For its first edition, the JEC Forum Central Europe brought together the entire composites value chain from 23 countries in Krakow, Poland, on 17 and 18 September 2025. Promising figures, analysis of the Polish and Central European markets, and technical innovations set the tone for an event that aims to become a permanent fixture in the European industrial calendar.
JEC Forum Central Europe is the latest in a series of events organised by JEC Group in Europe and Asia. Following Italy, the DACH region and South-East Asia, Poland and its neighbours gathered in Krakow for this first edition, organised in partnership with Targi w Krakowie, a trade fair and conference organiser in Poland. The figures testify to the dynamism of this meeting: 585 business meetings, 93 accredited buyers, 979 leads generated, 217 participants from 23 countries and 39 exhibiting companies.
From the outset, Anne-Carole Barbarin, Regional Events Director at JEC, emphasised the ambition of the event: “For six years, our goal has been to create real opportunities. We want to get closer to local ecosystems. It’s tailor-made.”
Ewa Woch, President of Targi w Krakowie, shared the same enthusiasm. “We believe that Krakow can become the Silicon Valley of Poland, thanks to its universities. With this Forum, the idea is to open up to new European and international customers. It’s a win-win situation: JEC is opening up to Central Europe and our companies are opening up to new markets,” she said.
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The exhibitors themselves emphasised the importance of such a showcase. Martin Krull, Head of R&D at Bergolin, said: “We are looking for potential buyers. We are better known in Poland for corrosion protection for cylinders used in the oil, gas and chemical industries. And we want to raise awareness of our repair business and composite solutions in Poland,” he explained. For others, such as Owens Corning, it was a question of strengthening their presence in a region considered ‘clearly interesting in terms of competitiveness and the location of large groups,’ notes Chris Skinner, Vice President of Strategic Marketing and R&D.
“Of course, we wanted to meet our current customers and distributors, such as Milar, who are here. But we also wanted to see Czech and Baltic companies, competitors and take advantage of the regional dynamic,” explains Etienne Fournier, representative of Sky Composites. At his stand, he presented multi-axial carbon fabrics for wind turbine kitting and cement reinforcement, while announcing the relocation of a Taiwanese production line to Hungary.
“Poland is an important country for us. Our first customer was Polish, our first prototype was made here, so we have very good relations with this country. It is an attractive market for us and one in which we have launched numerous projects with Tier 1 and 2 automotive companies and for finished products in the defence and maritime sectors,” notes Mark Ludwig, COO at Infinici.
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Opportunities and growth drivers in a changing Central Europe
The composites market in Central Europe is attracting increasing attention from manufacturers. According to Philippe Estin (Estin & Co), “this region accounts for 1 to 2% of the global composites market in terms of value, or 200,000 tonnes. Eighty per cent of this volume comes from Poland and the Czech Republic, with Poland accounting for 50 per cent and the Czech Republic for around 30 per cent.” Transport, construction and energy alone account for 75 per cent of the market.
The momentum is real, with volume growth reaching 5% between 2018 and 2024, two points above the European average. “Even if 2025 is a bad year due to political uncertainties and the war in Ukraine,” Estin tempers, “this region remains competitive in terms of costs compared to Western and Northern Europe.”
For Mathieu Cariou, a strategy consultant, the challenge lies in resilience. “Many companies depend on a single customer who accounts for up to 80% of their turnover. As soon as there is a problem, it’s a disaster. Diversification is key.” His observation is reinforced by successive crises, including the pandemic, the blockage of the Suez Canal, the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices. “Supply chains have unfortunately been disrupted by successive crises,” says Mathieu Cariou, who believes that manufacturers must “turn volatility into an advantage and build resilience.” To do this, he recommends that local companies or those wishing to set up in Central Europe “diversify their customer base, use ESG (environmental, social and governance factors) as a lever for differentiation, and focus on robotics, AI and automation.”
Universities and training also appear to be major assets. “Collaboration with institutions is essential for training composites professionals and stimulating innovation,” says Philippe Estin, while Mathieu Cariou believes that “working with start-ups and universities is fundamental to reaching the next level.”
