#179 Composites United Interview about their internationalisation during Kompozyt Expo 2024
15.09.2025 8 min Staffel 5 Episode 137
Zusammenfassung & Show Notes
🔊 Composites United e.V. on Central Europe's Composites Momentum – Interview with Martin Kretschmann (October 2024)
During the KOMPOZYT-EXPO® in Krakow last October, Composites Lounge hosted an insightful interview with Martin Kretschmann, Project Leader for Internationalisation at Composites United e.V..
The conversation focused on CU’s strategic expansion into Central and Eastern European composites markets, with a particular emphasis on Poland.
đź’¬ Key takeaways from the interview:
Composites United has maintained a three-year partnership with the Polish Cluster of Composite Technologies / Polski Klaster Technologii Kompozytowych.
The association actively facilitates B2B matchmaking between Polish and German companies, including joint booths and delegation exchanges.
Martin Kretschmann, fluent in Polish and based in Berlin, plays a pivotal role in bridging cultural and industrial gaps.
CU’s internationalisation efforts extend beyond Poland, encompassing innovation days and lightweighting initiatives across Germany and Europe.
🚀 In just 10 days, the spotlight will shift to JEC Forum Central Europe, taking place on September 17–18, 2025 in Krakow. This marks the launch of a new format by JEC Group, co-organized with Targi w Krakowie.
This forum is designed to be highly business-focused, offering:Â
âś… Targeted B2B meetings
âś… A showcase of sustainable materials
✅ Engagement with key markets including Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary – among Germany’s top trade partners.
🌍 The event will alternate biennially with KOMPOZYT-EXPO®, ensuring continuous regional engagement and innovation.
🎤 Composites Lounge will be on-site with itsÂ
During the KOMPOZYT-EXPO® in Krakow last October, Composites Lounge hosted an insightful interview with Martin Kretschmann, Project Leader for Internationalisation at Composites United e.V..
The conversation focused on CU’s strategic expansion into Central and Eastern European composites markets, with a particular emphasis on Poland.
đź’¬ Key takeaways from the interview:
Composites United has maintained a three-year partnership with the Polish Cluster of Composite Technologies / Polski Klaster Technologii Kompozytowych.
The association actively facilitates B2B matchmaking between Polish and German companies, including joint booths and delegation exchanges.
Martin Kretschmann, fluent in Polish and based in Berlin, plays a pivotal role in bridging cultural and industrial gaps.
CU’s internationalisation efforts extend beyond Poland, encompassing innovation days and lightweighting initiatives across Germany and Europe.
🚀 In just 10 days, the spotlight will shift to JEC Forum Central Europe, taking place on September 17–18, 2025 in Krakow. This marks the launch of a new format by JEC Group, co-organized with Targi w Krakowie.
This forum is designed to be highly business-focused, offering:Â
âś… Targeted B2B meetings
âś… A showcase of sustainable materials
✅ Engagement with key markets including Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary – among Germany’s top trade partners.
🌍 The event will alternate biennially with KOMPOZYT-EXPO®, ensuring continuous regional engagement and innovation.
🎤 Composites Lounge will be on-site with itsÂ
#Composites360OnTour format, conducting interviews and exploring the Central European composites landscape in depth.
📢 Suppliers: Only a few booths remain – secure your presence now with Barbara Płuciennik!
👉 Buyers: Register for free to access B2B meetings, networking events, F&B, and the JEC Magazine. Contact Anne-Carole Barbarin, Regional Director of JEC Group
đź“Ť Location: Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre
Let’s shape the future of composites in Central Europe – together. Looking forward meeting you in 10 days.
YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/DnL_Dw1m2qM
📢 Suppliers: Only a few booths remain – secure your presence now with Barbara Płuciennik!
👉 Buyers: Register for free to access B2B meetings, networking events, F&B, and the JEC Magazine. Contact Anne-Carole Barbarin, Regional Director of JEC Group
đź“Ť Location: Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre
Let’s shape the future of composites in Central Europe – together. Looking forward meeting you in 10 days.
YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/DnL_Dw1m2qM
Transkript
Our last stop now is with Composites United e.V.
This is an association based in Germany,
the largest Association for Composites
and together with me
is Martin Kretschmann.
He's the project engineer
or project leader for internationalisation
with Poland on the Composites United side.
So, thank you, Martin, for being part of our show.
Yeah. Thank you Ilkay,
for inviting me to the interview and introduction.
You're welcome.
So tell us about your intentions.
What means internationalization with
Poland for Composites United?
Composites United is very active on the international scene.
Of course, in Europe, we have a lot of Partnerships
and not only member companies,
but also relationships with other clusters
like the Polish Cluster for Composites Technologies
and we have been partners for three years now.
This is the 3rd edition on the fair in Krakow
where we have a common Booth
so they invite us annually to
take part with our companies here.
We also did a lot of B2B meetings
or polished delegations coming to Germany
and also German delegations having
an impression Polish markets.
And we do this in a larger, in an open scale,
this with booths at fairs and conferences,
but also of course, we have B2B format.
So, whoever's interested in the Polish market.
I've been living and working here in Poland,
I'm fluent in the language and can contact me.
I have a really good access to the companies
and also the culture and at language level
and that's what makes it really efficient
for us to be active here with my person.
And we see a lot of potential here on
the Polish market and looking forward
to upcoming fruitful years of collaboration.
I am based actually in Berlin
in our headquarters.
So I also take care about the Composites
and lightweighting network in Berlin/Brandenburg
and in Eastern Germany generally.
But we share our tasks and
composite and lightweight technologies
quite fluently,
so I am also involved in other internationalisation
activities or innovation days
with topics, which are connected
with our members and Berlin,
and Brandenburg all over Germany or internationally.
So, that's what I do in our home country.
So Martin, that's really hot news
that you are based in Berlin
that means also that you have,
the German government on the side of you.
Let me talk about the future.
So THIS (!) year,
will be JEC Forum Central Europe 2025.
What is your role as Composites United e.V. in
this year’s (!) edition?
Can you give us a glimpse on
what will be your program this (!) year?
This (!) year, we will have
to JEC Forum Central Europe here in Krakow.
Also, it will be a different format.
A bit more
B2B focused.
Of course, we will be engaged again
with the Polish cluster and also
the Expo Krakow, the Polish,
the Polish Fair here in Krakow
with organizing the event together with JEC Composites.
And we're looking forward to have a lot of B2B meetings
and integrating German companies or in general,
Composites United members more
on the Polish market.
And I think they also have ambitions
to integrate Slovakia and Czech Republic more
and also Hungary.
So this is a huge Market.
These for countries.
are actually one of the biggest
trade partners of Germany,
which underlines the potential to see here
and this JEC Forum will be a great occasion
to go bit deeper in technological topics
and we couldn't do right here on the fair.
So this was Composites United, Martin Kretschmann.
He talked about the
Polish internationalisation efforts of Composites United.
So this was the 2024 edition of Kompozyt Expo.
This (!) year, the JEC group,
has launched JEC Forum Central Europe.
That will be also launching its first edition
hereor on the Krakow premises.
So we will be meeting here
in a slightly different set up,
but it will be continuing to show you
and get you the brightest minds,
the influencers and subject matters from the show.