On April 1, 2024, Prof Dr Axel Herrmann, long-time director of the Faserinstitut Bremen (FIBRE), has taken leave to his well-deserved retirement. After 22 years as head of the institute, he leaves behind a well-organized and prosperous institute that has grown strongly in recent years.
With the departments of structural design/manufacturing technologies and modeling/simulation, two new areas of expertise in the field of fibre composites were created under his leadership. Irrespective of the topics on fibre composites, he additionally established the competence field of fibre and material development for the development of new technical with success. Prof Herrmann was thus able to increase the total number of employees to 60 – more than three times the number since he took office.
For celebrating his farewell, the Fibre Institute had invited employees, partners and companions of Prof Herrmann to a boat trip on the river Weser. From the Bremen Cotton Exchange, Karsten Fröse attended as former and Jens Wirth as current member of the Board of Trustees. Also present were Board of Trustees member Dr Klaus-Jürgen Kraatz from IVGT, the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board Dr Ulrich Mörschel from Textechno, Dr Norbert Möllerbernd, Bremer Aufbaubank, as well as other members of the Board of Trustees and Advisory Board, university department colleagues and companions from the CTC located in Stade.
In a short speech, Axel Drieling, member of the Board of FIBRE, paid tribute to Prof Herrmann‘s work and achievements over the last two decades. This included the development of the aforementioned subject areas, but also the maintenance and expansion of natural fibre testing as well as the continuous modernization and expansion of laboratory and pilot plant capacities. Supporting the founding of the ICA Bremen joint venture in 2011 ensured the future-proof continuation of the cooperation on cotton matters. The move to the Ecomat in 2019 was yet another highlight. The ECOMAT research and technology center is a beacon of cutting-edge technology for climate-neutral flying, lightweight construction, innovative materials, surface technologies and the digitalization of development processes. There are around 500 employees from various institutes and enterprises conducting interdisciplinary research under one roof.
On August 1, 2024, Dr David May from the Leibniz Institute for Composite Materials in Kaiserslautern will become new head of FIBRE.