essen with more than 3,700 visitors. The focus of the new European Trade Fair for Composites, Technology and Applications was on fibre composite materials. On 6,000 sqm on exhibition space, 200 exhibitors from all over Europe as well as overseas presented the entire spectrum of the composites industry, from the raw materials to processing technology and practical applications. In cooperation with the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) and supported by industry magazine Reinforced Plastics, the organisers Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH successfully positioned the show alongside the ALUMINIUM trade fair which took place at the same time in Essen.

Positive assessment from visitors
Around 45% of visitors came from the automotive and transport sectors; the aerospace (29%), building and construction (23%) and sports and leisure (22%) sectors were also well represented. Most visitors were decision-makers in their respective fields. Interest centred on raw materials (55%) and technologies (52%). 32% of the visitors to COMPOSITES EUROPE arrived with firm investment projects. The fair also impressed visitors as a new business platform: around to 80% of the visitors said they made new contacts. And finally, visitors awarded the new event good marks: 77% of the visitors gave a ‘positive’ to ‘very positive’ assessment of COMPOSITES EUROPE.

International participation high
Exhibitors at COMPOSITES EUROPE included key industry players such as the Finnish Exel Group, Huntsman, Quadrant, Menzolit-Fibron, Lorenz Kunststofftechnik and the Röchling Group. Over 60% of the exhibiting companies came from outside of Germany, both from other European countries and from overseas. The largest foreign exhibitor group came from the Netherlands, followed by Great Britain, France, the US and China.
On the visitor side, 58% of COMPOSITES EUROPE visitors came from outside of Germany, again mainly from the Benelux countries, Great Britain and France. Over 45% had travelled a distance of more than 500 kilometres.

Exhibitors and associations enthusiastic
COMPOSITES EUROPE was accompanied by the 9th International Congress of the Federation of Reinforced Plastics e.V. (AVK) whose members used the fair as a new networking event.
“COMPOSITES EUROPE surprised us. The AVK members were simply overwhelmed, I only saw satisfied faces“, says Dr. Uwe Bültjer, Managing Director of AVK, after the three days of the fair. Exhibitors were also very happy.
“COMPOSITES EUROPE is a very good fair. We had the opportunity to make entirely new contacts“, commented Jan Verhaeghe from the Belgian vehicle manufacturer Composittrailer, who is also Vice President of EuCIA.
Uwe Kassens from the Röchling Group also reported that participation at the fair had been a success. “Most of all, COMPOSITES EUROPE yielded a large number of good contacts from new segments. “

COMPOSITES EUROPE 2007 in Stuttgart / COMPOSITES & RP ASIA in Hong Kong
“We are confident that we will be able to establish COMPOSITES EUROPE as an institution among industrial fairs in Germany“, said Hans-Joachim Erbel, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH. COMPOSITES EUROPE 2007 will be held from November 6th to 8th in Stuttgart, one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions. In choosing this location the organisers follow their aim of holding COMPOSITES EUROPE in the most important centres of composites application in Europe. Baden-Wurttemberg is a leader in all those applications that were already addressed at the first COMPOSITES EUROPE: automotive, electronic and mechanical engineering.
“Reed Exhibitions succeeded in reaching everybody who has anything to do with composites. We have already registered for the next COMPOSITES EUROPE in Stuttgart 2007“, says Heike Wolfangel-Molliné, Managing Director of Wolfangel GmbH in Ditzingen.
Next year, Reed Exhibitions is also collaborating with Reinforced Plastics magazine to launch a new event in Asia - COMPOSITES & RP ASIA 2007 will take place on 4-6 September in Hong Kong.

www.composites-europe.com

For further information please contact the COMPOSITES EUROPE Press Department.