Materials Week Europe 2026 Conference Agenda

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Day 1 – 08:50am Opening Keynote, DOW Chemical Company

“Driving Sustainability at Scale: How Material Innovation is Decarbonising Global Manufacturing” – Sylvie Fonteneau, Global Sustainability Director

 

A powerful opening from DOW Chemical Company exploring how cutting-edge materials—from specialty polymers to silicones—are enabling real-world carbon reduction in industrial production. Discover scalable strategies for embedding circularity, reducing emissions, and meeting global ESG demands through material science.

Day 1: Accelerating Manufacturing & Scaling Innovation

Stage 1: Advanced Manufacturing Tactics

 

09:30–09:40 Opening Welcome – The Age of Smart Materials Manufacturing

09:40–10:20 Silicone Expo – New process technology for precise dosing of silicone in a continuous mixing process – Michael Schwab, Sales Engineer at UTH

10:20–11:00 The Magnetics Show – Leading the Change, Powering the Future: Sheensen Magnetics’ Breakthroughs and Innovations in High-End Permanent Magnets – Gary Yan, President at Zhejiang Sheensen Magnetics Technology Co., Ltd.

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

11:15–11:55 The Gasket & Seals Show – Robotic die-cutting and inline quality assurance

11:55–12:35 Materials Week – Smarter Formulations: Using AI to Cut Costs and Maintain Flammability Compliance in Polyurethane Foams – Matthias Hermann, Solutions Engineer at Citrine Informatics

 

Lunch (60 minutes)

 

13:35–14:15 High Entropy Alloy Expo – The Role of Advanced Anisotropic Plasto-Magnets in Next-Gen Applications – Dr. Richard Arlot, Founder & Managing Director at IMAG – Magnetics Intelligence

14:15–14:55 Panel Discussion – Factory digital twins: bringing materials R&D to production faster

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

15:10–15:50 Materials Week Panel Discussion– Inline defect detection using AI: Case studies – Hosted by Markus Landl, Business Development Manager ELAST/LSR at ENGEL

15:50–16:30 Closing Talk – Integrated smart lines: zero-defect, high-speed, multi- material lines

 

Stage 2: Design for Manufacturability & Innovation at Scale

 

09:30–09:40 Opening Welcome – Reducing development cycles from lab to shop floor

09:40–10:20 Speciality Polymers World – Co-designing polymer parts for 3D printing and injection molding – Thomas Batigne, Co-Founder & President of LYNXTER

10:20–11:00 The Magnetics Show – Advancements in Magnetic Field Measurements: SENIS 3D Magnetic Field Mapping System and Pure 3D Magnetic Camera for Precision Magnet – Maciej Urban, Product Manager at SENIS AG

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

11:15–11:55 Silicone Expo – Fluorosilicone – New Era Chemical Shandong Co. LTD

11:55–12:35 The Gasket & Seals Show – Smart design for automated assembly: CAD-integrated seal geometries

Lunch (60 minutes)

 

13:35–14:15 High Entropy Alloy Expo – High-throughput synthesis of high-entropy alloys and rapid discovery of chemical compositions with superior corrosion resistance – Dr. Hüseyin Zengin, Institute of Chemical Technology of Inorganic Materials at Johannes Kepler University Linz

14:15–14:55 Panel Discussion – Collaboration across design and production to unlock scale

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

15:10–15:50 Materials Week Panel Discussion – How to launch rapid-pilot lines with minimal capex

15:50–16:30 Closing Talk – Cross-material breakthroughs in production efficiency

 

Day 2: Cost-Cutting, Sustainability & Value Creation

Stage 1: Cost Reduction Tactics in Manufacturing

 

09:30–09:40 Opening Welcome – Value through efficiency and reformulation – Tea Pavlek, Event Marketing Manager at Uncountable

09:40–10:20 Silicone Expo – Waste Not, Want Not: Derived Reinforcing Fillers Shrink the Carbon Footprint of Silicones – Michael Brook, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Neopara Materials

10:20–11:00 The Magnetics Show – Sustainable Manufacturing of Nd-Fe-B Magnets with Optimized Heavy Rare Earth Content: The 2-Powder Method Approach – Konrad Opelt, Magnetic Materials at Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

