Paris-based JEC Group, an organization dedicated to promoting the use of composites solutions, has
formed a strategic alliance with Atlanta-based Messe Frankfurt Inc. North America — a subsidiary of
Frankfurt-based trade show organizer Messe Frankfurt GmbH — in order to expand its resources in
North America. As part of the partnership, JEC will colocate the spring 2014 edition of the JEC
Americas Composites Show & Conferences with Messe Frankfurt’s biennial Techtextil North America
2014 and Texprocess Americas trade shows and symposiums, to be held May 13-15, 2014, at the Georgia
World Congress Center in Atlanta.
The first two JEC Americas shows and conferences were fall events held in Boston — first in
a colocation with IFAI Expo Americas 2012 in November 2012, and this year as a stand-alone event
that took place last week. The 2013 event featured 341 exhibitors and was expected to attract
between 3,000 and 4,000 attendees. Final numbers were not available as of this writing.
Going forward, JEC plans to hold two Americas events annually, with a full show and
conference schedule in the spring to focus on composites manufacturing, and a shorter
conference-only schedule in the fall to focus on composite design. The spring 2014 event will
include the Innovative Composites Summit Conferences, JEC Americas Innovation Awards and JEC
Americas Innovation Showcase. JEC points out that locating the show in Atlanta offers a number of
advantages, as the city is at the center of a scientific network comprising more than 30
universities and is also located in one of the Americas’ key manufacturing areas.
The 2014 edition of the fall JEC Americas Composites Conferences will take place October
28-29, 2014, again in Boston.
At a press conference held on opening day of this year’s show, Mutel noted that the Americas
are an important area of composites and end product development and manufacturing. Within JEC, 80
percent of members of the Board of Directors are American or represent American companies. The
organization maintains an office in Union, N.J., to serve the composites industry in the Americas.
“The Americas are a major global center of composites innovation, and are a beacon for
industry players who wish to compete and thrive in the largest worldwide market,” said Fréderique
Mutel, president and CEO, JEC Group. “Teaming up with Messe Frankfurt Inc. allows a strong
presentation of technical textiles and composites solutions that will drive both industries
forward.”
“Composites are a growing, innovative product segment also for technical textiles,” said
John Gallagher, president and CEO, Messe Frankfurt Inc. “The agreement allows a blending within the
technical textiles and composites value chain — material producers, technology and equipment
manufacturers, end product fabricators and composite users.”
The partnership is a first for the Techtextil brand, whose flagship exhibition is held every
two years in Frankfurt, and which also encompasses four other events in addition to the Frankfurt
and Atlanta shows. “We are very happy with this colocation as it is the first time we are working
together with another exhibition brand,” said Michael Jaenecke, director brand management
Techtextil, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH. “I am convinced that the industry will appreciate this
cooperation, especially in the USA.”
October 8, 2013
