Once again the annual International Composites Show organized by the JEC Group in Paris was a great event to learn from the latest innovations of the entire composites value chain. The main key players of this industry, as well as some other newcomers exhibited at the JEC Show in Paris from March 12th until March 14th. Despite the tough weather conditions and its consequences on the public transport network many companies attended this annual event giving them a great opportunity to highlight their technology advances or new application examples.
BMW Special Prize for its Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite Architecture developed for the BMW Electric Vehicles
Fig: 1 BMW Special Prize for its Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite Architecture developed for the BMW Electric Vehicles
(Source: JEC 2013 / BMW Group)
Resin manufacturers, additives and raw materials suppliers and distributors, fibers and prepregs manufacturers, thermosets and thermoplastics processors, OEMs and Universities were all there not only to exhibit their product portfolio and know-how, but also to take the breath of an industry, which like all industries have suffered from the tough economic situation witnessed these past years. And because some of the main outcomes for composites are the markets that have been the most severely hurt during the Euro zone crisis and the global economy softening (automotive, building & construction, wind energy) the JEC Show indeed confirmed the recent economic challenges but it also gave some exciting examples on how composites keep on saving weight and costs.
The Euro zone crisis is not yet solved as we see new threats from South Europe countries, where political events once more have shaken the international market places. But the composites industry has an above average annual growth rate (+5.4% annual growth rate for the five coming years following the Lucintel market study announced on November 20121) and overall behaves better than the economy itself. This is due to the numerous innovations bringing new cost reduction opportunities and new applications where composites replace traditional materials like metal (e.g.: aircraft applications) or concrete (e.g.: building & construction uses). During the event eleven companies have been rewarded with the JEC Innovation Awards because of their significant technology advances in their respective market segments. Some of these Innovation Awards are detailed in this report as they illustrate how the entire composites industry is able to bring technology breakthroughs up to the industrial scale. Others have been highlighted because of their huge potential impact on the improvement of living conditions.
The eleven JEC Innovation Awards select the innovation of the year in the following categories: Aeronautics / Automotive / Building & Construction / Machining & Tools / Multifunctional materials / Raw materials / Sports & Leisure / Thermoplastics (two prizes) / Wind energy. It also counts a Special Prize, which was attributed this year to the BMW Group for its LifeDrive concept consisting in designing and building a new Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Architecture for its Electric Vehicles. This innovative design concept simply changes the multi-decades rules of car design by moving away from the monocoque architecture. Despite the tough economy landscape composites move forward, bring up to the market new applications while reducing costs. This is for sure a good answer to the current global economy weakening.
Once again the annual International Composites Show organized by the JEC Group in Paris was a great event to learn from the latest innovations of the entire composites value chain. The main key players of this industry, as well as some other newcomers exhibited at the JEC Show in Paris from March 12th until March 14th. Despite the tough weather conditions and its consequences on the public transport network many companies attended this annual event giving them a great opportunity to highlight their technology advances or new application examples.
BMW Special Prize for its Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite Architecture developed for the BMW Electric Vehicles
Fig: 1 BMW Special Prize for its Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite Architecture developed for the BMW Electric Vehicles
(Source: JEC 2013 / BMW Group)
Resin manufacturers, additives and raw materials suppliers and distributors, fibers and prepregs manufacturers, thermosets and thermoplastics processors, OEMs and Universities were all there not only to exhibit their product portfolio and know-how, but also to take the breath of an industry, which like all industries have suffered from the tough economic situation witnessed these past years. And because some of the main outcomes for composites are the markets that have been the most severely hurt during the Euro zone crisis and the global economy softening (automotive, building & construction, wind energy) the JEC Show indeed confirmed the recent economic challenges but it also gave some exciting examples on how composites keep on saving weight and costs.
The Euro zone crisis is not yet solved as we see new threats from South Europe countries, where political events once more have shaken the international market places. But the composites industry has an above average annual growth rate (+5.4% annual growth rate for the five coming years following the Lucintel market study announced on November 20121) and overall behaves better than the economy itself. This is due to the numerous innovations bringing new cost reduction opportunities and new applications where composites replace traditional materials like metal (e.g.: aircraft applications) or concrete (e.g.: building & construction uses). During the event eleven companies have been rewarded with the JEC Innovation Awards because of their significant technology advances in their respective market segments. Some of these Innovation Awards are detailed in this report as they illustrate how the entire composites industry is able to bring technology breakthroughs up to the industrial scale. Others have been highlighted because of their huge potential impact on the improvement of living conditions.
The eleven JEC Innovation Awards select the innovation of the year in the following categories: Aeronautics / Automotive / Building & Construction / Machining & Tools / Multifunctional materials / Raw materials / Sports & Leisure / Thermoplastics (two prizes) / Wind energy. It also counts a Special Prize, which was attributed this year to the BMW Group for its LifeDrive concept consisting in designing and building a new Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Architecture for its Electric Vehicles. This innovative design concept simply changes the multi-decades rules of car design by moving away from the monocoque architecture. Despite the tough economy landscape composites move forward, bring up to the market new applications while reducing costs. This is for sure a good answer to the current global economy weakening.
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