In terms of sectors, there are numerous examples. Poland is already the world’s ninth largest exporter of superyachts. It has a strong tradition in shipbuilding, historically focused on steel, but which has shifted towards composites. “It is a country with expertise, subcontractors, OEMs and a pool of skilled labour,” emphasises Cariou. Aeronautics and space are adding to this momentum, as is rail. “Within five years, Poland will develop rail infrastructure capable of accommodating trains faster than the French TGV!” enthuses Rafał Matecki, regional product manager at Milar.
Andrzej Czulak, president of the Polish Cluster of Composite Technologies (PKTK), stresses “the importance of supporting both foreign investment and the development of local players.” The local ecosystem thus benefits from strong institutional support. Piotr Placha, Head of the Export Centre, Strategic Analyst and Commercial Advisor at the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), points out that Poland is “the sixth largest economy in Europe, with steadily growing imports and exports”. For his part, Jerzy Kopeć, Director of the Corporate Governance and Economy Department for the Małopolska region, emphasises investment in R&D and his region’s involvement in an international pilot project on hydrogen.
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Technical solutions on display
Beyond business meetings, the JEC Forum Central Europe allowed exhibitors and workshop speakers to present a wide range of concrete solutions to meet the needs of the composites industr
Bergolin exhibited BergoLED, a UV repair resin that, according to the brand, can reduce fibreglass repair times by up to 90%. Designed to adapt to various methods (manual lamination, infusion, vacuum compression), this technology is aimed at industrial markets as well as sports and leisure, with applications in kayaking and paddleboarding.
Smart Fluid, meanwhile, highlighted a more forward-looking development: ‘flexible ceramics’, non-Newtonian materials whose viscosity increases sharply under stress, thereby absorbing shocks and vibrations. “This technology has the potential to create sandwich composites, structural fillers or protect electronic components,” says CTO Łukasz Wierzbicki. These ceramics, available in liquid, gel or foam form, can be immobilised to remain in place and provide specific properties (antistatic, anti-jamming). The company, a subsidiary of the Qemetica group, is now looking for partners to accelerate commercialisation in the defence, automotive and rail sectors.
Additive manufacturing was also represented by Massivit 3D and its Massivit 10000 printer, dedicated to the production of moulds for composites. Its principle is based on a double head, one printing a sacrificial shell in UV-polymerised water-soluble photopolymer, the other injecting a thermosetting material. After post-curing, the shell dissolves in water, leaving an isotropic mould ready for use. “The region is strategic for us, and this event comes at just the right time,” says Björn Björnström, Territory Manager EMEA, who is counting on a local partnership with TR Solution to strengthen his presence in Poland. “This is because we work with Sika on the materials side and Sika is distributed by TR Solution in Poland,” he explains.
Carlo Riccò & F.lli highlighted its P472GR unsaturated polyester resin system, a mineral-free formulation specially designed for the manufacture of GFRP moulds resistant to autoclave cycles. ‘When looking at a GFRP mould, customers want stability,’ explains Edoardo Serini, Full stack Sales. “Stable and quick to use, ready for use in 24 hours with the simple addition of a catalyst, this resin combines low linear shrinkage, a Tg above 150°C and economic competitiveness compared to carbon + epoxy systems,” he explained during a workshop.
Sustainability was also at the heart of the discussions. At a conference dedicated to renewable materials and biocomposites, Infinici presented its patented process for the mechanical recycling of glass and carbon fibres from production waste. “We work with new, virgin fibres that have not yet been impregnated with resins. We collect them, clean them, cut them and produce new textiles for use in compression moulding, GMC or SMC,” explains Mark Ludwig. “The very good surface quality and high rigidity after resin application eliminate the need for additional surface treatment. We are targeting sectors such as sports, leisure and public transport, as our solutions reduce CO2 emissions while remaining competitive. But it is also of interest to defence contractors because they are looking for a rigid material and our solution is cheaper than virgin material,” he explains.
With these solutions, the Forum illustrated the diversity of responses to current challenges: rapid repair, new materials, additive manufacturing, circular processes. All these solutions confirm that Central Europe, far from being just an emerging market, is fertile ground for experimenting with and developing the composites of tomorrow.
Source: JEC COMPOSITES