The 11 winners were announced during the JEC World Premiere, which took place on Monday 12 January 2026 in Paris and was accessible online through a linkedIn event.

Created in 1998, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards aim to identify, promote and reward the most innovative composite solutions worldwide. In 28 years, this benchmark programme has attracted more than 2,200 participating companies from around the world. A total of 269 companies and 811 associated partners have been recognised for the excellence of their innovations. The competition is open to companies, universities or R&D centres with a compelling concept or collaborative innovation to present. The JEC Composites Innovation Awards also offer a leading international platform, allowing the selected innovations to benefit from increased visibility among a professional audience attentive to new trends in composites.

For this edition, 154 applications were submitted, of which 33 finalists were selected. One winner was chosen in each of the 11 following categories:

Aerospace – Parts
Aerospace – Process
Automotive & Road Transportation – Parts
Automotive & Road Transportation – Process
Circularity & Recycling
Digital, AI & Data
Maritime Transportation & Shipbuilding
Pipes, Tanks & Hydrogen
Railway Vehicles & Infrastructure
Renewable Energies
Sports, Leisure & Recreation

 

 

Projects have been evaluated by an international jury composed of:

• Mr. Michel COGNET, Chairman of the Board, JEC
• Dr. Klaus DRECHSLER, Professor, Chair of Carbon Composites, Technical University of Munich
• Pr. Bronwyn FOX, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Enterprise), UNSW Sydney
• Dr. Roberto FRASSINE, Full Professor, Polymeric and Composite Materials, Politecnico di Milano
• Pr. Sung HA, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University
• Prof. Dr. Patricia KRAWCZAK, Full Professor, Centre for Materials & Processes, IMT Nord Europe / Institut Mines-Télécom
• Pr. Gilles LUBINEAU, Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Director of MCEM and ENERCOMP, KAUST
• Dr. Antonio NANNI, Professor, Dept. of Civil & Architecture Engineering, University of Miami
• Pr. Veronique MICHAUD, Head of Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites (LPAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
  de Lausanne (EPFL)
• Pr. Kiyoshi UZAWA, Director, Innovative Composite Center, Kanazawa Institute of Technology
• Mrs. Müge YENMEZ, CTO & Composite EMEA General Manager, Kordsa

The winners of the JEC Composites Innovation Awards 2026 will be announced at the JEC World Premiere 2026 on January 12, in Paris. This event will also present the highlights of JEC World 2026 and announce the 20 startups selected for the JEC Startup Booster competition.

 

Aerospace – Parts

Highly Loaded TP Wing Rib
Daher (France)
https://daher.com
Partners:
Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (Luxembourg)
Victrex PLC (UK)
Cetim (France)
AniForm Engineering B.V. (The Netherlands)

Highly loaded thermoplastic composite wing rib for future aircraft programs. Daher and its partners Worked on an innovative design thanks to patented innovative processes to meet actual decarbonization and competitiveness challenges compared to current aluminium solutions.
Daher launched the Welded Rib project in 2021 to evaluate carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composites for next-generation, high-rate aircraft wing rib production. Using VICTREX LMPAEK™ UD tape, Daher and partners optimized manufacturing processes, simulation datacards, and innovative rib designs featuring ply drop-offs, wave contouring, and stiffener-free geometry.
Thick CFRTP parts (up to 10 mm) were manufactured via Automated Fiber Placement and Direct Stamping®. LIST developed patented IR welding for structural assembly, while CETIM designed a test bench and ANIFORM advanced distortion-simulation capabilities.

Key benefits:

• Weight saving V.S aluminum & bolted assembly
• Assembly cost saving V.S bolted assembly
• Answer to high rate production for future aircrafts
• Lower fuel consumption & CO2 emission VS aluminum
• TP part recycling V.S thermoset composite parts

 

Aerospace – Process

SAUBER 4.0 – SMART & SUSTAINABLE RTM 4.0
CTC GmbH – An AIRBUS Company (Germany)
www.ctc-composites.com
Partners:
AIRBUS Operations GmbH (Germany)
Faserinstitut Bremen e.V. (Germany)
DLR (Germany)
Fraunhofer IFAM and IWU (Germany)
FRIMO Innovative Technologies GmbH (Germany)
Helmut Schmidt University / University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg (Germany)
KraussMaffei (Germany)
NAEXT Engineering GmbH (Germany)
NETZSCH Process Intelligence GmbH (Germany)
Testia GmbH (Germany)
SIEMENS (Germany)
Stadler + Schaaf (Germany)
Teijin Carbon Europe GmbH (Germany)

