After a three-year break due to corona, the global composites industry came together again for the first time at a JEC World. The leading composites industry event was held in Paris from May 3-5, 2022. It exceeded all expectations in terms of product launches, content, business activities and attendance. In total, more than 32,000 trade visitors from over 115 countries were counted in Paris and on the JEC World Connect digital platform. The online format celebrated its premiere and was offered parallel to the presence event.

There were 1,201 exhibitors at the exhibition center in Paris. There were 26 pavilions and the launches of 500 new products. With the impressive figures, dynamic networking and lively business activity, JEC World once again confirmed its exposed position in the exhibition landscape of the composites industry. By the end of the event, 50% of the exhibition space for JEC World 2023 had already been booked. The KARL MAYER Group will also be back next year.

This renowned global player celebrated a premiere at this year's trade fair: for the first time, it was represented in Paris by its STOLL Business Unit and thus also had solutions from the flat knitted sector in its trade fair luggage. KARL MAYER Technische Textilien also presented the possibilities offered by its innovative machines for the production of reinforcement textiles. The highlight here was a snowboard made from a scrim produced from flax fibres. Composites made from renewable raw materials were the hit of the show. "Many of the solutions are still in the early stages of large-scale production, but they are an interesting alternative in terms of sustainability," says Hagen Lotzmann. The Sales Manager of KARL MAYER Technische Textilien is satisfied with the results of JEC World 2022. "We met all our important customers and also got into conversation with many new manufacturers. Around a third of all visitors were first-time contacts." Missing, however, were the representatives from the Chinese market. Due to corona-related travel restrictions, they had to stay at home. In addition, the results of the meetings were right. "We had exclusively trade visitors at our booth. We mostly discussed very specific concerns at a high technical level," says Hagen Lotzmann.

KARL MAYER's flat knitting unit also drew a positive conclusion. The presentation in Paris had provided a lot of food for thought and created new opportunities for networking, explained Martin Legner from STOLL Sales. In addition, he said, there was broader input when discussing various topics. Among the possibilities offered by STOLL's flat knitting solutions in the field of technical textiles are the production of shaped articles and low-waste textiles. In addition, various materials, yarns and fibers can be integrated into knitted goods directly on the machine.