#Composites

2025-05-28

Launch of the first JEC Forum Middle East

JEC is proud to announce the signature of a strategic collaboration agreement with the OSP and IFC Promosalons, the representative of JEC in the region. The major agreement aims to organize a series of events dedicated to Composite Materials held in Saudi Arabia for the first time in the Middle East starting in June 2025. The events will facilitate the creation of opportunities for local and international companies and accelerate the adoption of sustainable materials across multiple industries in the region.

This three-year agreement formalizes the long-term cooperation with OSP, and aims to:

+ Enhance and increase awareness of the sustainability and efficiency of polymer-based applications

+ Promote non-metallic materials as enablers of industrial diversification

+ Facilitate innovative technologies being transferred and increasing industrial partnerships between local and international stakeholders

With the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030 roadmap and large-scale investments in advanced materials, Saudi Arabia is actively diversifying its economy through innovation. Fiber-reinforced composites are central to this transformation, with applications in mobility, building & construction, renewable energy, oil & gas, infrastructure, and many more.

JEC is honored to be part of this momentum and looks forward to creating strong business opportunities, driving innovation, and supporting industrial development in the region.

“This agreement is a significant milestone for JEC. It reflects our shared ambition to accelerate innovation and collaboration in the Middle East, and to supply our communities with networking opportunities in all geographical areas. Saudi Arabia and the Middle East in general is a fast-growing market for Composite Materials and we are looking forward to working with the OSP to build bridges between companies in the region and potential suppliers and customers abroad”, says Thomas Lepretre – VP Sales, Events and Operations, JEC Group.

"Our partnership with JEC marks a new era for the composites industry in Saudi Arabia. This collaboration not only aligns with our commitment to sustainable development but also enhances our drive to diversify the economy through innovative materials. Together, we are paving the way for significant advancements in environmentally efficient solutions and industrial partnerships, ensuring that the Kingdom remains at the forefront of the composites market", states Mohammad Al Tayyar – Program Director of the OSP (ADD Environmental/Sustainability angle).

This partnership paves the way for the launch of two major new events in the Kingdom:

JEC COMPOSITES TALKS - June 24, 2025 - Dammam Saudi Arabia

- June 24, 2025

+ Grand Hyatt Al Khobar, Dammam,

Saudi Arabia

The JEC Talks Middle East will take place for the first time in Saudi Arabia, in the City of Dammam. This exclusive event, on invitation only, is offering a high-level insight day to explore Saudi Arabia’s and the Region’s composites ecosystem, and will be followed by exclusive site visits to leading companies in Dammam.

JEC FORUM MIDDLE EAST 2016

- June 23–24, 2026

+ Riyadh – Saudi Arabia

The first edition of a Business Meetings-based event gathering the entire regional and international composites value chain.

JEC World 2026 reveals the list of finalists for the Innovation Awards

Each year, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards recognize collaborative, innovative, and ambitious projects that illustrate the potential of composite materials. Created in 1998, this benchmark program aims to identify, promote, and reward the most innovative composite solutions worldwide. In 28 years, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards have attracted more than 2,200 participating companies from around the world. A total of 269 companies and 811 associated partners have been recognized for the excellence of their innovations.

JEC World 2025: a record-breaking 60th edition driven by innovation and circularity

After 3 dynamic days of intense business interactions, expertise sharing, and knowledge exchange, the 60th edition of JEC World 2025 has reaffirmed the pivotal role of the composites industry in building a more sustainable future. Under the unifying theme “Pushing the Limits,” the event showcased the extraordinary versatility and innovation of composite materials that continue to redefine lightweighting, performance, and design possibilities for an increasing number of applications.

JEC Composites Startup Booster 2025 winners

In just eight years, JEC Composites Startup Booster has established itself as a global reference for entrepreneurship in the composites industry in 2025. Over a hundred entrepreneurs, startups, and university spin-offs submitted their applications, with 20 selected as finalists. From March 4 to 6, these finalists have the opportunity to present their projects before an expert jury on the JEC World stage.

Engineering depth and diversity for composites

Airbond is the latest member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) to receive recognition for contributions to the composites industry. The engineering firm based in Pontypool, South Wales, has just received the Make UK Energy and Sustainability Award for its Lattice 3D Printing project.

Circulose restarts commercial-scale production at Ortviken plant in Sundsvall

Circulose today announced the restart of its commercial-scale production plant at Ortviken in Sundsvall, Sweden, marking a significant step in scaling next-generation materials for the global fashion industry. The company plans to resume production of CIRCULOSE®, a recycled pulp made entirely from discarded cotton textiles, in the fourth quarter of 2026.

VIATT 2026 to debut German Pavilion, strengthening European participation alongside key Asian textile hubs

Vietnam’s textile and garment sector continues to be a major contributor to the country’s economic growth, with export revenues expected to reach USD 46 billion in 2025, a 5.6% increase from 2024 . From 26 – 28 February, the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) is set to contribute to economic growth opportunities by accelerating digital transformation and green transition across the entire textile value chain. The upcoming edition will respond to the rising demand for advanced technologies and sustainable materials with the introduction of the German Pavilion, alongside strong exhibitor participation from key Asian sectors, as well as several high-profile fringe events.

Sustainable, lightweight, and sound absorbing: Polyester-based front trunk solution for BEVs

As car manufacturers look to further reduce their carbon footprint, Autoneum has developed an innovative front trunk solution for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), made entirely from polyester-based textile. The Ultra-Silent Frunk offers significant weight reduction, improved acoustic and thermal insulation, and uses up to 70 percent recycled material, supporting sustainable and efficient vehicle design. Autoneum, global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, has already received orders for the new frunk from three major OEMs in Asia and Europe to be built in three BEV models. Series production for two BEVs has been underway in China and Germany since last year.