Successful conference in Bremen with around 340 participants, 37 exhibitors and a 50 per cent increase in abstract submissions
The eighth International Conference and Exhibition on Thermoplastic Composites (ITH-EC) was a resounding success. On 28 and 29 October 2026, around 340 experts from all over the world gathered at the Congress Centrum Bremen. With 64 specialist presentations, ten scientific posters and 37 exhibitors, the event offered a comprehensive insight into the latest research findings and industrial developments. Scientific interest was particularly high: the number of abstracts submitted rose by around 50 per cent compared with the last ITHEC in 2024. For the first time, the event was organised jointly by Composites United e. and the Faserinstitut Bremen e. V. (FIBRE).
High-Rate Manufacturing: Ready for series production?
The ITHEC 2026 conference focused on the question of how thermoplastic composites can be manufactured more quickly, more cost-effectively and to a consistently high standard of quality. The papers presented highlighted advances in automated manufacturing processes, welding technologies and the production of complex lightweight structures.
The panel discussion “High-rate Thermoplastic Composite Aerostructures: Ready or Not?”, moderated by Ginger Gardiner (CompositesWorld), focused on a specific technical topic. International experts from industry and research discussed how far thermoplastic aircraft structures have come on the path to large-scale production.
It became clear that, whilst the technology is already well established in numerous applications, larger and heavily loaded structures continue to pose significant challenges for industrial implementation. Key challenges include reproducible manufacturing, process monitoring, quality assurance and certification. Component-specific designs and practical repair methods also play a crucial role. A successful demonstrator alone is not enough – the processes must also function reliably under series production conditions.
Scientific excellence meets industrial application
The keynote speeches by Isabell Gradert (Vice President Central Research and Technology, Airbus) and Matthias Heinrichs (Director of Sales at AVANCO Composites GmbH and Managing Director of XELIS GmbH) highlighted the perspectives from the aviation and industrial manufacturing sectors. Whilst Ms Gradert highlighted the importance of new materials and manufacturing concepts for future aircraft, Mr Heinrichs used specific technologies to demonstrate the requirements for the transition from a development project to reproducible series production.
The increase in the number of scientific submissions made it possible, for the first time, to hold three parallel presentation sessions, underlining the growing interest in research.
Prof. Dr David May, Director of the Faserinstitut Bremen e. V. (FIBRE): “We are delighted that ITHEC has once again impressed this year with the consistently high quality of its presentations. We deliberately kept the acceptance rate at the same level, but have nevertheless put together a significantly broader programme of presentations thanks to the overall sharp increase in the number of submissions. The continued strong international participation is also particularly pleasing: once again, around half of the participants and speakers came from abroad. At the same time, we have succeeded in appealing to both industry and academia in equal measure and in reflecting this balance in the programme of presentations. This is precisely what makes ITHEC so valuable to us: it brings the entire international community together and creates a space for exchange between research and industrial practice.”
Awards for outstanding research achievements
The ITHEC Awards, supported by SAMPE, recognise outstanding scientific contributions. The Best Paper Award, presented by a panel of experts, was awarded to Matthias Beyrle and his team from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) for their work on the in-situ AFP fabrication of a cryogenic tank.
The Best Poster Award, voted for by the conference audience, went to Océane Nitusgau and her colleagues from the Université de Toulouse and Collins Aerospace for their research into the durability of hybrid joints between thermoplastic composites and metals.
International networking and a successful outcome
In addition to the specialist programme, the exhibition provided plenty of opportunities for face-to-face discussions. Delegations from countries including the Netherlands, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, Israel, Australia and the USA highlighted the international reach of ITHEC.
The successful debut of the joint organisation by Composites United and FIBRE also laid the foundations for the conference’s future development. Dr Tjark von Reden, CEO of Composites United e. V., is very pleased with how the event went and draws a thoroughly positive conclusion: “I think the conference’s success demonstrates two things: firstly, what belongs together has come together. ITHEC and CU complement each other perfectly. And in FIBRE, we have found the right partner to provide scientific support for ITH-EC. Secondly, high-performance composites are far from reaching the end of their development; rather, they continue to have the potential to break into new areas of application. Thermoplastic composites are a prime example of this. I am therefore already looking forward to organising the next ITHEC and continuing the wonderful collaboration with FIBRE to see how thermoplastic composites have developed.”
The next ITHEC is planned for 2028 in Bremen.