SAUBER4.0 is a holistically networked manufacturing technology approach for complex large components which takes equal account of ecological and economic criteria. The key element is the use of RTM technology with the possibilities of digitization, innovative preforming and tool technologies.
As aviation seeks lower emissions, manufacturing impacts gain importance. At Airbus Stade, RTM has been used since 1994 to produce nearly 10,000 small CFRP parts annually for A320 and A330 aircraft. SAUBER4.0, a funded project by the state of lower saxony, enables RTM’s transition to large, complex, high-volume structural components for next-generation single-aisle wings. The project delivered key technologies, including inductively heated invar RTM tooling, TFP/DFP preform production with 3D-printed molds, and a knowledge model linking process data and energy use. A holistic material- and energy-flow methodology was validated through five fully reproducible Wing Tip demonstrators.

Key benefits:

• RTM Technology for large, complex integral parts
• Energy savings compared to today’s a/c production
• Fully digitalized E2E CFRP production
• Successful validation of multi physic simulation
• Enabling AIRBUS next generation single aisle A/C

 

Automotive & Road Transportation – Parts

BMW M NATURAL FIBRE COMPOSITES
BMW Group, M GMBH (Germany)
www.bmw-m.com
Partners:
Bcomp Ltd (Switzerland)
SGL Technologies GmbH (Germany)
Cobra Advanced Composites CO., LTD (Thailand)
PPG Wörwag Coatings GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)

The BMW Group harnesses natural fiber composites for series production models through
cross-industry collaboration with partners, thereby reducing CO2e footprint and overall
weight.
The BMW Group introduces series-ready natural fiber composites from renewable flax-based raw materials. Developed through cross-industry collaboration, a new resin and prepreg system improves durability, visual quality, and processing by overcoming moisture sensitivity. Extensive testing confirms UV, climate, and mechanical performance, supported by diffusion barriers and coatings. This material reduces CO?e emissions by about 40% during production and addresses end-of-life impacts. Meeting strict automotive standards, the components have proven performance in BMW M Motorsport cars, demonstrating BMW’s commitment to sustainable, lightweight solutions for future models.

Key benefits:

• 40% CO?e cut in production plus end-of-life vs. carbon
• Highly suitable for visible exterior and interior parts
• Several years of development and in-depth research
• Natural fiber composites confirmed for future series cars
• Applied in BMW M Motorsport racing cars

 

Automotive & Road Transportation – Process

Plastic EV battery housing for mass production
University of Technology Chemnitz (Germany)
www.leichtbau.tu-chemnitz.de
Partners:
Mahle Filtersysteme GmbH (Germany)
Formenbau GF GmbH (Germany)
In2p GmbH (Germany)
Gerlinger Industries GmbH (Germany)
Wickert Maschinenbau GmbH (Germany)
Fraunhofer ICT (Germany)

A thermoplastic, glass-fibre-reinforced traction-battery housing was developed. Using commercially available long- and continuous-fiber semi-finished products and fewer semi-finished variants enables automated large-scale compression molding. Lifecycle emissions are ≈25% lower than aluminum diecast.
A load-bearing battery housing made from long and continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic was developed to reduce weight and increase structural rigidity. Commercial semi-finished materials were combined into a multilayer system and processed via compression molding, enabling manufacture of a flawless component from a single organo sheet. New lightweight grippers were engineered to handle lofted, preheated blanks. Waste-free production was achieved using rectangular blanks and a controlled pre-draping mechanism. With cycle times under two minutes, the process supports large-scale manufacturing and delivers about 25% lower lifecycle emissions compared to an aluminum reference design.

Key benefits:

• Large-scale FRP production of a EV battery housing
• Less than 2 minutes cycle time
• Around 25% CO2 reduction over the life cycle
• 15% weight reduction of the equipped battery box

 

Circularity & Recycling

Recycling A380 secondary structure for A320 NEO
Toray Advanced Composites (The Netherlands)
www.toraytac.com
Partners:
Airbus (France)
Daher (France)
Tarmac Aerosave (France)

Airbus, Daher, Toray, and Tarmac Aerosave are collaborating to demonstrate the reuse of end-
of-life A380 pylon covers made of Cetex® TC1100, repurposing them into new structural
parts. The initiative supports sustainability by reusing materials from one aircraft component
to another.
The aerospace industry has significantly increased its use of thermoplastic composites due to their lightweight properties, high mechanical performance, and recyclability. For example, carbon fibre-reinforced polyphenylene sulphide (C/PPS) has become widely adopted in large structural components. Each A380 contains hundreds of C/PPS parts—such as pylon covers, wing ribs, and leading edges—that are now reaching end-of-life as these aircraft retire.
This project, in collaboration with Airbus, Daher, Tarmac Aerosave, and Toray, addresses the challenge of creating a circular reuse strategy for these components, and advancing recycling technology practices in aerospace manufacturing. Instead of landfilling high-performance materials, the project aims to repropose A380 pylon covers into smaller A320 components, extending material lifecycle.

