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COMPOSITES LOUNGE NEWS | YENİ SAYI YAYINDA

Türkiye'den Avrasya'ya: Köprüler, Kimya ve Gelecek

Composites Lounge News'in yeni Türkçe formatında bu kez İstanbul Boğazı'nın kıyısından sesleniyoruz.

Bu özel sayıda, Artkim Group Kurucusu Ahmet Güler ve Artkim Satış Direktörü Tevfik Denemeç ile gerçekleştirdiğimiz iki kapsamlı röportaj yer alıyor.

Birinci bölümde Ahmet Güler'in gözünden:

Artkim'in 2002 yılında başlayan girişimcilik hikâyesi

Türkiye'de kimya fuarcılığının gelişimi

Görünürlük, yayıncılık ve dijitalleşmenin sektöre etkisi

Kimyanın günlük yaşamımızdaki görünmeyen rolü

İkinci bölümde ise Tevfik Denemeç ile:

TURKCHEM'in yeni vizyonu

Avrupa, Türkiye ve Orta Asya arasındaki yeni sanayi koridorları

Azerbaycan'ın yükselen stratejik önemi

TURKCHEM Azerbaycan'ın arkasındaki iş geliştirme yaklaşımı

Geleceğin neden bağlantılar ve ekosistemler üzerinden şekilleneceği

Bu sayıda sadece fuarları değil, çok daha büyük bir resmi konuşuyoruz:

Ekosistemler

İş geliştirme

Uluslararası görünürlük

Sanayi diplomasisi

Avrupa-Türkiye-Azerbaycan iş birlikleri

Ayrıca önümüzdeki dönemde birlikte çalışacağımız üç önemli kilometre taşına da göz atıyoruz:

TURKCHEM EXPO EURASIA 2026 – İstanbul

Turkchem Expo Azerbaycan 2027 – Bakü

Eurasian Composites Show | Uluslararası Kompozit Sanayi Fuarı (ECS 2027) – İstanbul

Composites Lounge olarak bu organizasyonlarda yalnızca medya partneri değil; içerik üreticisi, topluluk kurucusu, moderatör ve ekosistem kolaylaştırıcısı olarak aktif rol üstleniyoruz.

Röportajların tam versiyonları artık yayında.

Ayrıca Bakü, Alat ve Sumgayıt'ta gerçekleştirdiğimiz önceki özel röportajlar da:

️ YouTube'da 4K kalite ve altyazılı video formatında

ve

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Deezer

ve favori podcast uygulamanızda

sesli formatta dinlenebilir.

Çünkü geleceğin sanayi hikâyeleri yalnızca fabrikalarda değil, insanlar arasında kurulan köprülerde yazılıyor.

#CompositesLounge #CompositesLoungeNews #Innovation #Technology #Sustainability #BusinessDevelopment #Artkim #Turkchem #EurasianCompositesShow #Azerbaycan #Türkiye #Avrasya #Kimya #Kompozit #Networking #CreatingSustainableValues

Can natural fiber composites compete with carbon fiber in demanding automotive and motorsport applications?

At JEC World 2026, Ilkay Özkisaoglu speaks with Per Mårtensson, Chief Revenue Officer of Bcomp, about the industrialization of flax fiber reinforced composites, sustainability, lightweight design, and the journey from motorsport innovation to series production vehicles.

Bcomp has become one of the most recognized pioneers in natural fiber composites. What started in high-performance racing applications has evolved into commercial programs with major automotive brands including BMW, Volvo Cars, Polestar, Cupra, Porsche and Suzuki Racing.

In this interview, Per explains why the future of composites is not about replacing carbon fiber everywhere, but about using the right material in the right place. According to Bcomp, natural fibers can deliver excellent stiffness-to-weight performance while reducing environmental impact and introducing additional benefits such as vibration damping, enhanced safety characteristics and distinctive design aesthetics.

Topics discussed include:

Why natural fiber composites are gaining momentum in automotive applications

How Bcomp moved from Formula E and GT racing into series production vehicles

Collaboration with BMW M and the importance of strategic OEM partnerships

Applications in BMW, Volvo, Polestar, Cupra, Porsche and Suzuki motorcycles

Thermoplastic and recyclable composite solutions using ampliTex and powerRibs technologies

Lightweighting, sustainability and circular material strategies

Safety advantages compared with conventional carbon fiber structures

Design freedom, customization and brand identity through bio-based composites

Aerospace opportunities and future aftermarket applications

One of the most interesting takeaways from this discussion is that sustainability alone is not enough. Per argues that bio-based materials must also provide performance, functionality, lightweighting benefits and customer value. Only then can natural fiber composites achieve large-scale industrial adoption.

The conversation also explores how OEMs increasingly integrate sustainability goals into product development while still demanding performance, safety and cost competitiveness. Bcomp's approach focuses on delivering all of these elements simultaneously.

If you are involved in composites, automotive engineering, lightweight materials, motorsport, aerospace, sustainability, circular economy initiatives or advanced manufacturing, this interview offers valuable insights into one of the industry's most innovative material technologies.

Interview conducted by Ilkay Özkisaoglu at JEC World.

