58th Dornbirn-GFC: International network generator of fibre industry

Dornbirn-GFC – over 100 international speakers from industry and research presented their latest innovations and trends of the global fibre and textile industry from September 11-13, 2019. From the perspective of the fibre industry, top plenary lectures led by Robert van de Kerkhof, CCO, Lenzing AG, and Uday Gill, CEO, Indorama Ventures, focused on sustainability.

How can software industry support sustainable industry? This question was outlined by impressing examples from Robert Rosellen, Director, Microsoft und Stefan Achleitner, Research Palo, Alto Networks.

Top-class scientific lectures from academic research and from industry generated impetus to the participants for their future innovative actions. Also this year, over 700 attendees from more than 30 nations participated in the world’s biggest fibre innovation congress. Particularly companies from Asia and Turkey showed significant interest.

As an additional innovative enhancement of the Congress, the Dornbirn-GFC startup days took place for the first time this year. In cooperation with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), over 20 startups had the possibility to present their innovations in a custom-built tent on the congress area. Dornbirn-GFC as network generator for the second time, the Congress App enabled the participants successfully to network with each other.

Also 2019 most of the attendees accepted the invitation to the legendary Mayoress Evening at the „Trade Fair Area Dornbirn“. A delicious catering, intensive networking and finally the fashion show contributed to a terrific evening.

1st Dornbirn-GFC Startup Days

From September 11-12, 2019 the 1st Dornbirn-GFC Startup Days took place. The highly anticipated event turned out to be successful. Supported by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) about 20 international startups were selected and invited to Dornbirn. According to the motto “Come and see where Startups meet Industry, Research and Brands” the young entrepreneurs had the possibility to take part in many of the hundred expert lectures and to present their innovations in the event tent.

Startup Award: an international expert jury selected the three top projects which were awarded prize money by Lenzing AG and could also look forward to consulting services and further support by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Sustainability/circular economy – are we leading or lagging?

Walter Woitsch, Partner, Syngroup, opened the CEO Panel with this question on the opening day. A controversial discussion among the representatives of the European Textile Association (Mauro Scalia, Director, Euratex), the fast growing Sports Brand Lululemon (Yogendra Dandapure, Director, Lululemon) and the world`s biggest fibre producers (Uday Gill, CEO Indorama Ventures; Robert van de Kerkhof, CCO, Lenzing AG; Gunjan Sharma, CMO, Reliance).

Digitalisation: Innovation boost for Europe?

How is Europe performing compared to the USA or China? Josef Mantl, CEO, JMC, opened this complex topic with the Cyber Security expert from California Stefan Achleitner, Research Palo, Alto Networks and the digitalisation consultant Thomas Riegler, Partner, PwC.

But how is the actual “digital footprint” of the European mechanical engineering industry compared to the USA and Asia? In terms of this question Jochen Adler, CTO, Oerlikon und Martin Ohneberg, CEO, Henn, as well as Robert Rosellen, Director from the software giant Microsoft could clearly demonstrate the leading role of the European industry.

Cooperation for Techtextil

Techtextil is the world’s leading trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. Under the motto “Merger of Research and Marketplace Trade Fair’, Messe Frankfurt and Dornbirn-GFC want to support companies in the further development of innovative products and processes.

Also this year, the Dornbirn-GFC was represented with a booth at the Techtextil and even had the opportunity to hold a Dornbirn-GFC lecture block during the Techtextil Forum, which was very well attended.

Cooperation for AVANTEX Paris

Avantex is the hi-tech fabric apparel fair. It takes place twice a year in the city of fashion in Paris. “Fashion and research links together” is the leitmotif of the cooperation. Hi-tech fabrics and future-oriented topics will be presented to a large audience in Paris – Dornbirn-GFC and the network of the “Dornbirn-GFC Innovation Community” will support the development of hi-tech products as an idea generator.

Cooperation with EDANA

EDANA is an association representing over 240 members along the value chain in the nonwovens industry, which represents a revenue dimension of more than $30 billion. EDANA actively supports the Dornbirn-GFC by organising international lectures and supporting the “Young Scientist Forum”.