11:15–11:55 The Gasket & Seals Show – Blending recycled elastomers without performance loss

11:55–12:35 Speciality Polymers World – Lowering compounding costs via in-line additives – Kevin Rossi, Assistant Professor Advanced Materials at TU Delft | Mechanical Engineering

 

Lunch (60 minutes)

 

13:35–14:15 High Entropy Alloy Expo – Energy reduction in melting, casting, and post-processing

14:15–14:55 Materials Week Panel Discussion – What buyers want: material specs that reduce total lifecycle cost

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

15:10–15:50 Materials Week – A cost and energy expenditure analysis for material application scenarios – Giorgio Valsecchi, R&D Manager at TAV VACUUM FURNACES SPA

15:50–16:30 Closing Talk – Strategic sourcing and localised material supply

 

Stage 2: Materials for Circular Economies and Eco-Design

 

09:30–09:40 Opening Welcome – Aligning with sustainability regulation and brand goals – Mathias Müller, Public Affairs Manager Sector Groups at Silicones Europe

09:40–10:20 Speciality Polymers World – PFAS Restriction process and its impact on sealing applications – Sandy Van Den Broeck, Director at European Sealing Association

10:20–11:00 Silicone Expo – Reimagining Manufacturing: The Convergence of Smart Materials and Intelligent Production – Bob Umland, Global Director Sales & Marketing at Flacktek

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

11:15–11:55 The Magnetics Show – Assuring recycled permanent magnet quality in R&D and production – Dr. Koen Vervaeke, CEO / Founder at Magcam

11:55–12:35 High Entropy Alloy Expo – The Unbreakable Connection: Enhancing circularity of Conductive Silicone with Graphene nanotubes in Extreme Environments – Ekaterina Gorbunova, Vice President of Product Development for Elastomers at OCSiAl Group

 

Lunch (60 minutes)

 

13:35–14:15 Materials Week Cross-Sector – Lifecycle analysis tools for advanced material choices – Jan Boomsma, Managing Director at Sondel Engineering

14:15–14:55 Panel Discussion – Sustainability value chain: from supplier to end-user

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

15:10–15:50 Silicone Expo & Speciality Polymers World – Product stewardship and take-back schemes – Alexander Litvinov, Global Business Director, Chemicals at Goodpack

15:50–16:30 Closing Talk – Selling sustainability: Separating Fact from Fiction. USA FTZ-enabled supply chains for better cost, compliance, and ESG outcomes – Wilfredo Reyes, Principal at ARM Global Strategies Advisory

 

Day 3: Market Adoption & Business Growth

Stage 1: Commercialisation, Partnerships & Buyers

 

09:30–09:40 Opening Welcome – Winning with go-to-market strategies

09:40–10:20 Materials Week – Selling to aerospace, defence, and energy: requirements and ROI – Dorothee Arns, Director General at European Association of Chemical Distributors (FECC)

10:20–11:00 Silicone Expo – Advances in reclaiming and reusing cured silicones / Reimagining Manufacturing: The Convergence of Smart Materials and Intelligent Production – ELKEM

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

11:15–11:55 Speciality Polymers World– Displacing legacy materials: proof-of-concept to pilot

11:55–12:35 The Gasket & Seals Show – Accelerating OEM Collaboration and Stakeholder Satisfaction with Custom Seal Design with NewtonSuite eSeal – Naomichi Taketa, Account Manager at NewtonWorks Corporation

 

Lunch (60 minutes)

 

13:35–14:15 The Magnetics Show – Recycled Nd-Fe-B magnets for improved supply resilience and product sustainability of motors and generators – Mario Schönfeldt, M. Eng., Magnetic Materials Fire Safety Officer at Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS

14:15–14:55 Panel Discussion – From niche to mainstream: building markets for emerging materials

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

15:10–15:50 High Entropy Alloy Expo – Refractory High-Entropy Alloys: Game-Changers for Extreme Rocket Environments – Asad Ullah, Aerospace And Astronautics Manufacturing/Research & Testing Engineer at Accrofab

15:50–16:30 Closing Talk – Positioning materials companies for acquisition or scale-up

