Our “Mission Infrastructure” symposium: Rethinking Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure
20. January 2026 | Blog
In November, Teijin Carbon Europe brought together decision-makers, planners, research institutions, and technology providers at the “Mission Infrastructure” symposium in Wuppertal to discuss the future of resilient, sustainable infrastructure.
Our first Symposium was driven by exchange, lively discussions and new impulses, with experts from construction, industry, research, politics and defense coming together. On November 19th, 2025, Teijin Carbon Europe gathered experts at the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal to discuss the future of resilient, sustainable infrastructure, following a dedicated networking dinner on November 18th. With our partners C3 (Carbon Concrete Composite e. V.), CARBOrefit®, Composites United, and the BDLI (German Aerospace Industries Association), we provided a high-level networking opportunity as well as practical insights, strong impulses, and open dialogue on how carbon fiber and high-tech materials can form the foundation of tomorrow’s infrastructure. The focus of the discussion was a question at the heart of the Mission Infrastructure Symposium, as reflected in the program, which featured leading experts from the worlds of research, industry and politics: “How can new materials contribute to creating a more resilient, sustainable and secure infrastructure?“ Accordingly, our symposium focused on key infrastructure-related topics such as safety, resilience, and application fields of carbon concrete.
Dr. Bernd Wohlmann, Director Strategy Carbon Fiber Business Unit of the Teijin Carbon Group and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP), opened the symposium on an important note: He emphasized that material innovation is always a matter of social policy and determines whether we merely repair infrastructure or fundamentally rethink it. Carbon concrete is a prime example of this transformation, being up to four times lighter than steel while being up to six times stronger. This corrosion-free, resource-efficient material thus offers long-term prospects for infrastructure.
The opening contributions highlighted the importance of not only maintaining infrastructure but rethinking it fundamentally. This is exactly what we wanted to achieve with our 'Mission Infrastructure' symposium: providing a platform for partnership-based dialogue, technical depth and concrete, solution-oriented approaches. The technical presentations focused on the strength, performance, and application potential of carbon concrete in infrastructure. Key topics included safety aspects such as impact resistance and shielding concepts, as well as real-time structural health monitoring of carbon concrete components. Further contributions highlighted applications in defense and civil protection, circular economy approaches for resilient infrastructure systems, and practical use cases including bridges, runways, and protective structures. In addition, the speakers addressed hybrid reinforcement systems using carbon and glass fibers, the behavior of fiber-reinforced concrete under dynamic loads, and solutions for retrofitting and strengthening existing structures with textile-reinforced concrete.
One of the highlights of the event was the Keynote Address “Construction Industry, Lightweight Construction / New Materials and Resource Efficiency” by Gabriel Schmid, Head of Division at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). He explored the potential of lightweight technologies in construction, as well as the importance of public funding for key technologies. Another highlight was the panel discussion “Security meets Sustainability – Building Materials for Resilient Infrastructure”, moderated by Dr.-Ing. Frank Schladitz (C3) and Bernd Steinmann (Teijin Carbon Europe). This discussion inspired experts from the fields of research and industry to engage in a lively debate about the future requirements of construction materials.
In reflecting on the “Mission Infrastructure” Symposium, it is clear that resilient and sustainable infrastructure can only be achieved through close collaboration across disciplines and sectors. By bringing together experts from research, industry, and policy, the event showcased how advanced materials, such as carbon concrete, can transform infrastructure development from mere repair to long-term resilience.