Our association

The AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V. is the German Association for Fiber Reinforced Plastics/Composites and represents the interests of producers and processors at national and European level.

The AVK currently has over 230 member companies , making it one of the largest associations in the composites sector in Europe. It represents its members along the entire value chain in the field of reinforced plastics.

The list of members includes raw material producers and suppliers as well as processors, mechanical engineers, engineering offices, testing authorities and scientific institutes. The membership structure includes small and medium-sized companies as well as (multinational) corporations. The AVK’s member companies are predominantly located throughout Germany and in neighboring European countries.

The range of services includes, among other things, specialist working groups, seminars and
conferences and the provision of market-relevant information.

Nationally, the AVK is one of the four supporting associations of the GKV – Gesamtverband
Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie
– and internationally a member of the European
Composites umbrella organization EuCIA – European Composites Industry Association.
AVK is a founding member of Composites Germany.

Composites/Fiber-reinforced plastics

The composites market reached a volume of over 12 million tons in 2021. Within this special segment of the plastics industry, the possible combinations in terms of composition and processing are just as varied as the applications and areas of use.

The main area of application for GRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic), which accounts for more than 95% of the market volume in Europe in terms of materials, is the transport sector with a market share of more than 50%. Applications in the infrastructure and construction sector, as well as in the electronics/electrical sector, each account for around 18% of the market volume. There are also numerous applications in the sports and leisure sector.

The unique portfolio of properties of composites is decisive for their use. Fiber-reinforced plastics have some outstanding advantages compared to other material groups (e.g.):

  • Very good corrosion and weather resistance
  • Very long service life possible (>30 years)
  • High lightweight construction potential (low density)
  • Excellent chemical & biological resistance
  • Composites do not rust or rot
  • Virtually maintenance-free use
  • Low thermal & electrical conductivity
  • Transparent for electromagnetic waves