#Bcomp #PerMartensson #JECWorld #Composites #BioComposites #NaturalFiberComposites #FlaxFiber #CarbonFiber #BMWM #BMW #VolvoCars #Polestar #Cupra #SuzukiRacing #PorscheGT4 #Lightweighting #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #AdvancedMaterials #AutomotiveInnovation #Aerospace #Manufacturing #Engineering #CompositeMaterials #JECWorld2026

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Composites Lounge News

By Ilkay Özkisaoglu | #Composites360onTour

When most business leaders think about Azerbaijan, energy often comes to mind first. Yet during my recent visit to Sumgayit Industrial Park, I encountered a different story: one of industrial diversification, advanced manufacturing, export competitiveness, and a growing ecosystem designed to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).

Ilkay Özkisaoglu, Safety First at Assan STP

And yes, before entering the production halls, safety came first.

Wearing a hard hat and safety vest while filming inside the facilities was more than a video/photo opportunity. It served as a reminder that serious manufacturing is built on serious operational standards. Whether producing construction panels, architectural glass, or industrial packaging, workplace safety is part of the foundation upon which sustainable industrial growth is built.

The İZİA Model: Building More Than an Industrial Park

Sumgayit Industrial Park is managed under the framework of Azerbaijan's Economic Zones Development Agency (İZİA), an institution tasked with creating the conditions necessary for industrial growth and investment attraction.

Established in 2011, Sumgayit Industrial Park has evolved into the largest industrial park in the South Caucasus. Today, 39 resident companies operate within the park. More than AZN 5.7 billion has been invested, creating over 6,000 permanent jobs and generating significant non-oil sector exports under the "Made in Azerbaijan" brand.

What makes the model interesting for investors is not only the availability of industrial land. Residents gain access to ready-to-use infrastructure, including utilities, transportation connections, fiber-optic communications, and investment incentives designed to accelerate industrial development.

For international manufacturers, this significantly reduces the time and capital required to establish operations.

Assan STP: Industrial Construction Meets Export Potential

Foto Assan STP

Our first stop was Assan STP, a joint venture producing insulated sandwich panels used in industrial and commercial construction.

Tevfik Denemec (Sales Director Exhibitions, Artkim), Ilkay Özkisaoglu (owner IMBEO), Baris Okyay (Assan STP Panel Country Director), and Ahmet Güler (Owner Artkim Group) inspecting Composites Panel Mfg. at Sumgayit Industrial Park (Foto:Resad Residl)

At first glance, a sandwich panel may appear simple. In reality, it is a sophisticated composite system combining steel facings with insulating core materials to achieve thermal efficiency, structural performance, and fire-resistant properties.

What struck me during the visit was how closely the company is aligned with regional infrastructure growth. Industrial buildings, logistics centers, factories, airports, and warehousing facilities all require precisely these kinds of solutions.

Moving the needle left to right: Ilkay Özkisaoglu (Composites Lounge), Emil Hasanov (Sales Director Assan STP) and Ahmet Güler (owner Artkim Group) (Foto: Resad Residli)

For investors looking at industrial construction materials, Azerbaijan offers an attractive combination of growing regional demand, competitive production conditions, and access to markets stretching from the Caucasus to Central Asia.

Watch an Assan STP Trailer about innovation here:

Abspielen

Assan STP Trailer

Azerfloat: Transforming Raw Materials Into High-Value Products

Floatglass Production rollers made from Advanced Materials at Azerfloat (Foto Private)

The second stop demonstrated another dimension of industrial diversification.

Azerfloat is Azerbaijan's first float glass manufacturer and has established itself as a supplier of architectural and industrial glass products under the "Karabakh Glass" brand.

Furnaces for Glass Production at full capacity. Never has to run empty. If you know, you know (Foto Private)

The facility operates with advanced production technologies and produces glass for both domestic use and export markets. Today, Azerfloat products reach customers across Europe and serve global brands including IKEA, Bosch, Miele, Vestel, and Beko. The company produces extra-clear, laminated, tempered, and tinted glass products while continuously expanding its international footprint.

For foreign investors, Azerfloat represents an important lesson:

Industrial competitiveness is no longer defined by geography alone. It is defined by the ability to integrate high-quality manufacturing, modern technology, and international supply chains.

Azerbaijan's location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia creates opportunities to serve multiple markets from a single production base.

Baku Karton: The Hidden Champion of Industrial Supply Chains

If glass represents visibility, packaging represents necessity.

Every product manufactured, transported, stored, and exported requires packaging.

At Baku Karton, we saw how cardboard and packaging production has become an essential component of the broader industrial ecosystem developing inside Sumgayit Industrial Park.

The facility utilizes modern manufacturing technologies to produce cardboard and packaging solutions for domestic and export customers. Particularly interesting is the company's long-term focus on integrating recycling capabilities and local raw material utilization into future development phases.

As sustainability requirements continue to increase across global supply chains, packaging manufacturers capable of combining production efficiency with circular economy principles are becoming increasingly valuable industrial assets.

Why These Industries Are Ideal FDI Candidates

Looking across all three companies, a common pattern emerges.

Assan STP, Azerfloat, and Baku Karton operate in sectors that share three characteristics highly attractive to foreign investors:

1. Regional Demand

Construction materials, architectural glass, and industrial packaging are required across virtually every developing economy in the region.

2. Export Scalability

All three sectors allow production to be concentrated in one location while serving multiple international markets.

3. Sustainable Industrialization

Each company contributes to reducing import dependency while creating value-added manufacturing capabilities within Azerbaijan's non-oil economy.

For international investors, this is where the real opportunity lies.

The story of Sumgayit Industrial Park is not merely about factories. It is about building industrial ecosystems. When construction materials, glass manufacturers, packaging producers, logistics providers, and technology companies operate within the same ecosystem, competitive advantages begin to compound.

