The 54^th edition of the Dornbirn Man-Made Fibres Congress concluded in Austria last month, with a focus on innovation, cooperation, an open dialogue and sustainable investments as key to meeting global competition.

Over the last few years Dornbirn-MFC has developed into a global brand, a witness to not only the growing number of participants but also their international background.

Following the traditional opening of the Conference by the Managing Director, Friedrich Weninger, and the President of the AUSTRIAN-MFI, Robert van de Kerkhof, and words of welcome on the part of Karlheinz Rüdisser of the Vorarlberg Provincial Government, the meeting featured a range of plenary lectures.

Plenary lectures

CIRFS / Meiercord presented on The European chemical fibre industry - global overcapacities and other challenges. The paper reviewed the global situation, the strengths of the European industry and the challenge of overcapacities.

Form TL, Ingenieure für Tragwerk und Leichtbau / Schmid, discussed Innovative supporting frameworks and building shells. The paper presented visionary designs covering issues, such as building physics, statics and sustainability as well as shapes, colours and light effects.

Wood K plus – Competence Centre for Wood /Stern, Hesser presented with a paper on Forest, wood and fibres from the angle of sustainability and communication.

Humboldt Universität zu Berlin / Macho presented on Non-destructive innovation? Guilt, debts and the Utopian idea of emancipation. The lecture threw a new and different light on economics and economic activity.

Focus on sustainability

The PAUL Schlack / Wilhelm Albrecht Award 2015 went to Dr Wilhelm Steinmann, Institut für Textiltechnik der RWTH Aachen (G), for his paper Electrically conductive fibres from nanocomposites, while the Honorary Award was conveyed upon Dr Klaus Opwis, Deutsches Textilforschungszentrum Nord-West Krefeld (G), for his work on Innovative textiles for the recovery of noble metals.

More than 100 high-calibre presentations by international experts from industry and academic research made the Dornbirn-MFC a unique event. Sustainability – in its ecological, social and economic aspects – became the thematic starting point of this year's meeting.

Side by side with outstanding plenary and specialist papers, the meeting for the first time also featured a Panel Discussion with representatives of internationally renowned brands.

Dornbirn-MFC Innovation Community

The declared objective of the Congress’s Innovation Community is to massively enhance interactivity among participants and lecturers and to make the best possible use of the expertise of researchers and technologists.

The results achieved by the questionnaire on Innovation in the Enterprise, and in particular the high response rate, demonstrated that the recipients are willing to participate in and give shape to the Innovative Community, organisers report.

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