Hannover. Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are materials with a big future, and they will have a commensurately big presence at the upcoming HANNOVER MESSE 2016 industrial technology fair. The benefits of CFRP and the industries in which they have major potential applications will be writ large this coming April at a group pavilion spearheaded by CFK Valley (CFK is German for CFRP), an internationally recognized CFRP association based in the German city of Stade. The pavilion will feature as part of the fair’s Industrial Supply show, where it will occupy an estimated 1,000 square meters (10,700 sq. ft.) of exhibition space – ample room for company displays, exhibits and a forum. It’s a fitting location, given that Industrial Supply is the world’s leading trade show for industrial subcontracting, lightweight construction and materials.

"Our aim in running the pavilion is to show visitors from the fields of mechanical engineering and other industries such as shipbuilding, rail transport and construction the many ways in which they can benefit from using carbon fiber-reinforced plastics," said Dr. Gunnar Merz, the CEO and Chairman of the CFK Valley association. "Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics can make things like robots and machines a lot faster. Unfortunately, many potential user industries still lack awareness of the properties of these materials." His comment definitely does not apply to the aircraft industry, which already makes extensive use of CFRP. The Airbus plant in Stade, where the vertical tail planes for all Airbus aircraft are manufactured, has been using carbon fiber-reinforced plastics for over 30 years. Which is why, in 2004, Airbus Stade was one of the founding members of the CFK Valley association. Today, CFK Valley is the world’s greatest repository of experience and expertise in CFRP. It has well over 100 members worldwide, who together provide services in all areas of carbon-fiber composites and carbon-fiber-hybrid composites. That’s everything from training to R&D and production, to operation, maintenance, environment protection, safety and recycling.

The CFK Valley association’s objective in staging the group pavilion at the Industrial Supply show is to leverage its extensive knowledge and experience for the benefit of other industries. Hence the pavilion’s motto: "Carbon, the efficiency booster for mechanical engineering." The exhibitor lineup at the pavilion will include CFK Valley members and outside companies that have CFRP success stories to tell.

"Our partnership with CFK Valley to create this new CFRP showcase is a major coup for Industrial Supply," said Marc Siemering, the Deutsche Messe AG Senior Vice President responsible for HANNOVER MESSE. "It further enhances the show as a marketplace for competing industrial materials and processes and gives our international visitors exactly what they are looking for – know-how transfer, cross-pollination with other industries and opportunities to build global sourcing networks." The CFK Valley pavilion also complements the Industrial Supply show’s existing lightweight-construction lineup. Lightweight construction is an increasingly important driver of growth in many industries. It is one of the main underlying themes of the entire Industrial Supply Show and has its own dedicated exhibition cluster in the form of the Lightweight Construction display and its associated Solutions Area.

At the heart of the CFK Valley pavilion there will be a forum where experts can exhibit and present the latest innovations in carbon-fiber reinforced plastics. The forum program will also include expert lectures.