Watch now this episode in 4k on our Youtube Podcast:

A New Manufacturing Story for Azerbaijan

Listen to our Artkim x IMBEO - Passionate B2B Partnerships Central Asian strategy here on Spotify:

Read on our previous newsletter our Building Bridges from Europe-Türkiye-Azerbaijan and the CAC (Caspian and Causcasus):

During our #Composites360onTour visit, one observation became increasingly clear:

Azerbaijan is positioning itself as more than an energy nation.

It is building a platform for advanced manufacturing.

The combination of strategic location, industrial infrastructure, investment incentives, export orientation, and a growing skilled workforce creates conditions that merit serious consideration from global manufacturers seeking new growth locations.

Media-Player-Fenster

Playback cannot continue. No available working or supported playlists.

Promotrailer for Eurasian Composites Show 2027

For companies considering expansion into the broader Eurasian region, Sumgayit Industrial Park offers a compelling case study of how industrial policy, infrastructure investment, and private sector entrepreneurship can work together.

And perhaps that is the most important takeaway from this visit.

The future of manufacturing is not only about what is produced.

It is about where ecosystems are being built.

Today, one of those ecosystems is growing in Sumgayit.

Special Industry Event Announcement

Meet Composites Lounge in Baku at Turkchem Azerbaijan 2027

As part of our growing engagement with Azerbaijan's industrial transformation and investment ecosystem, we are pleased to announce that Composites Lounge plans to participate in Turkchem Azerbaijan 2027, taking place from 6-8 April 2027 at the Baku Expo Center. [Turkchem A...nayi Fuarı]

Why This Matters

During our recent coverage across Azerbaijan, one message became increasingly clear:

The country is actively positioning itself as a regional hub for manufacturing, logistics, petrochemicals, advanced materials, and export-oriented industrial investment. Projects and the continued development of industrial clusters including Sumgait Industrial Park demonstrate Azerbaijan's ambition to become a major destination for international business and production investments. [Turkchem A...nayi Fuarı]

Against this backdrop, Turkchem Expo Azerbaycan 2027 by Artkim arrives at exactly the right moment.

Graphic Artkim

Organized under the internationally recognized TURKCHEM EXPO m brand, the exhibition aims to bring together manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, distributors, investors, and decision-makers from across Eurasia. According to the organizers, Azerbaijan offers strong regional access across the Caucasus, the Caspian Basin, Central Asia, Türkiye, and surrounding markets.

ArtkimVeranstaltungsdiensteİstanbul

Folgen

What to Expect

The exhibition will cover a broad range of sectors, including:

Petrochemicals

Specialty Chemicals

Organic & Inorganic Chemicals

Paints, Resins & Pigments

Plastics, Polymers & Rubber

Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences

Laboratory & Testing Technologies

Process Equipment & Automation

Agricultural & Construction Chemicals

Packaging Technologies

Logistics & Industrial Services [Turkchem A...nayi Fuarı]

For the composites industry, this creates a particularly interesting environment where chemical raw materials, resins, polymers, additives, process technologies, automation systems, and manufacturing innovation intersect.

Composites Lounge Coverage

Our team intends to support the event with:

Executive Interviews

LinkedIn Live Sessions 

Industry Trend Analysis 

Investor Perspectives 

Manufacturing & Innovation Stories 

International Networking Opportunities

We see Turkchem Azerbaijan not merely as an exhibition, but as a window into the broader industrial transformation currently underway across Azerbaijan and the wider Caspian region.

Save the Date

Turkchem Azerbaijan 2027 

6-8 April 2027 

Baku Expo Center, Azerbaijan

For more information about the exhibition, visit the official event website: Turkchem Azerbaijan 2027 [Turkchem A...nayi Fuarı]

All three floorplans (Turkchem 2026, Turkchem Azerbaijan 2027 and Eurasia Composites Show 2027) now open for sales. Contact our Key Account Manager Serpil Ciftci here on LinkedIn and reserve your spots in Istanbul and Baku.

YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/oOz6Qnq9LLE

Building the Bridge: Europe, Türkiye and the Caspian Opportunity

What happens when emerging markets, industrial know-how, business development and innovation ecosystems begin to converge?

In the latest edition of 

Hashtag

#Composites360onTour, Composites Lounge follows a journey from Istanbul, Türkiye to Baku, Azerbaijan to explore the growing importance of the Europe-Türkiye-Caspian corridor for the composites and advanced materials industry.

The newsletter features insights from an interview with Tevfik Denemeç, Sales Director of Artkim Group, discussing how Türkiye's position between Europe and Asia and Azerbaijan's ambitions for industrial diversification are creating new opportunities for international collaboration and business growth.

Readers can expect perspectives on:

Why Türkiye continues to serve as a strategic bridge between markets

Azerbaijan's development beyond oil and gas

The role of business development in creating new industrial connections

How exhibitions are evolving into broader industry ecosystems

Why knowledge transfer and innovation must move across borders

The vision behind TURKCHEM EXPO 2026, Turkchem Expo Azerbaycan 2027 and Eurasian Composites Show | Uluslararası Kompozit Sanayi Fuarı 2027

The article also highlights an increasingly important topic: the intersection of industry, innovation and destination marketing.

As regions compete for investment, talent and visibility, destinations themselves are becoming part of the industrial ecosystem. Places such as Istanbul and Baku are not merely locations for meetings and exhibitions. They are becoming platforms where business, technology, culture and partnerships come together.

