Third general meeting of Composites United e.V. – Association elects new presidium and presents future strategic focus

This year’s general meeting of Composites United e. V. (CU) had to be held again as an online-only event on 30 November 2021 due to the current situation. Prof. Dr. Dieter Meiners (Spokesman of the Executive Committee) welcomed the more than 120 participating representatives of the CU members and presented the agenda. In the keynote speech, Dr. Corinna Hebestreit (Secretary General of the European Carbon and Graphite Association ECGA) reported on the activities at European level for the industrial and social transformation to achieve the climate goals of the European Green Deal. She emphasised that lightweight design with its materials has great potential as an innovation driver and can make a significant contribution to the industrial transformation.

Prof. Dr. Hubert Jäger (Spokesman of the Executive Committee) presented the key work of the past year in the report of the Executive Committee: The development of a joint strategy of the two former associations CFK Valley e. V. and Carbon Composites e. V. The strategic and technological fields of action defined by the entire board include the topics of internationalisation, digitalisation, technology centres, sustainability, education and politics & lobbying. The work in the fields of action aims to position the CU in Germany, Europe and internationally as a recognised association for the sustainable use of multi-material lightweight design, under the premise of the highest possible added value for the association’s members.

The other regular points on the agenda were taken over by the two CU CEOs Dr. Gunnar Merz and Dr. Tjark von Reden. In the report of the management, Dr. Merz gave an overview of the activities of the association and of the clusters and networks. Unfortunately, only a few events could be held in presence, but interest in the virtual CU events remained high in 2021. Dr. Merz also presented the preparations for the two event highlights in 2022 – JEC World Paris and LightCon in Hannover. At JEC World in March 2022, the CU will be represented with the largest joint booth on site. The Lightweight Convention "LightCon" is organised by Deutsche Messe AG, the CU is a founding partner and technical sponsor. The motto of this event, which is now planned for 1 and 2 June 2022, is: "Lightweight Design on the Path to Circular Economy".

Dr. Tjark von Reden was pleased with the large number of applications for the upcoming election of the Presidium: "In the last three years, what belongs together has grown together. With the first election of the CU Presidium, we are taking the next important steps towards the future. Fifteen candidates stood for the eight seats on the Executive Committee. This great interest in active participation in the CU committees shows very clearly that we are a vibrant association and that the network is highly valued by our members.”

Elected by the members to the new CU Presidium were:

• Holger Bär (Global Production Director Olin Epoxy & Managing Director Olin Germany Upstream GmbH & Co. KG)
• Prof. Dr. Klaus Drechsler (Head of the Chair for Carbon Composites at the TU Munich & Director of the Fraunhofer IGCV in Augsburg)
• Ralph Hufschmied (CEO Hufschmied Zerspanungssysteme GmbH)
• Dr. Heike Illing-Günther (Executive Director STFI ‑ Saxon Textile Research Institute e. V.)
• Dr. Steffen Kress (CEO COTESA GmbH)
• Dr. Hauke Lengsfeld (General Manager Reactive Polymers & Flame Retardants at Schill + Seilacher “Struktol” GmbH)
• Anna Pointner (CEO Voith Composites)
• Prof. Dr. Holger Seidlitz (Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Head of the Research Area Polymeric Materials and Composites PYCO / Chair of Polymer-based Lightweight Design Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU))

The CU is now headed by a new board, which will take over the content-related and strategic leadership of the association for the next two years. After the general meeting, the elected candidates chose Prof. Dr. Klaus Drechsler unanimously as spokesperson of the executive committee.

The event was rounded off with the farewell and honouring of the CU staff members, both full-time and honorary, who left last year. Prof. Dr. Hubert Jäger and Prof. Dr. Dieter Meiners also said goodbye to the members of the association, both of them did not run again for the presidium: "We have had three difficult years with the merger and Corona. With the commitment of everyone, in front of and behind the scenes, we have mastered these challenges. The fluctuation is very low, which shows that we are meeting the expectations of our members. Together with you, the new presidium will successively implement the strategic action points we have worked out and thus further advance the CU as an internationally recognised driver for lightweight design.”