 

Stage 2: Application-Specific Material Breakthroughs

 

09:30–09:40 Opening Welcome – Designing materials for market impact

09:40–10:20 Silicone Expo – Digital Transformation in the Chemical Industry: From Strategy to Real-World Success – Kevin Meyer, Solutions Architect at Albert Invent

10:20–11:00 Speciality Polymers World – Advanced polymers for packaging, electronics, and batteries – Dennis Ashford PhD, Manager, Staff Scientist at Intertek Assuris

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

11:15–11:55 The Magnetics Show – Sustainable magnetic materials development through AI-driven high throughput lab – Thibaud Martin, CEO at Altrove

11:55–12:35 The Gasket & Seals Show – Seals for extreme performance in H2 and cryogenic systems – Nithin Kuncheria, Rubber Technologist at Clwyd Compounders

 

Awards Ceremony

 

13:35–14:15 High Entropy Alloy Expo – Lightweight high-temperature alloys for space and aviation – Chad Lindner, Sales Engineer at American Elements

14:15–14:55 Panel Discussion – New applications: from concept to contract

 

Break (15 minutes)

 

15:10–15:50 Materials Week Cross-Sector – Leveraging simulation to win early-stage business

15:50–16:30 Closing Talk – The next 5 years in advanced materials: what the markets are asking for

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Day 3 – 4:30pm Final Closing Keynote

“From Lab to Ledger: Mastering the Art of Selling Advanced Materials to High-Value Markets”

 

This closing keynote delivers a high-impact blueprint for commercial success in the materials industry. Learn how to position and sell breakthrough materials to automotive, aerospace, electronics, and energy sectors—with tactics that move you from technical validation to strategic sales and long-term contracts.

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Confirmed Speakers

Materials Week Europe 2026 offers a remarkable selection of confirmed speakers, bringing together leading scientists, accomplished researchers, and dynamic professionals across the advanced materials sector. This diverse group features experts in materials innovation, sustainability, manufacturing processes, and academic research disciplines, ensuring an exceptional depth of insight and perspective at the event.

Attendees can look forward to presentations from notable figures who are advancing the fields of chemical engineering, inorganic and organic materials, magnetic materials, sealing technologies, advanced polymers, and high-entropy alloys, ensuring valuable insights and perspectives critical to the future of materials science and advanced manufacturing.

View Confirmed Speakers
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Call for Speakers

Are you driving innovation in materials science, engineering, or sustainable design?

Materials Week Europe is calling on pioneering researchers, thought leaders, and industry innovators to share their insights at the continent’s leading event dedicated to materials and their applications.

Is there a session from the agenda you’d like to offer your thought leadership to? Contact our Conference Director Tom using the button below for more information.

Interested in Speaking?

Conference

Conference

Join leading experts and innovators at Materials Week Europe for a one-of-a-kind technical and commercial conference. Discover exclusive insights, pioneering research, and forward-thinking strategies from across the materials science landscape.

Engage in in-depth discussions on materials development, advanced characterisation, and emerging supply chain challenges. Explore the transformative potential of innovative materials and their expanding role in shaping our future.

Is there a session from the agenda you’d like to offer your thought leadership to? Scroll to the bottom of this page to contact our Conference Director Tom for more information.

The conference for the industry

Electrical

Gain firsthand knowledge from leading voices at the forefront of magnetics and advanced materials. Discover how innovators are addressing the sector’s most pressing challenges and driving meaningful progress.

Construction

Stay at the forefront with the latest breakthroughs in magnetic materials, advanced manufacturing, and real-world applications driving next-generation technologies

Automotive

Develop critical knowledge on the future of sustainable materials.

Medical

Discover how next-generation materials are transforming global industries such as automotive, energy, aerospace, healthcare and electronics.

Welcome to The Gaskets & Seals Show

  • 24 – 26 February 2026

Welcome to High Entropy Alloy Expo

  • 24 – 26 February 2026

Welcome to Silicone Expo

  • 24 – 26 February 2026

Welcome to Speciality Polymers World

  • 24 – 26 February 2026

Welcome to The Magnetics Show

  • 24 – 26 February 2026
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