The newsletter further explores why future growth in the composites sector will depend not only on materials and manufacturing capabilities, but also on the ability to connect innovators, researchers, manufacturers, investors and communities across regions.

At Composites Lounge, this mission remains at the core of everything we do:

Innovation

Technology

Sustainability

Because the future of composites will not be built within borders.

It will be built across ecosystems.

Hashtag

#Composites360onTour 

Hashtag

#CompositesLounge 

Hashtag

#Composites 

Hashtag

#Innovation 

Hashtag

#Technology 

Hashtag

#Sustainability 

Hashtag

#BusinessDevelopment 

Hashtag

#AdvancedMaterials 

Hashtag

#Türkiye 

Hashtag

#Azerbaijan 

Hashtag

#CaspianRegion 

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#CreatingSustainableValues

YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/QtcgZK2Mpqs

Azerbaijan Is Open for Business: Inside a Nation's Drive to Attract Global Manufacturing Investment

For many international executives, Azerbaijan still enters the conversation primarily through the lens of oil and gas.

After spending the past week on the ground, visiting industrial sites, speaking with business leaders, and meeting representatives from government and free economic zones, a different story emerges.

Azerbaijan is actively positioning itself as one of the most ambitious economic diversification projects between Europe and Asia.

The country's leadership is increasingly focused on developing manufacturing, logistics, technology, tourism, renewable energy, and export-oriented industries as part of a broader strategy to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons and attract international investment. Recent investment and economic development initiatives continue to emphasize the growth of the non-oil economy, industrial infrastructure, and export-driven business models. [azernews.az]

What makes Azerbaijan particularly interesting is its geography.

Situated at the crossroads of Europe, Central Asia, Türkiye, the Caspian region, the Middle East, and China, the country occupies a strategic position along major East-West and North-South transport corridors. This location is increasingly being leveraged to strengthen Azerbaijan's role as a regional logistics and manufacturing hub.

One of the most visible examples of this ambition is the Alat Free Economic Zone Authority (AFEZ).

During an exclusive interview with Valeh Alasgarov, Chairman of the Board of the Alat Free Economic Zone Authority, the vision became clear: create a business environment where logistics, legislation, infrastructure, and incentives work together to attract high value-added, export-oriented manufacturers.

Located adjacent to the Baku International Sea Trade Port, AFEZ offers access to maritime, railway, and highway networks. Future plans also include a dedicated cargo airport inside the free zone, designed to support both industrial cargo operations and business aviation.

According to the Authority, investor services are centralized through a streamlined administrative process, industrial plots are delivered with ready-to-use infrastructure, and companies benefit from incentives including zero corporate tax and zero customs duties within the zone.

From industrial parks and logistics infrastructure to tourism development and international exhibition activity, Azerbaijan is investing heavily in creating the conditions necessary for long-term economic growth. The strategy is increasingly centered around attracting foreign direct investment, supporting private-sector development, and building globally competitive industries. [azernews.az]

As part of our 

Hashtag

#Composites360onTour coverage, we will continue showcasing the people, projects, industrial clusters, and investment opportunities shaping Azerbaijan's next chapter.

YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/Vco6JbYk2A8

Wie entstehen Innovationen im Maschinenbau? Warum sind Prepreg-Anlagen weit mehr als reine Mechanik? Und weshalb werden Retrofit, funktionale Sicherheit und Digitalisierung in den kommenden Jahren zu entscheidenden Wettbewerbsfaktoren?

In dieser ausführlichen 22-minütigen Ausgabe von**#Composites360onTour** spricht Ilkay Özkisaoglu mit Alexander Houben (Geschäftsführer JHT GmbH) und Udo Thönnißen (Geschäftsführer NEO TEC SYSTEM – NST) über aktuelle Entwicklungen im Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, moderne Prepreg-Technologie sowie die zunehmende Bedeutung von Elektrotechnik, Regelungstechnik und Maschinenkonformität. [2026 07 14...2614138_AH | Word], [2026 07 12...14138_UdoT | Word]

Das Gespräch entstand im Rahmen des M2N Converting Gipfels in Hamburg und liefert seltene Einblicke in die Praxis von Unternehmen, die seit über zwei Jahrzehnten gemeinsam komplexe Produktionsanlagen entwickeln und realisieren. [2026 07 14...2614138_AH | Word], [2026 07 12...14138_UdoT | Word]

Themen dieser Episode

Transformation Readiness im Mittelstand

KI und Digitalisierung im Maschinenbau

Innovation als Wachstumstreiber in wirtschaftlich herausfordernden Zeiten

Retrofit und Maschinenmodernisierung

Additive Fertigung und 3D-gedruckte Komponenten für industrielle Anwendungen

Elektrostatische Aufladung in Bahnprozessen

Ablad-Elektroden und Prozesssicherheit

Erweiterung des JHT-Standorts in Geilenkirchen

Zusammenarbeit zwischen JHT und NST seit über 20 Jahren

Neue Maschinenverordnung ab Januar 2027

Risikoanalyse und funktionale Sicherheit

Wesentliche vs. nicht wesentliche Änderungen an Maschinen

CE-Konformität und Herstellerverantwortung

Der "Tänzer" als zentrales Element der Bahnspannungsregelung

Elektrotechnik als Schlüsseltechnologie moderner Produktionslinien

Innovation, die aus der Praxis entsteht

Alexander Houben erläutert, warum Innovation bei JHT sowohl durch Kundenanforderungen als auch durch kontinuierliche Verbesserungsprozesse vorangetrieben wird. Lessons Learned, Engineering-Kreativität und die konsequente Orientierung am Kundennutzen bilden die Grundlage für neue Maschinenkonzepte und Technologien. [2026 07 14...2614138_AH | Word]

Besonders spannend sind die Einblicke in:

• Prepreg- und Beschichtungsanlagen

• Maschinenmodernisierung und Retrofit

• Additive Fertigung

• kundenspezifische Sondermaschinen

• nachhaltige Effizienzsteigerung bestehender Anlagen

Warum Elektrotechnik heute erfolgskritisch ist

Im zweiten Teil erklärt Udo Thönnißen die Herausforderungen moderner Maschinensteuerungen.

