JEC World 2026: Q&A with JEC Group CEO Éric Pierrejean

JEC World strives to connect the entire composites value chain, from raw materials to end-use applications. Source | CW

JEC World, the global composites industry’s largest and longest-running trade event, is fast approaching, March 10-12, 2026, at the Paris Nord Villepinte in Paris, France. In preparation for the 2026 iteration, CW sat down with JEC Group CEO Éric Pierrejean to get the latest on the featured programs and exhibitions that attendees can expect to find at this year’s show.

CompositesWorld (CW): With its ongoing motto, “Pushing the Limits,” how is JEC World 2026 working to evolve with the composites industry? How will this be expressed at the show?

Éric Pierrejean (EP): Composites are performing in ways they have not performed in the past, going beyond the existing limits of what is possible. For example, materials can reach higher temperatures for space applications for reentry. And of course, this enables application sectors to imagine and then create what was not possible in the past. From JEC’s point of view, this motto also means pushing the limits of what we can do at the show. This means more exhibitors, more visitors, new experiences year on year. It is our motto to make sure that every JEC World delivers a bigger experience and a stronger experience for everyone.

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CW: Some of JEC World’s most popular programs are the JEC Innovation Awards and the Startup Booster. What can you tell us about these programs for 2026?

EP: The Innovation Awards have a long tradition of celebrating the most collaborative achievements. The award winners are very often the result of collaboration between many partners across all of the sectors served by the composites industry, whether it be automotive, marine, aerospace, etc. As there have been before, there are many finalists for 2026. We will reveal them during the JEC World Premiere, a special event that takes place on January 12 in Paris. The goal of the Premiere is to highlight the nominees because they show strong achievements that are worth celebrating.

It’s been almost 10 years now since we introduced the Startup Booster program, designed to help give startups visibility in the industry. Over this time, we have scouted and identified almost 1,000 startups in the composites industry. The industry is keen to meet the innovative companies and entrepreneurs that are helping lead change, and we wish to help them become part of its future. I hope more and more of these startups will become bellwethers of the industry. Also, this year, like last year, we are not only highlighting startups, but also connecting them with potential investors. They might be venture capitalists (VCs) or they might be corporations with VCs interested in funding and cooperating with startups. There is a lot of energy around the Startup Booster and we are excited to see this program continue in 2026.

The JEC Startup Booster provides a networking opportunity, offering increased visibility into the future of the composites industry. Source | JEC Group

CW: What programs or presentations will be new at JEC World 2026 that attendees should look for?

EP: For the first time, JEC will feature a village focused more generally on circularity. Companies working on composites recycling or repurposing — startups, SMEs and bigger firms in this market — are already addressing circularity, but we think it’s good to give visibility to this topic by featuring a village devoted to it. This is an important challenge for the industry, which is driven by three factors. First, society expects that we actively address this challenge. Second, we also have regulations coming; in Europe especially, there have been many discussions about end-of-life vehicle regulation. Third, supply chains themselves, and their OEMs, are demanding that circularity challenges be met. This is a significant and ongoing issue for the composites industry and we will use JEC World to help highlight and drive solutions.

We also have planned a special exhibition to highlight the contribution of composites to the development of aircraft. We will show how composites and aerospace have, over time, become interlinked, culminating in the composites used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350. However, we also want to look to future aircraft like a new single-aisle and how composites might be used in that. There is really an intimate connection between aeronautics and composites and we would like to highlight this history —from this history we can anticipate the future.

Finally, we are growing our ability to highlight the research and innovation projects that are funded by, for example, national governments or regional research institutes or consortia. We believe they need a platform to help disseminate their work and show their results. It’s good to have research projects, but we should also make sure that the learnings from them help accelerate new ideas in industry.

Since its introduction a few years ago, the Natural Fibers Village has been a rapidly growing exhibition area at JEC World. Reworked into the Bio Materials Village for 2026, it showcases solutions based on natural fibers, bio-resins and renewable resources. Source | JEC Group

CW: For someone who is new to composites manufacturing, what elements of JEC World make this show valuable and beneficial?

EP: Like any live event, at JEC World you can talk to experts from around the world, ask questions, see new products, connect with colleagues and meet your competitors. You can also see live demos and working machines. For example, you can get an understanding of how large-scale additive manufacturing is done, or how to set up a vacuum bag for infusion and so on. And at JEC World there is always a technology or material or part on display that you did not expect to find that might help you and your company do your job better and more efficiently.

Headed into 2026, there is still some uncertainty in the world. By this I mean geopolitics, the impact of tariffs, threat of regulations and the global push for sustainability. We can read about and talk about these things, but JEC World provides a way for us to understand these challenges together and in person and find the best path forward. The composites industry is pushing the limits, and doing that requires we collaborate and communicate. JEC World provides that.

CW: JEC World is a big and busy show. What suggestions or tips do you have to help an attendee get the most out of their time at the event?

EP: First of all, use all of the tools that are available to prepare for the show; JEC World is not something you can simply walk into and quickly see what’s going on. For example, we have publications before the show that highlight exhibits and new technology. And as I noted, we have the Premiere in January, which you can watch livestream or on demand.

We also have a business meetings platform, which is the tool we use at our forums. This enables a visitor to connect easily with exhibitors featuring the products and technologies they are most interested in. What kind of technology and/or what kind of products do you want to see? If you know this, you can build faster connections. So, for both visitors and exhibitors, the platform is a way to plan meetings with the right people and discover people and companies you did not know existed. If you come to JEC World without preparation, you will miss a lot of things.