In March 2024, Brightlands Materials Center, along with TNO, participated in JEC World in Paris Nord Villepinte. This event is a leading platform within the composites industry and attracted more than 45,000 international visitors this year. For Brightlands Materials Center, JEC World provided a stage to present their innovations in composite materials and additive production techniques and to expand their international network. Richard Janssen, Business Development manager at Brightlands Materials Center, reflects on the participation and outcomes.
JEC World 2024, held from March 5th to 7th in Paris Nord Villepinte, is the most influential gathering for the composites industry in Europe. With over 45,000 attendees, the event offered a unique opportunity for industry professionals to explore the latest innovations, exchange knowledge, and create new business opportunities. Against this dynamic backdrop, Brightlands Materials Center, in close collaboration with TNO, showcased its expertise and recent developments in the fields of composite materials, additive manufacturing, recycling, and wind energy.
Richard Janssen
High Tech Pavilion
Richard Janssen, Business Developer of the Sustainable Mobility program at Brightlands Materials Center, looks back on the participation with satisfaction. “The fact that we presented ourselves together with 15 other exhibitors in the High Tech Pavilion ensured that we made a more powerful impression and received more attention,” Janssen emphasizes. The Holland High Tech Pavilion, organized by CompositesNL and ChemistryNL, took a prominent place at the fair. With 186 square meters, the pavilion was one of the larger stands where Dutch composites companies shared their innovations. “Our joint presence within the Holland High Tech Pavilion undoubtedly provided more visibility and offered a great platform for sharing innovations and attracting international interest.
Scoliosis brace
One of the most notable contributions from Brightlands Materials Center was the presentation of breakthroughs in technology for additive manufacturing of composites reinforced with continuous fibers. A tangible example of this is the innovative scoliosis brace that was developed in collaboration with the startup company Fited and exhibited during the fair. This project, developed within the OPZuid Bright Smart Scoliosis Brace project, illustrates the potential of AM to revolutionize medical devices by making them lighter, more comfortable, and more effective.
Innovation in lightweighting and recycling
JEC World 2024 showcased Brightlands Materials Center’s strides in lightweighting through Continuous Fiber Additive Manufacturing (CFAM), which offers unparalleled design freedom and potential for additional weight savings. Examples like the bracket cases and electric aircraft motor housings, demonstrated in the Multhem project, illustrated the practical applications of CFAM. BMC also highlighted their role in advancing the circular economy by focusing on the mechanical recycling of thermoplastic composites, inviting collaborations with entities needing waste solutions or recycled materials, thereby connecting the dots in a circular value chain.
New connections
JEC World also offered excellent opportunities to make new contacts. “We had many interesting conversations, made many new connections. That makes the fair more than successful from a business perspective,” says Janssen. He dares to assert that Brightlands Materials Center “will retain a number of very concrete and promising new collaborations” from the fair. He concludes: “JEC World was once again in 2024 the place where professionals in the composites sector really benefited. It remains the ideal place to make new contacts, exchange smart ideas, and work together on innovations.”