Dabei geht es längst nicht mehr nur um Motoren und Antriebe. Themen wie:

• sichere Steuerungen

• softwarebasierte Sicherheitsfunktionen

• Gefährdungsanalysen

• Risikobewertung

• CE-Konformität

• dokumentationspflichtige Sicherheitsnachweise

werden für Betreiber und Hersteller immer wichtiger. [2026 07 12...14138_UdoT | Word]

Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt auf der neuen Maschinenverordnung, die ab dem 20. Januar 2027 Anwendung findet und erhebliche Auswirkungen auf Umbauten und Modernisierungen bestehender Anlagen haben wird. [2026 07 12...14138_UdoT | Word]

Der Tänzer: Unscheinbar, aber essenziell

Für viele Ingenieure aus der Composites-Industrie gehören Thermoset- und Thermoplast-Materialien zum Tagesgeschäft.

Weniger bekannt ist häufig die Regelungstechnik hinter Bahnprozessen.

Anhand des sogenannten Tänzers erklärt Udo Thönnißen anschaulich, wie Geschwindigkeitsdifferenzen zwischen Antriebsstationen kompensiert und konstante Bahnspannungen sichergestellt werden. [2026 07 12...14138_UdoT | Word]

Ohne diese Regelung wären stabile Produktionsprozesse in Prepreg-, Converting- und Beschichtungsanlagen nicht möglich. [2026 07 12...14138_UdoT | Word]

Ausblick: Geilenkirchen 2026

Im Herbst 2026 planen JHT und NST die Eröffnung ihrer erweiterten Standorte in Geilenkirchen. Vorgesehen sind ein Grand Opening, eine Hausmesse und Einblicke in zahlreiche Maschinen- und Anwendungsbereiche – von Converting über Medical bis hin zu Hochleistungsanwendungen. [2026 07 14...2614138_AH | Word], [2026 07 12...14138_UdoT | Word]

Aufgenommen auf dem M2N Converting Gipfel 2026, Hamburg

Serie: #Composites360onTour

Mit:

• Alexander Houben, Geschäftsführer JHT GmbH

• Udo Thönnißen, Geschäftsführer NEO TEC SYSTEM (NST)

Abonniere den Kanal für weitere Interviews zu Composites, Converting, Leichtbau, Maschinenbau, Digitalisierung und industrieller Innovation.

Visit Our Website:

Website 1: https://www.dersocialceo.com

Website 2: https://www.compositeslounge.com

Website 3: https://www.imbeo.de

Website 4: https://www.contentcreatorclub.de

Follow Us: LinkedIn

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/ content-creator-club 

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Hashtag:

#Composites360OnTour #JECWorld #IlkayÖzkisaoglu #JECWorld #CompositeIndustry

YouTube Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuZ5EQlcLFc

The composites industry does not lack innovation. What it often lacks is connection.

Now Live: Composites Lounge Newsletter No. 34

That is exactly why the latest edition of the Composites Lounge Newsletter focuses on one of the industry's most important community-driven initiatives: the International Composites Summit (ICS) and the growing ecosystem being built around it. ICS 2026 returns to The Drum Wembley, London, on 1–2 December 2026, continuing its mission to bring together innovators, manufacturers, OEMs, researchers, investors, and technology providers from across the global composites value chain.

This issue explores why innovation and community building go hand in hand, revisits the success of ICS 2025.

The newsletter also follows the journey of the expanding ICS Innovation Hub network, which now connects companies across some of the most important composites marketplaces worldwide:

JEC World — Paris, France (done in March 2026 already)

Next CAMX - The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo — Atlanta, USA

Advanced Engineering UK — Birmingham, United Kingdom

International Composites Summit — Wembley, London, United Kingdom

Together, these Innovation Hub stops are helping innovative companies gain visibility, accelerate networking, and build international business relationships without the complexity of traditional exhibiting models.

A special appreciation goes to PRF Composite Materials, also a valued Composites Lounge Premium Member and the Exclusive Forum Headline Sponsor of ICS 2026. PRF has spent decades supporting technical excellence, innovation, skills development, knowledge sharing, and community building throughout the composites industry. Their commitment to collaboration, education, and industry progression makes them a natural partner for an event that is fundamentally built around bringing people together to exchange ideas and create opportunities.

The latest newsletter is packed with:

Video interviews

️ Podcast episodes

YouTube content

Useful links and resources

Executive insights from industry leaders

Whether you are an innovator, startup, researcher, OEM, supplier, investor, or simply passionate about the future of composites, this issue provides plenty of ideas, inspiration, and opportunities to get involved.

Because at the end of the day, the most important sound at any composites event is not the machine.

It is the conversation.

And the ICS community is growing.

Read the latest Composites Lounge Newsletter now.

