EuCIA’s Managing Director, Raphaël Pleynet, attended the R4 Composites 2026 circular economy forum in Bordeaux.
Organised by Polymeris, TEAM2, Aerospace Valley, and abe, this event brings the composites value chain together to explore practical solutions for a circular economy through presentations, discussions and project showcases.
On 6 October, Raphaël Pleynet and Didier Muller, Chairman of the Scientific Committee, Polymeris and Chairman of the Composites Division of EuCIA member Polyvia, presented the role of EuCIA in supporting the French composites industry at the EU level. It was also an opportunity to introduce the European Circular Composites Alliance (ECCA) to conference participants and invite them to join the alliance’s 200+ members more.
R4 Composites stimulated valuable networking and discussion among the 140 participants. Our key takeaways include:
- Regional public support is available: €1.5 million has been mobilised by Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine so far in 2026 to support innovation and training for the composites industry.
- A long-term journey: TEAM2, a competitiveness cluster dedicated to the circular economy, has been working on this since 2010, demonstrating commitment and perseverance.
- Reaching critical mass: Beneteau is calling on more companies to join the initiative so that the sector can achieve the critical mass needed to scale up.
- Industrial sovereignty: we must demonstrate that local raw materials and a strong local value chain can contribute to European industrial sovereignty.
- Long-term responsibility: Eco-design is more important than ever. We need to think today about what will happen to composite products and materials in 50 years’ time.
- Regulations and standards: to exert influence it is essential to work together at EU level. AFNOR, the French standardisation body, made this very clear.
The following points were also emphasised, which align with ECCA’s objectives:
- Trust: we need to build confidence in the future but also trust between all organisations in the value chain.
- Collaboration and openness: success depends on technical cooperation, knowledge sharing, and openness to working with others.
- Voluntary commitment: progress also depends on voluntary action and engagement, not only on regulatory obligations.
R4 Composites once again confirmed EuCIA’s view that the composites industry can only succeed in realising a circular economy if we join forces across the value chain, at regional, national, and EU level. This is the mission of ECCA. Our progress towards this goal will be presented during the ECCA 2nd General Assembly in Brussels in December.
For further information visit R4 Composites.
Learn more about ECCA and how to join us.
