As 2025 draws to a close, it is time to look back on a year marked by active engagement and growing visibility for the SSUCHY-Next project.
Over the year, project partners took part in a wide range of industrial events, scientific conferences, and academic initiatives across Europe. These moments provided opportunities to present ongoing work, exchange on technical and environmental challenges, and engage with stakeholders from the composites, construction, biomass, and bioeconomy communities.
JEC World 2025 – March 4-6, Paris, France
SSUCHY-Next was visible at JEC World 2025, the world’s leading international trade fair for composite materials, through the active participation of several consortium partners. Bringing together the entire composites value chain, the event provided a key platform for showcasing innovation and fostering dialogue.
Consortium partners Arkema, Bitrez, Eco-technilin, KU Leuven, Terre de Lin, Linificio e Canapificio Nazionale SB | B Corp®, and CETIM were present with their own booths, contributing to dynamic exchanges around bio-based fibres, resin systems, processing technologies and composite applications. These interactions offered strong visibility to developments aligned with the objectives of SSUCHY-Next and highlighted the growing interest in sustainable, high-performance composite solutions.
European Coatings Show 2025 – March 25–27, Nuremberg, Germany
SSUCHY-Next was presented at the European Coatings Show (ECS) 2025 through the participation of Bitrez, a specialist in the design and manufacture of advanced polymers and synthetic resins. Held in Nuremberg, ECS is the world’s leading exhibition for paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants, bringing together industrial formulators, processors and research stakeholders from across Europe and beyond.
At its stand, Bitrez showcased its latest product developments while highlighting its involvement in several European collaborative projects, including SSUCHY-Next, alongside FOREST and CHCx3. Discussions with industry professionals focused on sustainability challenges in the coatings and composites sectors, advances in resin systems, and the role of European R&I projects in accelerating innovation and market-ready solutions for industrial applications.
Future Facades 2025 – 26-27 May, Utrecht, Netherlands
SSUCHY-Next was represented at Future Facades 2025 through its industrial partner NPSP, which showcased its NABASCO® bio-based composite solutions for façade and building envelope applications. Held in Utrecht, the event provided a dedicated platform to demonstrate how design freedom, technical performance and circularity can be combined in next-generation construction materials.
At the fair, NPSP highlighted maintenance-free, fire-resistant and bio-based façade concepts, including 3D and nature-inclusive designs, reflecting application pathways directly aligned with SSUCHY-Next developments.
The presence at Future Facades underlined the role of NPSP within SSUCHY-Next in bridging research and market uptake, translating project innovations in natural fibre-based composites into ready-to-deploy façade solutions addressing the growing demand for sustainable, low-maintenance and climate-resilient buildings.
European Biomass Conference & Exhibition – 9-12 June, Valencia, Spain
The SAM research group from KU Leuven represented the project at the 33rd European Biomass Conference & Exhibition in Valencia. As one of Europe’s leading events dedicated to the bioeconomy, EUBCE provided a key forum for exchanges on the sustainable valorisation of biomass residues and their transformation into biofuels, biochemicals and advanced biomaterials.
Contributing to the scientific programme, Mariana Ochodková (KU Leuven) presented a poster entitled “Full Life Cycle Assessment Framework for Emerging Bio-composites”. Her contribution highlighted the Life Cycle Assessment approach developed within SSUCHY-Next to evaluate the environmental performance of bio-based composites. By integrating sustainability assessment directly into material development, this work supports the design of high-performance composites with an improved environmental footprint, fully aligned with the project’s objectives.
7th International Conference on Natural Fibers – 16-18 June, Lisbon, Portugal
SSUCHY-Next was present at the 7th International Conference on Natural Fibres (ICNF 2025) in Lisbon through its coordinator, KU Leuven. Bringing together researchers from around the world, the conference offered a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in natural fibre science, from material development to emerging applications.
3rd European Summer School on Bio-based Composites (ESBBC-3) – September 15–17, 2025, Cambridge, United Kingdom
The academic and training dimension of SSUCHY-Next was strongly highlighted at the 3rd European Summer School on Bio-based Composites (ESBBC-3), hosted by the University of Cambridge at St John’s College. As a unique European initiative dedicated to bio-based composites, the Summer School brought together Master’s and PhD students, early-career researchers, academics and industry representatives. SSUCHY-Next builds on this legacy, as its predecessor project, SSUCHY, was among the founding members of the initiative.
Over two and a half days, SSUCHY-Next played a visible role throughout the event.
- Prof. Aart van Vuure (KU Leuven), project coordinator, presented the project’s objectives and its integrated approach to developing high-performance, sustainable composite materials.
- Dr Yasmine Mosleh (TU Delft) presented recent work on the fatigue behaviour of flax and hemp fibre composites
- Prof. Pierre Ouagne (UTTOP) shared insights into fibre extraction processes and textile development for natural fibre reinforcements.
In addition, several PhD candidates involved in SSUCHY-Next contributed to the poster sessions, presenting their ongoing research on topics including natural fibre characterisation, composite performance and sustainability assessment. Among them, Mariana Ochodková (KU Leuven, SAM Research Group) was awarded the Best Student Presentation Prize for her work on Life Cycle Assessment of emerging bio-based composites, underlining the quality and relevance of the research carried out within the project.
7th “Fibres Naturelles et Polymères” Colloquium – September 17-18, Troyes, France
SSUCHY-Next was also represented at the 7th “Fibres Naturelles et Polymères” Colloquium in Troyes through the participation of B4C, with contributions from its experts Jean Bausset and Audrey Magnin. The event brought together industrial stakeholders, researchers and institutional actors involved in the development of bio-based composites and polymers, offering a forum for high-level technical and strategic exchanges.
Discussions throughout the colloquium covered key challenges and opportunities across the value chain, including agricultural feedstock availability, fibre–polymer interfaces, recycling and end-of-life strategies, life cycle assessment and material performance.
Bioeconomy For Change Webinar, 21 November 2025
SSUCHY-Next was also featured in the spotlight during a Bioeconomy For Change webinar held on 21 November, dedicated to the ageing and durability of bio-based materials. This online event provided a focused forum to address one of the key challenges for the industrial deployment of bio-based composites: their long-term performance under real-world environmental conditions.
During the session, Vincent Placet introduced the SSUCHY-Next project and highlighted how it contributes to advancing the next generation of sustainable composite solutions. The presentation showcased ongoing work on the development of high-performance lignocellulosic composites, innovative bio-based design strategies, and the improvement of material behaviour when exposed to ageing and environmental constraints. By bringing together scientific insights and industrial perspectives, the webinar offered participants valuable understanding of the reliability, durability and sustainability challenges that will shape the future of bio-based composite materials.
Looking ahead to 2026
Throughout 2025, SSUCHY-Next strengthened its presence across Europe by engaging with a broad ecosystem of industrial, academic and institutional stakeholders. From international trade fairs and scientific conferences to specialised training events, these exchanges supported the project’s progression from research and material development towards large-scale demonstrators, notably for wind energy and building applications.
This momentum will continue in March 2026, when SSUCHY-Next returns to JEC World in Paris Nord Villepinte with a dedicated shared booth. The stand will provide a focal point to showcase the latest project results, present demonstrators and samples, and foster new discussions with the global composites community on bio-based, high-performance and circular composite solutions.