Interested in exhibiting, sponsoring, speaking, joining a panel, or booking an Innovation Hub pod? The conversation starts here.

cc: Gemma Hardy, Katie Homes, Colin Leatham-Locke

Hannah Khusainova, Marcy Offner

YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/JUGPP2M8sbc

What does it take to build and certify modern aircraft engines in Europe?

How efficient are today's diesel aviation engines? And what role will Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and hydrogen play in the future of flight?

In this exclusive #Composites360onTour and JET-Circle interview, Ilkay Özkisaoglu (Composites Lounge) and Norbert Werle (JET-Circle) visit Austro Engine in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, and speak with Managing Director Jürgen Schwarz about aviation propulsion, production, certification, sustainability, and future technologies.

During the interview, Jürgen Schwarz provides insights into:

️ Austro Engine's role within the Diamond Aircraft Group

️ The company's inline four-cylinder Jet A-1 diesel engines and rotary engine technology

️ Why Austro Engine relies on a European supply chain with suppliers in Austria, Germany and Italy

️ Aviation certification processes and cooperation with EASA and Austrian authorities

️ Modern diesel aircraft engines versus traditional AVGAS-powered engines

️ Production capacity, engineering expertise and engine testing procedures

️ The recently addressed piston replacement program and continuous airworthiness practices

️ Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) adoption and current certification limits

️ Hydrogen-powered aviation research projects with leading universities

️ Why piston engines are expected to remain relevant for decades to come

️ The manufacturing process behind approximately 900 aircraft engines per year at Austro Engine

The conversation also includes an exclusive factory tour showing how Austro Engine assembles, tests and certifies its engines before shipment to customers worldwide, including Diamond Aircraft facilities in Austria, Canada and China.

Featured Guests

• Jürgen Schwarz, Managing Director, Austro Engine

• Norbert Werle, Founder, JET-Circle

• Ilkay Özkisaoglu, Co-Founder, Composites Lounge

About Austro Engine: Austro Engine develops and manufactures certified aircraft engines for general aviation applications and is a key technology partner within the Diamond Aircraft ecosystem.

Subscribe for more aviation, composites, advanced manufacturing and sustainability interviews from industry leaders across Europe.

Interview conducted by: Ilkay Özkisaoglu (Composites Lounge) and Norbert Werle (JET-Circle)

Original interview recorded during the Composites Lounge and JET-Circle visit to Austro Engine in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

YouTube Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro5IruEQJYI

Was passiert, wenn Vertreter von AVK, Composites United, The Original Composites Company (ehemals Owens Corning) und CG TEC ihre persönliche Einschätzung zur Zukunft der Composite-Industrie in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz teilen – ungefiltert, offen und ohne PR-Floskeln?

Genau dieses Gespräch haben wir auf der JEC World 2026 aufgezeichnet.

LIVE ON TAPE PREMIERE

Mit dabei:

Elmar Witten (AVK)

Thomas Heber (Composites United)

Jens Boelke (The Original Composites & Fiberglass Company (ehemals Owens Corning Composites)

Oliver Kipf (CG TEC GmbH I Carbonscout Onlineshop)

Wir sprechen über die Themen, die aktuell die Branche bewegen:

Warum sinken die Produktionszahlen in Europa, obwohl die Nachfrage nach Composites weltweit steigt?

Welche Märkte entwickeln sich zu den nächsten Wachstumsfeldern – Infrastruktur, Bauwesen, Marine, Space oder Defence?

Weshalb Spezialisierung und Innovation wichtiger werden als Preiswettbewerb.

Welche Chancen sich durch Circular Economy, Recycling und biobasierte Materialien eröffnen.

Warum viele Branchenexperten davon ausgehen, dass die größten Potenziale der nächsten Jahre außerhalb der klassischen Automotive-Welt liegen.

Besonders spannend:

Einige Aussagen dürften für Diskussionen sorgen. Die Runde spricht offen über geopolitische Entwicklungen, Infrastrukturprogramme, den Einfluss neuer Technologien und die Frage, welche Strategien Unternehmen verfolgen sollten, um in einem zunehmend globalen Wettbewerb erfolgreich zu bleiben.

Wenn Sie in der Composite-, Leichtbau-, Material-, Infrastruktur-, Mobilitäts- oder Innovationsszene aktiv sind, sollten Sie diese Diskussion nicht verpassen.

YouTube Episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/cZyCwJ4-sHo?si=-d7PyI9FoYcDGqaf

️ LinkedIn Live on Tape Premiere | Sales & Marketing in the Composites Industry: Are We Missing the Biggest Growth Opportunity?

The composites industry is packed with innovation.

But here's the uncomfortable question:

If composites are so powerful, why do so many decision-makers still not understand what we can do?

Recorded live during JEC World 2026 at the JEC Studio Island / Composites Lounge Corner Booth, I hosted a candid panel discussion with four outstanding industry leaders:

Marcy Offner – Composites Business Leader & Industry Advocate & Founder of Women in Composites

Hannah Khusainova – Marketing Director, PRF

Melike Onay – Business Development Expert, Carbon Composites Sector

Katie Holmes – Marketing Director Fluency Business Group & International Composites Summit

Together, we tackled some hard truths:

Is the composites industry too engineering-driven and not customer-driven enough?

Why do sales and marketing teams often operate in separate worlds?

Are we selling products instead of value?

Why does our industry still struggle with visibility outside the composites bubble?

Should marketers come from composites—or can great marketers learn to love composites?