Key benefits:

• Circular reuse of aerospace composites
• Reduction of end-of-life waste
• Industrial feasibility of thermoplastic recycling
• Collaboration across OEM and Tier 1 partners
• Scalable model for other aircraft components

 

 

Digital, AI & Data

Digital Thread Innovations for Aerospace & Defence
The University of Southern Queensland (Australia)
www.unisq.edu.au/research/institutes-centres/iaess/centre-for-
future-materials
Partners:
MEMKO (Australia)
Dassault Systèmes (Australia)
Boeing Australia (Australia)

A full end-to-end digital thread of composite aerospace structures to accelerate and improve
repair (and manufacturing), providing a continuous connection of data from inspection,
through design, manufacturing, scarfing, patch application, and finally quality checks prior
to entry back into service.
This innovation demonstrates a full digital thread for composite repair, linking inspection, data interpretation, CAD-based damage mapping, automated patch design, scarfing, patch manufacture, application, and certification. It advances three critical capabilities: interpreting inspection data and embedding it in the Digital Twin; rapidly generating optimized, damage-specific patch designs; and using in-situ monitoring for the patch adhesion process. Additional work digitizes manufacturing, including AI-enhanced filament-winding monitoring, enabled through Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE tools. By capturing in-process manufacturing data, the Digital Thread updates throughout the lifecycle, supporting as manufactured design analysis and future repair & end-of-life decisions.

Key benefits:

• Complete digital thread of components life cycle
• Automated damage characterization after inspection
• Rapid design & analysis of repair patch definition
• In-process monitoring of manufacturing processes
• Rapid return-to-service for aerospace assets

 

Maritime Transportation & Shipbuilding

CoPropel – How to Minimise Fuel Consumption
Loiretech Ingénierie (France)
www.loiretech.com
Partners:
University of Ioannina (Greece)
Danaos Systems (Cyprus)
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (France)
MECA (France)
BHSC (Bulgaria)
Glafcos Marine (Greece)
TWI (UK)
Brunel University London (UK)

Major innovations of CoPropel were linked to hydrodynamic & mechanical coupling to optimiser pitch under several conditions at low computation cost, embedding SHM system in a rotating part and building a net shape RTM component with impact protection at leading and trailing edges.
This innovation presents a composite propeller designed to exploit the flexibility and tunable mechanical response of fibre-reinforced structures. By optimising fibre orientation, the blade pitch adapts to varying hydrodynamic loads, unlike rigid metallic propellers. Manufactured by RTM to net shape, each blade integrates SHM systems (optical fibres and strain gauges) for real-time condition monitoring and easier maintenance. A lightweight joining design enables underwater blade replacement. Advanced NDI methods were developed for blades with large thickness variations and internal cores, while a continuous composite shield protects leading and trailing edges from impacts.

Key benefits:

• Fuel saving of 4% with a potential of 15%
• Reduction of 25% of needed propulsion power
• Real time control of the propeller with SHM

 

Pipes, Tanks & Hydrogen

LeiWaCo – Lightweight tank for liquid hydrogen
CTC GmbH – An AIRBUS Company (Germany)
www.ctc-composites.de
Partners:
AFPT GmbH (Germany)
Argo-Anleg GmbH (Germany)
CompriseTec GmbH (Germany)
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) (Germany)
E-Cap Marine GmbH (Germany)
Faserinstitut Bremen e.V. (Germany)
IDVA GmbH (Germany)
Institute of Polymer Engineering of the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (Switzerland)
Schunk Kohlenstofftechnik GmbH (Germany)
Suprem SA (Switzerland)
Teijin Carbon Europe GmbH (Germany)

The first composite LH2 tank solution to eliminate cryogenic microcracking using a
synergistic combination of tailored thermoplastic matrix laminates, design solutions and
manufacturing processes. Validated by a functional subscale demonstrator.
Liquid hydrogen offers highly efficient energy storage, but CFRP tanks have been limited by cryogenic microcracking at −253 °C. LeiWaCo overcomes this through a holistic solution: a tough thermoplastic matrix with higher cryogenic strain capacity, thinner materials to reduce internal stresses, optimized layups balancing mechanical loads and thermal contraction, and an all- composite liner eliminating CTE mismatch. Implementing these innovations required advances in materials, testing, design, and manufacturing. The project delivers a cryogenically tested subscale demonstrator and a conceptual LH2 logistics container to be presented at JEC World 2026.

