Summary of the 13th International Trade Fair KOMPOZYT-EXPO®

- Krakow's KOMPOZYT-EXPO® is one of our favorite events of the year—two days full of inspiring conversations - commented Szymon Skorupski from Fanum. The 13th edition of the International Trade Fair for Composite Materials, Technologies and Products KOMPOZYT-EXPO® took place on 16-17 October 2024 at EXPO Kraków, gathering 84 exhibitors and 2,518 visitors.

The only event for the composite industry in Poland

KOMPOZYT-EXPO® is the only trade fair in Poland, and the largest in Central and Eastern Europe, dedicated to the composite materials industry. With a highly specialized scope, the fair attracts a focused audience well-versed in the topic of composites.
- The visitors are people who are genuinely looking for solutions. That’s a win for us, as it allows us to truly engage and establish productive partnerships. We’re pleased with the turnout and the actionable insights we gained here. There were specific questions, and now we have specific tasks to tackle - shared Dariusz Adamczak, CEO of Basalttech Sp. z o.o.

This year was Basalttech’s first time exhibiting at KOMPOZYT-EXPO®. The company focuses on implementing basalt-based products, primarily for the construction industry and manufacturing. Their main mission is to re-engineer construction by replacing steel with basalt.

-I must say, the level of expertise among the visitors is high—when someone visits our booth, they generally know what they’re looking for. They ask technical questions, which means there’s real potential for concrete projects - commented Rafał Mierzwa from OEL Composites, a distributor of composite materials, including carbon, basalt, and hybrid materials, such as aramid and carbon-aramid composites.

Companies that are regular exhibitors also gave high marks to this year's edition. - We were pleasantly surprised by the number of visitors. The discussions were very interesting, and we’re hopeful to return for next year’s event - said Paweł Banaszek from Semicon Sp. z o.o., a company that primarily supplies chemical products, including adhesives, anti-adhesive products, cleaners, release agents, and tapes.

Michał Rojek from WIKO Klebetechnik Sp. z o.o. agreed - The fair was excellent, with a lot of great meetings. We had clients from various industries, including universities and institutes, so we’re looking forward to a lot of positive feedback and hopefully meeting here again next year.

Innovations in the spotlight

This year, after a few years’ break, the KOMPOZYT-EXPO® product and technology competition returned, awarding prizes for the best products and technologies. The jury, chaired by Prof. Anna Boczkowska from the Warsaw University of Technology and the Polish Academy of Sciences, and including Dr. Jacek Kasz from the Krakow University of Technology, Technology Transfer Center and Dr. Andrzej Czulak from the Polish Cluster of Composite Technologies, evaluated entries based on criteria such as functionality, user value, innovative design, and product reliability.

The jury selected two winners. In the product category, the award went to SAERTEX GmbH & Co. KG for their SAERcore® product for closed-mold injection processes, such as RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding), RTM light, and infusion processes. In the technology category, the winners were the Silesian University of Technology’s Faculty of Materials Engineering and Złotecki Sp. z o.o., for their innovative method of manufacturing an internal combustion engine piston reinforced with a locally placed Al/SiCp composite insert, shaped through centrifugal casting.

The spotlight at the trade fair was on 3D printing, introduced by specialists from Fanum and the Krakow University of Technology. According to Professor Anna Boczkowska, 3D and 4D printing represent the future of the composite materials industry. Dr. Jacek Kasz also emphasized that Polish universities are very advanced in 3D printing technology, a progress aided by the presence of some of the world's top programmers in Krakow.

- At this year’s KOMPOZYT-EXPO® trade fair, we’re showcasing a new product in the form of hybrid machine tools. These machines combine the function of multi-axis milling machines for forming molds, models, and cutting materials, while also providing 3D printing capabilities, which opens up a vast range of possibilities. This is a new solution not only in Poland but also internationally - explained Szymon Skorupski from Fanum.

Another technology drawing attention is UV curing of composites. - We are here this year on the KOMPOZYT-EXPO®  in Krakow to present the UV curing of composites. We have some good benefits to cure composites compared to a chemical treatment. We can reduce the speed of curing from hours to minutes or from minutes to seconds - explained Simon Bazlen from IST Metz GmbH & Co. KG.

KOMPOZYT-EXPO® attracts new projects, including the AMULET project final and the launch of the ResC4EU platform. Several international clusters, consortia, and associations attended, including Composites United e.V., the Polish Cluster of Composite Materials, the Latvian Information Technology Cluster, the European Digital Innovation Hub, and the Bydgoszcz Industrial Cluster – Tool Valley.

As is tradition, the “Science for Industry” booth presented R&D collaboration opportunities with participation from AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, the Technology Transfer Center of the Krakow University of Technology, the Central Mining Institute - National Research Institute, Lodz University of Technology, Silesian University of Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, and the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin. Several student science clubs also presented innovative projects, including a hydrogen-powered car, a solar-powered boat, racing cars, and motorcycles.

New Meeting Formats

During the fair, Anne-Carole Barbarin from JEC Group shared details about a new event with visitors. The JEC Forum Central Europe will debut on September 17-18, 2025, in Krakow and will be held alternately every two years with the KOMPOZYT-EXPO® Trade Fair.
This new format will facilitate more targeted meetings between suppliers and customers, allowing participants to gain the latest knowledge directly from experts worldwide.

A Double Invitation

- This was definitely an exceptional edition - an excellent turnout of visitors and very positive feedback from exhibitors, who spoke of dozens of specific meetings over the two days of the fair. Every year new exhibitors join the fair, and we have known most of the companies for years, which makes us meet in Krakow as if in the company of good friends - said Barbara Płuciennik, the event’s Project Manager.

We’re already delighted to invite you to two events—the JEC Forum Central Europe on September 17-18, 2025, and the 14th KOMPOZYT-EXPO® Trade Fair on October 7-8, 2026.
See you in Krakow!