What role should associations, media, events, and industry leaders play in building a stronger collective brand?

One statement from the discussion really stood out:

"We are invisible in the world."

Another:

"You can't teach somebody how to be a marketer, but you can teach somebody how to love composites."

This conversation goes far beyond marketing.

It is about:

Growth

Talent attraction

Market expansion

Innovation adoption

Industry positioning

If you work in composites, advanced materials, lightweighting, manufacturing, engineering, business development, sales, communications, or innovation management, this discussion is for you.

YouTube Episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/tQoWr0-H9L0?si=TuMjus89CBKQxNGe

The transition towards climate neutrality is accelerating, and wind energy stands at the heart of Europe’s sustainable future. Yet, as the sector scales, a critical challenge emerges: how do we ensure that the materials enabling clean energy are themselves circular?

This is exactly where the EOLIAN project comes in.

Funded under Horizon Europe, EOLIAN is pioneering a new generation of smart, sustainable wind turbine blades designed not only for performance, but for circularity across their entire life cycle.

By combining bio-based, repairable and recyclable vitrimer composites with advanced structural health monitoring systems, EOLIAN is redefining how wind turbine blades are designed, used and ultimately reintegrated into the value chain.

Unlike conventional blades, which are difficult to repair and recycle, EOLIAN introduces breakthrough innovations:

• Self-healing materials enabling faster and more efficient repairs

• Embedded sensors for real-time structural health monitoring

• Bio-based vitrimer composites allowing reprocessing and recycling

• Advanced design principles targeting longer lifetime and lower life cycle costs

The result is a transformative approach that aims to deliver:

• longer service life

• improved reliability

• reduced operational costs

• and significantly enhanced recyclability

EOLIAN is not just a research project – it is a system innovation for circular wind energy infrastructure in Europe.

To bring these innovations closer to industry adoption, the project is supported by EuCIA – the European Composites Industry Association.

Headquartered in Brussels, EuCIA represents the entire European composites value chain, bringing together national associations, sector groups, and industry stakeholders. With a mission to support sustainable growth and competitiveness, EuCIA plays a pivotal role at the intersection of industry, policy, and innovation.

Within EOLIAN, EuCIA leads dissemination and exploitation activities, ensuring that project results are translated into real-world industrial impact, stakeholder engagement, and future market uptake.

Beyond individual projects, EUCIA is driving a much broader transformation through the European Circular Composites Alliance (ECCA).

Launched in partnership with JEC, ECCA is a fast-growing European initiative uniting over 200 organisations across the composites value chain to enable a truly circular economy for composite materials. [eucia.eu]

The Alliance focuses on:

• increasing the use of recycled composites

• developing standards for circular product design

• improving collection, sorting and recycling systems

• aligning industry action with European sustainability policies

ECCA represents a crucial shift: from isolated innovation efforts to collective, industry-wide transformation.

As Community Manager of Composites Lounge, my involvement in this LinkedIn Live is closely connected to this broader mission.

Through my support and engagement with ECCA, I am committed to amplifying the voices, innovations and collaborations that are shaping the future of circular composites in Europe.

Speakers

This LinkedIn Live brings together leading experts from across the EOLIAN consortium, covering the full value chain from materials innovation to industrial deployment and circularity assessment:

• Marta Zaccone – Transfer Technology Project Manager, Proplast (Italy)

Project Coordinator of EOLIAN, Proplast leads overall project execution and contributes to technical work on developing vitrimer composites and their chemical recycling.

• Cristina Monteserin – Researcher, TEKNIKER (Spain)

As well as driving the development of vitrimer resins and composites, Tekinker is also integrating advanced sensors and actuators into the material system.

• Andrea Minigher – Business Development, AEP Polymers (Italy)

Responsible for optimising and scaling up high-performance vitrimer systems for industrial application.

• Marco Longana – Associate Professor, Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

PoliMi is leading manufacturing and testing of basalt fibre-reinforced vitrimer composites, and optimisating recycling processes.

• Daniel Paul – Research Fellow, Brunel Composites Centre, Brunel University London (UK)

BCC and Entelea are developing advanced multiscale models to accurately represent material behaviour and performance.

• Dr. Fotini Petrakli – Sustainability Manager, IRES – Innovation in Research and Engineering Solutions (Belgium)

Assessing the environmental, economic, and social impacts of EOLIAN technologies across their lifecycle.

• Claudia Vázquez Sanz – Technical Procurement & Blades Engineering, Norvento TECHnPower (Spain)

Leading the design and manufacturing of the EOLIAN prototype vitrimer composite blade, as well as LCOE and life cycle analysis.

• Zeynep Korkmaz – Senior R&D Specialist, Zorlu Enerji (Türkiye)

Driving exploitation strategies and IP management to enable market adoption and end-to-end value chain development.

• EuCIA Representative (tbc)

YouTube Episode: https://youtube.com/live/LIMT30yP6Yw?feature=share

MRO – The Backbone of Aviation

On June 10, 2026 (14:00–14:45 CEST, Berlin) at the ILA STAGE AVIATION, Hall C, we brought a critical but often overlooked reality into the spotlight:

Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) is the true backbone of aviation.

️ Five years in development – six months in production – 30 years in operation.

MRO keeps the world flying.

This high-level panel brings together leading voices from airline, MRO, OEM, and research to reveal why MRO is far more than maintenance — and why it defines availability, competitiveness, and the future of aviation.

