Symposium Bonding Visions: experts show lightweight trends of the future Bodo Möller Chemie and experts from research and industry presented composite, adhesive and lightweight trends on two-day symposium in Hamburg

The specialty chemicals company Bodo Möller Chemie has introduced for the first time during a two-day conference on 15th and 16th May 2014 current and future trends, developments and potential in the field of lightweight construction, composites and specialty adhesives. In Hamburg Hotel Hafen eleven speakers offered about 60 participants insights into the growing importance of bonding as a modern joining technique for the 21st century and showed the benefits of novel materials in many growth industries such as automotive, aerospace and alternative energy.

Industry experts provide innovative application scenarios

Present experts and decision makers from various production and development industries from Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland were informed about specialized adhesives and their key role in modern lightweight construction as well as glass fiber or carbon- reinforced products and discussed their individual projects and applications with the experts. The invited speakers, experts and industry insiders, also introduced innovative application scenarios and offered insights into the future of lightweight construction and adhesive technology. The overview of Ansgar van Halteren, CEO of the IVK, on the adhesives and sealants market, was followed by an introduction to the possibilities of adhesive technology by Horst Stepanski, owner of the engineering firm Stepanski Engineering.

Lightweight and specialty adhesives in practical application

Next was Wolfgang Seeliger to present the Leichtbau BW GmbH in his presentation on lightweight, proper energy and resource use and the connection with adhesives. Wolfgang Stratmann, owner of the consulting company Composites go, then discussed various composite types, manufacturing techniques and the benefits of bonding with highly integrated fiber composite components. Before the participants in the afternoon visited the Airbus facility in Finkenwerder, Christian Dreyer, Deputy Director of the Fraunhofer PYCO, showed the new adhesive concept releasable adhesives. The impressive factory tour on the AIRBUS site was rounded off by a dinner at sea and a Hamburger port and Speicherstadt tour.

The second day started with an interactive keynote presentation of the internationally and from the TV well-known Boris Nikolai Konrad. The neuroscientist and memory world record holder explained to the participants how “information will bond better in everyday life and profession”. Back in the thematic context, Edith Zimmermann, Director of the iKTZ, presented a variety of applications of micro to macro bonding. Philip Deitmerg of Bond -Laminates GmbH presented manufacture and joining of continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites before Jan Schoppmeier from CTC Stade introduced production and processing of composite structures using the example of the sealing of CFRP cutting edges.

The last presentation block was designed by Anke Lewin of Evonik Industries AG, who introduced silane-modified polymers with lateral silane groups as flexible binder technology for adhesives and sealants, and Andreas Hartwig, Deputy Director of the Fraunhofer IFAM, who rounded up the event with an outlook on trends in adhesive chemistry and quality assurance.

Modern customer solutions are decisive in the industry

Since 2008, the Bodo Möller Chemie organizes their well-known series of seminars for industry-wide use of adhesives and electrical casting technologies with its partners Huntsman Advanced Materials and Dow Automotive Systems. Frank Haug, CEO of Bodo Möller Chemie Group explains the idea for this special event: “We have combined the experience of Bodo Möller Chemie in organizing customer seminars with the need to have the fingers on the pulse of time. In the composite world we as Bodo Möller Chemie act as a problem solver and supplier for specialized and raw materials for the industry. Especially for us it is important to be well informed about the trends and developments in order to focus on the right customer solutions.”

With more than 40 years of experience in distribution of specialty chemicals and adhesives the Bodo Möller Chemie Group (www.bm-chemie.de, www.bm-chemie.com) is the leading trading partner for well-known European companies like DOW Automotive Systems, Henkel, BASF and Huntsman Advanced Materials. The product portfolio of the company includes powerful adhesives and adhesive systems, additives for plastics, coatings, rubber products, textiles, lubricants and other specialty chemicals. Through targeted consulting and locally specific consumer service the Bodo Möller Chemie Group offers their customer for every individual requirement the suitable product and solution