Elmar Witten, member of the managing board, introduces Composites Germany and its founding members AVK and Composites United, and discusses their work to strengthen the German composites industry.
What is Composites Germany ?
The two strong organisations of the German composites industry, AVK (Federation of Reinforced Plastics) and CU (Composites United), want to strengthen the German composites industry and research with the Composites Germany trade association, determine joint positions and safeguard overarching interests. As associated partner, the VDMA working group Hybrid Lightweight Technologies support the goals of Composites Germany and joins forces to advance the future topics of high-performance composites and automated production technologies in, and for, Germany.
The Composites United and AVK Teams
What is your strategy ?
The strategy of Composites Germany is aimed at strengthening and promoting the position of the German composites industry both nationally and internationally. The key elements of this strategy include continuously expanding the representation of interests, promoting innovation and technology, developing new markets and new value creation chains, as well as encouraging and driving forward education development and further training.
Composites Germany supports the constant sustainable development of energy- and resource-efficient processes and products, in order to use the extraordinary innovation potential of composites and their significant contribution to climate protection, leading not only the traditional but also the top-class performance applications to their final breakthrough.
Recycling of composites is a key topic.
What are your key initiatives related to sustainability ?
As an umbrella organisation, Composites Germany represents the capabilities and interests of the German fibre composites industry. Composites Germany is the voice of the composites industry, combining interests and creating synergy along the complete value creation chain. Sustainability is becoming a key issue for the entire industry. The topic will have a significant influence on the industry, for example through the Green Deal. As an organisation, Composites Germany is in close contact with stakeholders along the entire composites value chain and provides advice to decision makers at various levels and in political and economic bodies.
AVK recognised the need for action many years ago. As early as March 2009, a new working group on sustainability was founded under the umbrella of the AVK. The activities in this area have been continued over the past years. For several years now, “highlighting sustainability of materials and applications” has been one of the five central points of the AVK mission.
Currently, many of the AVK expert working groups deal with the topic of sustainability, either product- and/or application specific, but also across the network. For example, there is a working group on the topic of Recycling of Composites. After a preparation and development phase of 1.5 years, the AVK Composites Recycling Study was presented in January of this year.
Composites Recycling Study.
This more than 230-page document was prepared by the IKK – Institute for Plastics and Recycling Technology of the Leibniz University of Hanover. It analyses the composites market and possible recycling quantities, explains and evaluates existing and future recycling possibilities, and lists research projects and market players, with a special focus on Germany and Europe.
All activities are carried out in close cooperation with other associations/political bodies from the composites industry, the plastics industry in general, and political organisations.
For more than 20 years, Composites United e.V. (CU) has been working intensively with its members on the topic of sustainability for high performance composite materials. Early on, it was clear to CU and its members that recycling of composite materials is crucial, so a large emphasis was put on this subject since the foundation of the association in 2004. Consequently, in the CU environment in Stade near Hamburg, the pyrolysis technology for recycling of carbon fibre reinforced composites was developed and industrialised more than 10 years ago, which is still the main recycling technology for this material class.
Today, almost all activities in the 45+ working groups of CU are related to the topic of sustainability. Together with the topic of digitalisation, sustainability is the most important aspect affecting almost all materials and technologies related to composites materials.
How does being a member of EuCIA assist you in your work ?
While Composites Germany is primarily focused on the German composites market, EuCIA is focused on Europe. The goals, especially in terms of ecological and economic sustainability, are the same. EuCIA observes and exerts influence on EU legislation that is relevant for all European countries and also for Germany.
The members of AVK and CU are not only German companies, but also European companies interested in the German market. The interdependence with other European countries and beyond is great. EuCIA ensures an exchange of all relevant composites countries and joint actions at the European level. EuCIA organises working group meetings on the important topics of sustainability and recycling and a joint European external image and concerted European action.
Where do you see your association in 10 years from now ?
Composites Germany claims to represent the entire composites industry in Germany, not least through the companies’ membership in the two member organisations AVK and CU. In the future, the number of member companies will continue to grow and the composites industry in Germany will formulate its concerns at the German and European level with one voice.
In the German market, in 10 years’ time, all companies under the joint umbrella of Composites Germany should continue to promote sustainable materials and exploit all potential for composite lightweight materials.
Dr Elmar Witten
Dr. Elmar Witten has been managing director of AVK – Industry Association for Reinforced Plastics, based in Frankfurt am Main, since 2007. In this role he is a member of the board of EuCIA and a member of the management of the General Association of the Plastics Processing Industry (GKV). He has been a member of the management of the Composites Germany business association since its founding in 2013.
