A look back at our European projects at the JEC

From March 4 to 6, 2025, Polymeris took part in JEC World, the leading international event for advanced and composite materials. By hosting a stand and accompanying several of its members, the cluster reaffirmed its commitment to promoting innovation and the development of its ecosystem internationally. With over 1,300 exhibitors and 100 countries represented in 2024, JEC World brings together every year the sector's leading manufacturers, innovative start-ups, scientific experts and R&D managers.

With a view to promoting the European projects in which Polymeris is involved, the cluster's teams organized a dedicated networking cocktail. The event highlighted six European collaborative projects and fostered new synergies between the many partners present. Several speeches and pitches gave greater visibility to the players involved in these initiatives:

• Elvira Villaro Ábalos of Avanzare, a Spanish company in the advanced materials sector, partner in the Thermofire project.
• Marcello Colledani of Politecnico Milano, an Italian university and partner in the ZEvRA project
• Thierry Renault of the French automotive group Faurecia, partner in the BIOntier and ZEvRA projects.
• Stefan Caba of German engineering group EDAG, ZEvRA project partner

The cocktail also raised the profile of the European projects present:

• Bio-Uptake: A project that aims to increase the use of bioplastic composites by stimulating a dual green and digital transformation in the European manufacturing industry.
• BIOntier: A project dedicated to pushing back the frontiers in high-performance circular biocomposites by developing biosourced applications that are easy to manufacture, test and recycle using advanced bioconstruction.
• Idealist: A strategic initiative to strengthen the resilience and technological adaptability of SMEs in the European Union. The project aims to transform SMEs from observers into active participants in 3 key ecosystems: energy-intensive industries, aerospace and defense, and mobility, transport and automotive.
• Thermofire: A project to develop recyclable bio-based composites with enhanced mechanical properties and fire resistance.
• Viable: A project to valorize lignin biomass into competitive components that will gradually replace BPA in the formation of epoxy resins.
• ZEvRA: An initiative aimed at improving the circularity of light electric vehicles across the entire value chain.

JEC World also featured two on-stage highlights devoted to European projects:

• On March 4, the BIOntier and ZEvRA projects were presented, in the presence of Thierry Renault, representing Faurecia, a key partner in the cluster.
  
• On March 5, the teams highlighted the BIO-Uptake and Thermofire projects, alongside Gilles Hochstetter, project engineer at ARKEMA, a major player in the sector.

Through these events, Polymeris is reinforcing its position as a key player in the field of advanced materials and composites in Europe. This momentum confirms the importance for the cluster of being present at this leading event, in order to support its members, develop strategic collaborations and actively contribute to tomorrow's innovations.