Key benefits:

• Significant weight and cost savings
• Automated manufacturing
• High resistance to microcracks
• Cross-sector synergies
• Enabling green hydrogen mobility

 

Railway Vehicles & Infrastructure

Composite Twin-Track Cantilever
Composite Braiding Ltd (UK)
www.compositebraiding.com
Partners:
Amey UK Ltd (UK)
Connected Places Catapult (UK)
BCIMO (UK)

The prototype composite twin-track cantilever (CTTC) engineered and manufactured by Composite Braiding Ltd (CBL) not only demonstrates the viability of using sustainable composite materials in the production of high-volume railway infrastructure but shows clear environmental and economic benefits.
This innovation introduces a composite twin-track cantilever (CTTC) built from non-conductive glass-fibre reinforced thermoplastic (PA6) to replace heavy, carbon-intensive steel structures used for railway electrification. Nearly 8m tall and 4.5m wide, it uses adaptable truss components manufactured through a highly-scalable process with braiding and high-speed consolidation at its centre. The semi-automated process yields <2% waste, low energy use, high throughput and future compatibility with recycled materials. The prototype proves that thermoplastic braided composites offer a viable, economical, and sustainable step-change for large-scale rail infrastructure.

Key benefits:

• A reduction in mass per unit of over 80%
• Reduced embodied CO2 emissions by up to 90%
• Improved worker safety and possession efficiency
• Doubling installation productivity
• Lower taxpayer cost for railway electrification

 

Renewable Energies

Composite PV Module for Vehicles
METYX (Türkiye)
www.metyx.com
Partners:
Itech Solar (Türkiye)
Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications of Middle East Technical University (Türkiye)

Lightweight, highly transparent, and impact-resistant composite PV modules combining GFRP front sheets and CFRP sandwich back sheets, achieving >50% weight reduction, excellent light transmittance, and flexibility for curved vehicle surface integration.
This innovation delivers a lightweight composite PV module for vehicle integration, replacing glass with a transparent GFRP front sheet and a rigid CFRP sandwich back sheet. Manufactured in a single-step infusion process, it offers high optical clarity (~90%), strong impact resistance, efficient heat dissipation, and major weight reduction (4–6 kg/m²). PV cells are embedded between composite layers, enabling curved geometries and enhanced durability. Tests confirmed IEC-level hail resistance with no cell damage, making this a cost-efficient step toward next-generation VIPV systems.

Key benefits:

• 50–80% lighter than conventional glass panels
• Impact and hail resistant
• Curved vehicle integration possible
• Thermal regulation via CFRP
• Enhanced durability and safety- more affordable

 

Sports, Leisure & Recreation

Lifecycle: A repairable road bike
fenix composites (Germany)
https://fenix-composites.com
Partners:
Alformet GmbH (Germany)
herone GmbH (Germany)
hyJOIN GmbH (Germany)

The innovation is a bike frame made of thermoplastic CFRP profiles and titanium lugs. It is
joined by induction without additional adhesives or fastener elements. Through the
reversibility of the process defective components can be removed and replaced in order to
maximise the frame’s life cycle.
The bike frame combines 3D-printed Ti6Al4V lugs with thermoplastic composite tubes. Titanium lugs are produced by DMLS, machined for bearing seats, and laser-structured for joining. The front triangle uses braided preforms of recycled carbon fibre/PA6 consolidated by herone, while the rear triangle uses Alformet’s LATW-manufactured CF/PA6 tubes. Assembly relies on thermal direct joining: induction heating melts the polymer, which flows into the lug’s micro-structure, creating a strong (50+ MPa) adhesive-free joint. Tubes and lugs can be repeatedly separated and replaced, enabling full recyclability and repairability.

Key benefits:

• Highly resilient and reversible joint connection
• Low cycle times for joining
• Manufacturing process can be fully automated
• 3D-printing allows the use of generative design
• Material, energy and cost effective

The major players across the entire composites value chain will be at JEC World 2026, which will take place on March 10-12 2026 in Paris-Nord Villepinte, France.