The European Composite Industry association EuCIA has changed their corporate identity and appears modern and dynamic. The association reviews 2007 and takes positive conclusions. Increased memberships coordinated lobbying, increased management capacity and improved industry work has finally leaded to an increased visibility and appreciation of EuCIA.

EuCIA, the European Composite Industry Association based in Brussels has improved their corporate identity and presented the association in a new outfit during the COMPOSITE Europe show in Stuttgart. The new concept applies mission and target in a much clearer way. KNOW (previous: industry Education), SHOW (Lobbying for Regulations and Legislation) and GROW (provide industry growth) are the future messages the organization will send out. ‘EuCIA has made essential advancement in 2007 in all categories. We have a professional working platform, sufficient resources, with Ab Kasper a new director, and a fantastic board spirit that we can rely on. This is a great foundation to do long term professional work for our industry’ said Volker Fritz, EuCIA President during the press conference in Stuttgart. ‘We have sharpened the profile in 2007, the industry sees us, and the industry watches us. And after all of this, the industry starts appreciating our work’. According to Fritz, this has finally lead to the
result, that 3 further industry segments have joined the EuCIA organization. These organizations are the UP Resin Group of Plastic Europe, ECRC (European COMPOSITE Recycling Company) and EPTA (European Pultruders Association).

One key activity within the KNOW activities is the work within the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission. EuCIA is involved in 6 individual research activities and supports the industry and organization with active work contribution. This ranges from e.g. concepts for educational training to R&D work for Natural Fiber Materials.

Fritz is also satisfied with the lobbying activities (now: SHOW) and the intention to reduce the industry fragmentation. EuCIA, ECRC and the European Plastics Converters Association in which also the thermoplastic Industry is organized started to coordinate the lobby activities and intent to streamline their political focus.

‘In bundling the individual resources we create an enormous Know How and save time to work on more issues. The most important advantage of this intent is that we have a coordinated approach versus the European Commission and we present a much larger group when we attend hearings in Brussels’. EuCIA, ECRC and EuPC now have established communications and meeting platforms in order to coordinate a common position in the waste framework directive and the waste hierarchy. Further more, EuCIA has joined the REACH task force Team in Brussels and will show and represent the COMPOSITE expertise whenever needed, in particular during the REACH implementation (RIPS).

The GROW (prev: industrial growth) activity is still of great importance. In partnership with Reed Exhibitions the COMPOSITE Europe fair could be established and maintained. After a successful take off in Essen last year, we have reached a 100% growth rate in 2007. Reasons for doubling the Exhibition, Fritz sees in the focused view of composites only, concentration on SME’s, and the joint event with the AVK annual Congress.

Fritz, president of EuCIA since 2005, draws a positive balance: ‘2007 was and still is a positive year for EuCIA. We supported the COMPOSITE Industry to get more and more unified and started to stop the fragmentation of this segment. EuCIA could build up a reputation. We have professional employees, members and partners, at our side who are committed to work’.