️ Speakers:

• Heiko Holm – Managing Director, Chief Technical Officer & Condor Technik: Managing Director, Condor Airlines

• Harald Gloy – Chief Operations Officer, Lufthansa Technik AG

• Dr. Ottmar Pfaender – Chief Program Officer at MTU Aero Engines

• Andreas Mayer – Head of Conversion and Maintenance, Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH

• Dr. Markus Fischer – Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics, DLR

Host: Ilkay Özkisaoglu

Three key themes:

1. Availability & lifecycle thinking – Why ~99% readiness is non-negotiable

2. Germany as an MRO powerhouse – Industrial strength, talent, and $100bn+ market scale

3. High-tech MRO – Predictive maintenance, digital twins, P2F conversions, innovation

This panel reveals what usually stays invisible — the system that actually makes aviation work.

YouTube Episode: https://youtube.com/live/SK4C_rYv6-w

Announcing Our REFRESH Project Live Talk – Presented in Partnership with The European Composites Industry Association; EuCIA & its ECCA movement

I’m excited to share something special with you.

As an official media partner of EUCIA’s private initiative, the European Circular Composites Alliance (ECCA), I’m honored to bring breakthrough European sustainability projects directly to our composites communities.

Today, I’m proud to present the first of these: REFRESH.

About REFRESH

Wind energy is one of Europe’s cleanest power sources — but wind turbine blades remain one of the industry’s most complex end‑of‑life challenges. While most of a turbine is already recyclable, blades made from durable composite materials require smarter, scalable solutions.

The EU‑funded REFRESH project is tackling this challenge head‑on. It spans the entire blade‑to‑new‑product value chain:

• Smart dismantling and cutting

• Shredding, sorting, and recycling innovations

• Mechanical, thermal, and microwave‑assisted recovery processes

• Conversion of non‑recyclable residues

• New products designed with secondary materials

• LCA, LCC, and a blockchain‑based traceability platform

REFRESH is not just a research project — it’s a blueprint for Europe’s transition to circular composite materials. And with these countries involved truly European:

Belgium

France

Italy

Norway

Spain

Meet the Panelists

I’m delighted to welcome experts from across Europe who are shaping this transformation:

RAPHAEL PLEYNET (EuCIA) – Project communication & dissemination

Daniel Grisenti (RINA) – Project coordination & sustainability

Jean-Baptiste STREHAIANO (ETAT9) – Smart blade cutting

Giorgio Betteto (Gees Recycling) – Mechanical recycling into structural panels

Marcin Rusin (Gjenkraft AS) – Thermal recycling & fibre recovery

Gonzalo Murillo Ciordia (CIRCE - Centro Tecnológico) – Microwave‑assisted pyrolysis & solvolysis

Jan Kašpar (Enecolab Srl) – Thermochemical conversion of dust & fines

Andrea Tinti (CETMA) – New products from secondary raw materials

Anurag Bansal (ACCIONA Construcción) – Recycled composites in construction

Ioana Muntean (RINA) – LCA of processes and products

David Garcia Estevez (TECNALIA Research & Innovation) – Blockchain traceability & decision algorithms

REFRESH is the first of two EUCIA/ECCA project presentations I’ll be hosting this spring.

YouTube Episode: https://youtube.com/live/cU1Ovbvhv3I?feature=share

One of the privileges of what I do is having the opportunity to connect with people who are not only talking about the future of composites—but actively building it.

The latest edition of my Composites Lounge Newsletter features insights from Esthel Osso, Ex-Coordinator of the European Circular Composites Alliance (ECCA), recorded during JEC World 2026.

What makes this conversation particularly valuable is that it goes beyond technology and recycling processes and focuses on something many industries struggle with: collective action. ECCA has grown to more than 200 organizations across 27 countries and is now moving from strategy building to measurable industrial implementation.

For business leaders, engineers, innovation managers and sustainability professionals, the message is clear: circularity is no longer a future discussion. It is becoming a strategic competitiveness issue for the European composites sector. The ability to create viable value chains around repair, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling will increasingly determine who leads the next generation of industrial innovation.

I strongly encourage everyone active across the composites value chain to explore ECCA and consider joining the movement.

Join ECCA (free of charge):

https://eucia.eu/ecca/

ECCA 2nd General Assembly – Brussels, 3 December 2026:

https://lnkd.in/eMMWWxDH

Looking ahead, this week we will also shine a spotlight on EOLIAN project EU, an exciting Horizon Europe project (European Commission) developing smart, bio-based and recyclable wind turbine blades. Combining advanced vitrimer composites, structural health monitoring and circular design principles, EOLIAN demonstrates how innovation can support both sustainability and industrial competitiveness.

The LinkedIn Live sessions we organize together with industry partners have become a popular meeting point for the composites community, bringing together experts from research, engineering, manufacturing, policy and investment. If you have not joined one yet, this is a good opportunity to start.

A special thank you to Professor Roberto Frassine, RAPHAEL PLEYNET and the entire EuCIA team for their leadership and commitment to advancing composites circularity across Europe. Their work continues to bring together stakeholders who might otherwise remain disconnected, creating a stronger and more coordinated industry voice.

As a proud Media Sponsor with Composites Lounge of the ECCA General Assembly, I am already looking forward to meeting many of you again this winter in Brussels.

If you would like to stay ahead of emerging trends, strategic initiatives and innovation stories across the composites industry, I invite you to subscribe to the Composites Lounge Newsletter.

The future belongs to those who engage early.

YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/sa1yZSrcdwY