Polymeris celebrates 20 years of innovation at the K2025 trade fair in Düsseldorf

Polymeris Celebrates 20 Years of Innovation at K 2025 in Düsseldorf

International Networking And Strategic Partnerships Highlighted Throughout The Fair

In 2025, Polymeris, the French competitiveness cluster dedicated to rubber, plastics, and composites, celebrates 20 years of driving innovation and sustainable transformation in the polymer industry. As part of its anniversary year, Polymeris will mark this milestone internationally at the K 2025 trade fair in Düsseldorf.

A Week of International Collaboration and Networking

Polymeris will support more than 20 member companies exhibiting at K 2025, offering a strong collective presence and enhanced international visibility for innovative SMEs and major players in the polymer sector.

To foster global collaboration and strengthen its ecosystem, Polymeris will host a series of networking events throughout the fair:

• October 9 (from 8:30 AM) – Welcome breakfast for the Polyvia international delegation, in partnership with the French Plastics Federation and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises.
• October 9 (12:00 PM) – Networking cocktail bringing together industrial members from various clusters and projects. A unique opportunity to meet, exchange, and build new collaborations. Organized in collaboration with Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises.
• October 9 (from 5:30 PM, Hall 15 Stand B24) – “France Evening” social event, co-hosted by Polymeris, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises, Business France, and Billion at the Billion booth. Polymeris will celebrate its 20th anniversary!
• October 10 (12:30 PM, Room 8 CDD South) – Networking cocktail with European and international partners from the POLREC project, following the POLREC final event. A celebration of circularity, sustainability, and international cooperation.
• International Innovation Tours – Guided visits of Polymeris member booths with Canadian and U.S. delegations, and a discovery tour organized in partnership with European clusters.

These activities reflect Polymeris’ strategic focus on internationalization, circular economy, and Industry 5.0, bringing together clusters, innovation networks, and industrial stakeholders from across Europe and North America.

20 Years of Impact for a Sustainable Future

Since its founding in 2005, Polymeris has become a European leader in advanced materials innovation:

• 600+ members, 60% of which are industrials, mainly SMEs
• 380+ certified collaborative projects, representing over €1.13 billion in innovation investments
• 20 active EU projects in 2025, including Horizon Europe and interregional partnerships
• 135 R&D and technical partners across Europe
• 25 staff members located across 8 sites in France

Polymeris positions itself as a neutral catalyst, supporting industrials in accessing funding, structuring projects, and accelerating innovation in eco-design, digitalisation and smart materials.

“Europe is our playing field. In 20 years, Polymeris has become a central actor in European innovation, helping SMEs and large companies navigate the green and digital transitions,” says Joël Viry, President of Polymeris.

Looking Ahead: A 2030 Vision for a Greener Industry

Aligned with the priorities of the European Green Deal and France 2030, Polymeris continues to prepare the industry for tomorrow by focusing on:

• Short-loop recycling and bio-based materials
• AI, additive manufacturing and nanomaterials
• Reindustrialisation and strategic autonomy for European value chains

With its sights set on the future, Polymeris is preparing its application for Phase VI of the Competitiveness Clusters program (2027–2029), with a focus on circularity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cross-border innovation.

European Innovation in the Spotlight

At K 2025, Polymeris will showcase a rich portfolio of European collaborative projects, reinforcing its role as a key innovation hub in Europe. On its stand, visitors will discover a dedicated area presenting major initiatives supported by the EU, covering themes such as circularity, advanced materials, green manufacturing, and Industry 5.0.

Among the featured projects:

• AI-REDGIO 5.0 – Supports the digital transformation of European manufacturing SMEs through AI and edge computing
• BE-UP – Advancing Biodegradable Polymers through Digitalization and Industrial Integration
• BIO-UPTAKE – Increasing the use of bioplastic composites by stimulating a dual green and digital transformation
• CircPlastX – Development of a shared, cloud-based database for plastics manufacturers, to facilitate tracability and recycling
• Plastice – New technologies to integrate plastic waste in the circular economy
• POLREC – Promotes the uptake of plastic recycling solutions by European SMEs
• Polytronics – Innovation Hub for smart Polymers and digital technologies
• Thermofire – Development of Bio-Based Recyclable Composites with Enhanced Strenth and Fire Resistance
• ZEVRA – Prototype of an electric vehicule built from recycle materials, including plastics and CO² zero-emission solutions

These projects, co-funded by Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, SMP and other EU programs, offer a glimpse into the future of the polymer industry — sustainable, digital, and interconnected. Polymeris will be available to facilitate contacts and synergies with potential European and international partners throughout the fair by presenting key objectives and providing insights and opportunities for future cooperation with European clusters, research centres and SMEs.