#203 Engineering meets sustainability at METSTRADE: Lessons from Gurit’s bio‑based epoxy journey

Engineering meets sustainability at METSTRADE: Lessons from
Gurit’s bio‑based epoxy journey

At Metstrade on RAI Amsterdam—the world’s leading B2B hub for the
leisure marine sector—Composites Lounge sat down with Philip
Aikenhead (Head of Sales EMEA, Gurit) to explore what
“sustainable resin solutions” actually means when boats must
survive UV, salt, shock loads and repairs over decades. The
takeaway: sustainability is moving from pilot talk to disciplined
engineering practice.

Philip was also a panelist on the JEC Panel on innovation at
Metstrade hosted by Éric Pierrejean, CEO of JEC and you can
listen to the podcast on our Youtube playlist (Link in the
Comment) and soon an any podcast app.

What changed?

Formulation first, slogans second.

Gurit has reformulated key epoxy portfolios (Prime infusion,
Ampreg laminating) so that bio‑content is now standard—while
retaining marine-class certifications and processing windows that
builders already trust. In parallel, Gurit emphasizes
low-toxicity chemistry (CMR- and SVHC-free hardeners) and
recycled PET cores, tying material choices to LCA-backed CO₂
reduction rather than anecdotes.

Reality checks that matter to engineers

Application fit: Bio‑based epoxies are thermosets—great for
high-end and semi‑structural parts, auxiliaries (hardtops,
passerelles) and repairs; they drop into existing vacuum infusion
and wet‑lam processes without exotic tooling.

Environmental durability: Gurit validates against UV and
saltwater aging, aligning with service-life realities rather than
lab-only claims.

Fire: IMO compliance remains a system-level problem; think
liners/barriers and careful additive strategies—not silver
bullets baked into every resin.

Why this matters now

Marine programs are increasingly measured on embodied carbon and
operator safety—without sacrificing weight, cure control, or
classification. Gurit’s approach—incremental CO₂ cuts at
industrial scale—is exactly how complex fleets transition:
pragmatic chemistry, compatible processes, auditable data.

This week at boot Düsseldorf: Composites Lounge will be on site
to cover the composites agenda led by European Boating Industry
(EBI) at the Blue Innovation Dock on 22 January 2026.

Engineers—what questions should we ask on bio‑based epoxies,
cores, and recyclability?

Drop them in the comments, and follow for real‑time
insights.

See you at JEC World 2026: Composites Lounge will also visit
Gurit to track how the bio‑based and low‑toxicity roadmap evolves
into new marine‑grade solutions. Let us know if you want a
materials deep‑dive or booth‑side walkthrough.

YouTube Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tho5TYvB8j4