The German Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK) re-elected its previous Board on 29 November 2022 in Augsburg during the regular Board elections. At the constituent board meeting on 6 December 2022, the board positions were also confirmed. Dr. Michael Effing, Managing Director of AMAC GmbH, remains Chairman of the Board, and Dirk Punke, Managing Director of BÜFA Thermoplastics Composites GmbH, is Deputy Chairman. Treasurer is Prof. Jens Ridzewski, IMA Materialforschung und Anwendungstechnik GmbH, the other board members: Gerhard Lettl, Managing Director C.F. Maier Europlast GmbH & Co. KG and Michael Polotzki, Managing Director Menzolit S.r.L. The board is officially in office for three years from 1.1.2023. The press release can be found here.

As an umbrella organisation, Composites Germany represents the capabilities and interests of the German fibre composite industry. With the re-entry of Composites United, Composites Germany will combine the forces of the two leading composites networks in Germany and its position will be significantly strengthened. Changed framework conditions make the re-entry possible and necessary. Please find the entire press release here.

On December 1st, 2022, the ITA Innovation Day on "Sustainability and Recycling" will take place in Augsburg, in cooperation with JEC Forum Dach. Please find the agenda here.

Fast and effective micromechanical testing of the interfacial shear strength is the focus of the new DIN SPEC 19289. Published in August 2022, this pre-standard or ‘technical rule’ specifies how to characterize the bonding between fibre and matrix by means of a single-fibre pull-out test. This technique is implemented in Textechno’s FIMATEST system. Find the related press release with statement by Dr. Ulrich Mörschel, Prof. Axel Hermann and Dr. Michael Effing here.

On September 20th, 2022, around 60 companies joined the common hybrid event by ITA of RWTH Aachen University and the Interreg Project AACOMA in Aachen on "Working across borders in thermoplastic composites and digitalization".Keynote presentations by MCAM and Airborne as well as elevator speeches by Centexbel, Flanders Make, Addi of RWTH Aachen University, University of Liège, Ecurie AIX of RWTH Aachen University gave insights in actual developments. The DCC (Digital Capability Center) gave an overview of use and developments of digitalized working possibilities. Matchmaking was offered on retrofitting, augmented reality in production and AI in quality control. For further information to participate in the ITA Reinforced! Network, AACOMA or other projects, contact us!