#Composites

2021-06-10

Covestro receives JEC Innovation Award

Covestro received the JEC Innovation Award in the "Sustainability" category for its development of polyurethane resins for wind rotor blades and coatings for offshore equipment. © Covestro

Recognition for innovative and more sustainable composite solutions

Polyurethane resins for high productivity of wind turbine blades

Polyurethane-based coatings for easy application and durable protection in offshore conditions

Covestro, a leading supplier of innovative and sustainable material solutions, is a winner of the JEC Innovation Award 2021 in the "Sustainability" category. With the award, the jury recognized the company´s polyurethane (PU) infusion resins for the efficient production of wind rotor blades and coatings for offshore wind turbines. For 25 years, the JEC Innovation Award has been a leading award for the development and application of composite materials.

"Covestro takes the award as an honor but also as a responsibilty to deliver on its Circular Economy vision. Enabling growth for the global wind industry is one of the company’s major goals," said Dirk Soontjens, External Representative for Covestro in the Polyurethanes Wind Segment, at the award ceremony. "The productivity and good mechanical properties of the resin system also provide the opportunity to design longer and more durable blades to achieve higher annual energy production and lower energy costs, while removing roadblocks that the industry faces."

More efficient production of rotor blades

The processing and mechanical properties of Covestro's PU were studied through prototyping and advanced computer simulations. Thanks to their low viscosity at room temperature and high reactivity at elevated temperatures, they enable rapid infusion and curing. Compared with epoxy resins, this leads to significantly shorter rotor blade production cycles. Together with the potential for weight savings and their resistance, the PU resins reduce total cost of ownership by increasing energy efficiency and lowering manufacturing and maintenance costs.

In addition, several Covestro coating solutions for offshore wind turbines were included in the case presented for the JEC Innovation Award. These include a solvent-free gelcoat, a waterborne 2-component topcoat and a polyaspartic-based leading edge protection coating. The systems feature excellent adhesion properties on PU composites and were successfully tested under simulated offshore conditions. They facilitate the manufacturing process for rotor blades and thus improve the productivity of wind turbines.

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

Covestro to exhibit solutions for a more sustainable and productive textile industry at Techtextil 2026

Covestro will present a broad portfolio of material innovations for textile coatings, adhesive films and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) at Techtextil 2026 (Hall 11.0, Booth C79). The exhibits will demonstrate how advanced solutions can enhance durability, recyclability and manufacturing efficiency across applications such as automotive, infrastructure, protective apparel and sportswear. A particular focus will be on more sustainable coating technologies, including antimicrobial systems based on INSQIN® in combination with AGXX from Heraeus Precious Metals, as well as the integration of Pontacol® thermoplastic adhesive films into Covestro’s offering.

Covestro showcases monomaterial concept in autonomous SUE People Mover

UE | STUDIOS has unveiled the fully autonomous electric minibus “Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle” (SUE), placing strong emphasis on sustainable material design. Developed within a project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and the European Union, the vehicle will begin public road testing this year. At the core of the concept is the consistent use of recyclable monomaterials to improve circularity at end of life.

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

Fewer pores, greater impact tolerance: Peter Dornier Foundation Prize 2026 honours material research on fibre-reinforced composite components for aerospace industry

Microscopically small pores that form during manufacture, or barely visible impact damage, can severely impair the load-bearing capacity and service life of fibre-reinforced composite components. Two young researchers have presented groundbreaking work in this field and will both be awarded the 2026 Peter Dornier Foundation Prize: Dr.-Ing. Benedikt Neitzel from the Technical University of Ilmenau for his doctoral thesis on pore minimisation in the RTM process, and Johanna Buschmann, M.Sc., for her master’s thesis, completed at the German Aerospace Centre, on the improved impact tolerance of 3D fabrics compared to 2D laminates.

JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 highlights Taiwan as a strategic hub for the global composites industry

The third edition of JEC Forum organized in Southeast Asia brought together 350+ participants from 22 countries for three active days of high-level Business Meetings, conferences, and networking, emphasizing Southeast Asia’s growing role in the global composites market. Held for the first time in Taipei from 23 to 24 June 2026, following the successful first editions in Bangkok, JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 confirmed its position as the region’s leading business platform dedicated to the composites industry.

MEL Composites supports ELA Aviation with advanced composite materials

MEL Composites is supplying advanced composite materials and process consumables to ELA Aviation for the production of its next-generation gyroplanes. The collaboration underlines MEL Composites’ growing role in advanced aerospace mobility, providing lightweight materials designed to improve aircraft performance, manufacturing efficiency and structural reliability.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.