The inaugural JEC Forum Central Europe brought the composites value chain together in Krakow, Poland, on 17–18 September 2025. Organised by JEC Group in partnership with Targi w Krakowie, the meeting is the latest addition to a regional event series following Italy, the DACH region and South‑East Asia. The first edition reported 585 business meetings, 93 accredited buyers, 979 leads, 217 participants from 23 countries and 39 exhibiting companies. Setting out the intent to anchor the format in the European industrial calendar, Anne-Carole Barbarin, regional events director at JEC, said: "For six years, our goal has been to create real opportunities. We want to get closer to local ecosystems. It is tailor-made." Targi w Krakowie’s president, Ewa Woch, added: "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 is a win-win situation, JEC is opening up to Central Europe and our companies are opening up to new markets."
Exhibitors underlined the business rationale. "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," said Martin Krull, head of R&D at Bergolin. Owens Corning framed the region as "clearly interesting in terms of competitiveness and the location of large groups," according to Chris Skinner, vice president of strategic marketing and R&D. Sky Composites’ representative, Etienne Fournier, noted the goal to meet current customers and distributors such as Milar, to engage with Czech and Baltic companies, and to leverage the regional dynamic, while presenting multi-axial carbon fabrics for wind turbine kitting and cement reinforcement and 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," said Mark Ludwig, COO at Infinici, citing projects with Tier 1 and 2 automotive suppliers and applications in defence and maritime.
Market outlook and resilience
Central Europe’s composites market is attracting growing attention. According to Philippe Estin of Estin & Co, the region accounts for 1 to 2% of the global composites market by value, or around 200,000 tonnes. Approximately 80% of this volume comes from Poland and the Czech Republic, with Poland at about 50% and the Czech Republic at around 30%. Transport, construction and energy together represent roughly 75% of demand. Volume growth reached 5% between 2018 and 2024, two points above the European average. Estin cautioned that 2025 is a weak year due to political uncertainties and the war in Ukraine, yet the region remains cost-competitive compared with Western and Northern Europe.
For strategy consultant Mathieu Cariou, the priority is resilience. Many companies depend on a single customer that can account for up to 80% of turnover. "As soon as there is a problem, it is a disaster. Diversification is key," he said, pointing to successive shocks from the pandemic, the Suez Canal blockage, the war in Ukraine and energy price spikes. Companies should "turn volatility into an advantage and build resilience," he argued, recommending diversification of the customer base, the use of ESG as a lever for differentiation and a focus on robotics, AI and automation. Talent pipelines also matter. "Collaboration with institutions is essential for training composites professionals and stimulating innovation," said Estin. Cariou added that working with start-ups and universities is fundamental to reaching the next level.
Regional capabilities and institutional support
Sector examples illustrate the momentum. Poland is the world’s ninth largest exporter of superyachts. The country’s long tradition in shipbuilding, historically focused on steel, has increasingly shifted towards composites, with expertise spanning subcontractors, OEMs and a skilled labour pool. Aeronautics, space and rail are adding to this trajectory. "Within five years, Poland will develop rail infrastructure capable of accommodating trains faster than the French TGV!" said Rafał Matecki, regional product manager at Milar. Andrzej Czulak, president of the Polish Cluster of Composite Technologies, emphasised the importance of supporting both foreign investment and the development of local players. Institutional backing remains strong. Piotr Placha, head of the export centre, strategic analyst and commercial advisor at the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, noted that Poland is the sixth largest economy in Europe with steadily growing imports and exports. Jerzy Kopeć, director of the Corporate Governance and Economy Department for the Małopolska region, highlighted investment in R&D and participation in an international hydrogen pilot project.
Technical solutions on display
Alongside business meetings, exhibitors and workshop speakers presented practical solutions for composites manufacturing and maintenance. Bergolin showcased BergoLED, a UV repair resin that, according to the company, can reduce fibreglass repair times by up to 90%. Designed for manual lamination, infusion or vacuum compression, the system targets industrial markets as well as sports and leisure, including kayaking and paddleboarding.
Smart Fluid presented "flexible ceramics," non-Newtonian materials whose viscosity rises sharply under stress to absorb shocks and vibrations. "This technology has the potential to create sandwich composites, structural fillers or protect electronic components," said CTO Łukasz Wierzbicki. Available in liquid, gel or foam form, the materials can be immobilised to provide properties such as antistatic or anti-jamming performance. The company, a subsidiary of the Qemetica group, is seeking partners to accelerate commercialisation in defence, automotive and rail.
Additive manufacturing for tooling was represented by Massivit 3D and its Massivit 10000 printer dedicated to composite mould production. The system uses a dual head, one printing a sacrificial shell in a UV-polymerised, water-soluble photopolymer and 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," said Björn Björnström, territory manager EMEA, noting a local partnership with TR Solution. "This is because we work with Sika on the materials side and Sika is distributed by TR Solution in Poland."
Carlo Riccò & F.lli highlighted its P472GR unsaturated polyester resin system, a mineral-free formulation designed for GFRP moulds resistant to autoclave cycles. "When looking at a GFRP mould, customers want stability," said Edoardo Serini, full stack sales. He described a system that is ready for use in 24 hours with the addition of a catalyst, combines low linear shrinkage with a glass transition temperature above 150°C and offers cost competitiveness versus carbon plus epoxy systems.
Sustainability themes featured prominently. Infinici outlined a patented process for mechanically recycling 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," said 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."
With rapid repair systems, novel materials, additive tooling routes and circular processes, the forum illustrated the range of technical responses now available to manufacturers. The discussions and demonstrations underscored Central Europe’s role as a platform for developing and industrialising next-generation composite solutions.
