EuCIA launches the European Rebar Council to drive FRP rebar market opportunity

Source | European Rebar Council (ERC)

The European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA, Brussel, Belgium) has launched the European Rebar Council (ERC) and its mission to promote the adoption of composite rebar in Europe. The kick-off meeting of this new sectorial alliance of EuCIA took place on Sept. 3 in Brussels.

Fiber-reinforced composite rebar is a competitive, performing and reliable alternative to steel in the building, construction and infrastructure Industries and offers a significant market opportunity for composite materials. The ERC aims to promote the adoption of composite rebar in Europe by:

• Driving standardization and certification efforts
• Facilitating industry collaboration and knowledge sharing
• Engaging in policy advocacy at EU and national levels
• Educating stakeholders on benefits and applications.

“We warmly welcome the ERC members to EuCIA,” says Roberto Frassine, president of EuCIA. “Our mission for the last 65 years has been to support the growth of the European composites industry and the emerging market for composite rebar offers potential for our industry. We are confident that this new alliance will support the move to more sustainable construction practices.” 

During the kick-off meeting, Chris Skinner, VP strategic marketing and R&D at Owens Corning, was elected chair of the alliance, and Alise Novikova, co-owner, Rebarmat, as vice chair.

“The formation of this Council marks a significant milestone in our journey to make infrastructure across Europe more durable, sustainable and future-ready through the use of composites,” states Skinner. “As the voice of the European composites industry, EuCIA was the obvious home for the ERC. I express my sincere gratitude to EuCIA and JEC Group for their support. Their leadership and commitment to advancing composite solutions have been crucial in bringing together key stakeholders from across the value chain.”

Four working groups have been established to drive the Council’s activities:

• Standards & Certification
• Market Development & Promotion
• Sustainability & Circularity
• Public Policy & Advocacy.

The working groups will meet over the coming weeks to prepare for the next ERC meeting in October 2025. The ERC will share news through its linkedin page. A website will be launched by the end of the year.