CFK-Valley Stade INFOPOINT opens – € 664,000 for CFK-Valley

Bode: CFK-Valley is on its way to becoming a world-class cluster

STADE. Today, in the presence of Lower Saxony’s Minister of Economics Jörg Bode and Dr. Jean Botti, Chief Technical Officer of EADS, the CFK-Valley Stade INFOPOINT was opened. The INFOPOINT is an informative exhibition on the topic of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) – CFK for short in German – and addresses an interested professional audience. “CFRP is the lightweight material of the mobile future. It is stronger than steel and lighter than aluminium,” stated Minister

Bode at the opening. “The INFOPOINT is an outstanding platform for showing everything that is possible with this material.” Prof. Axel Herrmann, Chairman of the Steering Board of CFK-Valley Stade, added: “At the INFOPOINT, one can learn in detail about the specific properties of CFRP in its entire process chain from the fibre to the finished product.” In addition, at the opening, Bode presented an official confirmation of funding in the amount of € 664,000 to Prof. Herrmann for the further support of the cluster management. The state is investing a total of some € 71 million in the CFK Nord research centre, the largest of its kind in Europe.

The large research institutions including the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG) and the Niedersachsen Institutes of Technology (NTH), together with industrial companies such as EADS, Airbus, Premium AEROTEC, Dow and Invent, are working to develop CFRP manufacturing processes in the direction of mass production. CFRP is not only intended for increased use in the aircraft industry, but also in other transport industries such as automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding, rail car construction and wind energy systems. “With CFK Nord, CFK-Valley Stade has finally earned a leading position in the research sector,” stated EADS CTO Dr. Botti. “Stade is a central site of competence within the EADS Group with outstanding training opportunities for CFRP experts.”

Large investments are being made throughout the world in CFRP technology. It is an absolute growth market for experts. “As the leading CFRP location, Lower Saxony will have to confront this global competition. The CFK-Valley and the state have agreed on the right strategy: Diversification and Internationalisation,” emphasised Minister Bode and Prof. Herrmann.

Bode continued: “These increased challenges require strengthening of the cluster management in terms of financial and human resources. CFK-Valley and Lower Saxony are accomplishing this together. By doing so, the CFKValley finds itself on the right path to becoming a world-class cluster.” Dr. Botti added: “Europe needs such world-class clusters in order to compete against leading technology clusters. Europe doesn’t need more, but rather stronger clusters, which can survive in the global market.”

INFOPOINT

In future the exhibition at the CFK-Valley Stade INFOPOINT will be a central meeting place for the interested public, where they can familiarise themselves with the properties, procedures and manufacturing processes of the CFRP material. The technical exhibition is divided along the CFRP process chain into technology modules such as materials, manufacturing, machining, assembly, products and recycling. Visitors can experience the future technology up close by touching and trying out many exhibit items as well as by viewing multimedia presentations and films. Exhibiting companies up to now include AIRBUS Operations GmbH, AIRTECH Europe Sarl, BRÖTJE-Automation GmbH, Carbo-NXT GmbH, CTC GmbH, Dow Deutschland Anlagengesellschaft mbH, Heraeus Noblelight GmbH, Kuka Systems GmbH, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., TEN CATE ADVANCED COMPOSITES BV and Toho Tenax Europe GmbH. In order to keep the exhibit areas attractive and varied in the interest of all users, the exhibitors and the exhibit items are changed regularly.

CFK-Valley Stade e.V.

The CFK-Valley Stade e.V. is a network of excellence for carbon fibrereinforced plastics (CFRP) which is unique throughout Europe. The world’s best partners in the sector of CFRP work together in the CFK-Valley Stade association. Around 100 renowned national and international companies and research institutions are organised in the network of excellence. As a result, the entire process chain from training and technology development to recycling is being covered across Europe for the first time. Companies and research institutes use their association membership of CFK-Valley Stade to drive forward joint innovations and bring them successfully to the market.