Sustainability in composites at JEC World 2024

By Dave Wood

This year was my first year attending JEC World in Paris. Other than the sheer size, scale of the event and the seemingly limitless potential uses for composite materials, the thing which was most apparent to me at the show was the collective focus on sustainability. You only had to look through the programme of talks to see that sustainability was THE theme of JEC World 2024.

It’s common knowledge that composites play an important role in driving decarbonisation through things like reducing weight and the subsequent impact on fuel economy and emissions, developing higher performance material which, in turn, lead to higher performance, the widespread use of composite materials in the renewable energy sector and less energy-consumptive products and increasing product life spans and thus the need for fewer replacement parts.

However, there was a real focus on the need for the composites industry to push the boundaries further and see what more can be done to make composites more sustainable in a world of finite resources.

It was fascinating to see the innovation on show – hundreds of businesses from all over the world who have all invested heavily in the future sustainability of composites – be that through developing new production and manufacturing techniques to reduce waste and, as a consequence, the amount of raw materials required, the dedicated pavilion highlighting the use case for natural fibres in composites (which have the potential to replace higher-carbon, man-made fibres in some instances) or the number of dedicated products designed for the wind and hydrogen energy industries.

I was most intrigued with the investment I witnessed in the field of recycling – which has long been a knock on the composites industry. I was able to speak with a number businesses who are developing new product ranges designed specifically to be easier to recycle.

The composites industry still has a long way to go in becoming a truly sustainable industry but with the focus and investment on display this year in Paris, I am already intrigued as to what developments will be highlighted in 2025. I can’t wait to see.

Reach out to Dave to see how he can support your recruitment strategy, connecting talent with opportunity. 

Linkedin: Dave Wood

Email: [email protected]

The talent edge: Attracting A-players to your engineering start-up

By Rob Bemment, Managing Director and Head of Advanced Engineering

As a global recruiter specialising in technical talent for cutting-edge start-ups, I’ve backed many visionary teams looking to bring game-changing innovations to market. But even the most brilliant ideas will struggle to get off the ground without world-class engineering firepower.

In today’s hyper-competitive start-up landscape, assembling a formidable core team can spell the difference between realising a revolutionary vision and watching it wither on the vine. The stakes are high – an estimated 90% of start-ups fail, often due to people problems rather than product deficiencies. From unicorn ambitions to niche disruptors, I’ve seen how prioritising elite talent boosts speed, sparks innovation and ultimately accelerates success.

Attracting top-tier technologists to an unproven venture is no easy feat

Start-ups can rarely match established players’ brand cachet and deep pockets, but an artfully crafted pitch can reel in the bold visionaries, problem-solvers and builders who thrive in high-growth environments. Here’s my playbook for start-ups looking to gain an unfair talent advantage.

Frame a compelling vision – Grand missions resonate with talented engineers who want their work to have an outsized impact. Articulate how your solution tackles big, thorny problems in ambitious, inspiring ways. Bonus points for moonshot goals – ambitious engineers want to move needles, not make iterative optimisations.

Foster growth & autonomy – Self-motivated innovators want opportunities for rapid advancement, major ownership over key initiatives, and creative freedom to experiment with cutting-edge approaches. Highlight prospects for meteoric growth trajectories, substantial equity stakes, and the ability to architect solutions from scratch in greenfield environments.

Emphasise learning potential – Top engineering talent craves environments where they’ll be perpetually challenged and can expand their skillsets rapidly. Sell them on exposure to new domains/technologies, complex problem spaces that will stretch their abilities, and elite teammates to accelerate growth.

Promote cultural excitement – Beyond compensation and career trajectories, sellable cultures fuse purpose with energy and adventure. Reinforce why your workplace atmosphere – be it quirky rituals, tight-knit bonds, or a palpable electricity in the air – it’s an electrifying place for top performers.

Offer meaningful roles – A-Players want pivotal, mission-critical responsibilities with direct lines of impact on an organisation’s success or failure. Underscore how their contributions will be vital in shaping the company’s trajectory.

In the race to transform nascent ideas into category-defining products and businesses, securing elite technical talent is non-negotiable. While landing in-demand engineers is never easy, start-ups that artfully blend vision, career upside, and cultural sizzle will gain an unfair talent edge over the competition. Never underestimate the power of top performers to birth technological revolutions.

Get in touch with Rob to see how he can support you with your recruitment strategy:

Call: +44 1606 212020

Email: [email protected]

Benefits of attending Advanced Engineering trade shows

By Louise Shorrock, Client Manager

Our team recently attended JEC World in Paris which was a great success. 

To get the most out of trade shows, a lot of time and planning goes into the organisation of meetings with clients. It involves strong communication within the team to coordinate who is going to do what, consideration of logistics of various locations across the multiple halls, and using a streamlined format to collate all the information that is obtained.

The more shows you attend, the more you learn about how to maximise the opportunity for future visits.

Being organised in your approach definitely comes with it’s benefits, we have included below our 9 key advantages of attending trade shows:

Stay updated – discover the latest trends and innovations

Networking – connect with industry leaders, researchers, clients and potential collaborators

Hands-on experience – interact with cutting-edge technologies through demos and exhibits

Discover new technologies – explore products and solutions that can address specific challenges

Ongoing Learning – gain insights from educational sessions and keynote speakers

Market research – conduct competitive analysis and gather market insights

Develop partnerships – enhancing existing or developing new client collaborations

Professional development – enhance skills and expertise through learning and engagement

Inspiration – Get inspired by visionary ideas and innovative solutions

In summary, attending these shows is an important way to strengthen your stance in the market and to build lasting relationships with clients who face hiring challenges.

Get in touch with Louise to see how she can support you with your recruitment strategy:

Call: +44 1606 212020

Email: [email protected]

Building a Winning Team: Recruiting Talent for Advanced Engineering Start-Ups & SME’s

By Andrew Ellis, Principal Search Consultant

As Advanced Engineering businesses grow, whether that be via product innovation, external investment, geographic expansion or similar, invariably one of the most significant challenges that organisations have is hiring.  Or rather hiring the “right” people.

All too often, I’ve seen businesses delay their hiring, often for one of the below key reasons;

• It’s difficult and takes time – If there’s nobody internally to run a recruitment process (particularly if it’s a position that requires a significant amount of leg work to get to the right person), then invariably it won’t sit at the top of anyone’s priority list until absolutely necessary.  And if “necessary” is the point in time when you go to market, then when the candidate actually starts, businesses are invariably 9-12 months where they need to be from a hiring pattern (once recruitment process, notice periods etc are taken into a account).
• Market conditions – We’re in unstable times and it currently feels as if society is lurching from crisis to crisis every 6 months or so.  Obviously, this is going to impact on businesses and there’s always a mindest creep; “Do we hire now?”, “Can it wait until things are a bit more stable?”. I’d say if there’s not a fundamental reason not to hire, then earlier is better – particularly in highly competitive or niche growth markets.
• What we want isn’t available to us – Not as true as perhaps during 2020-2021.  I’ve noticed a sizeable shift in the market of candidates wanting to take on roles within organisations that are innovative, offer career development and companies, generally where there is a collaborative culture.  In some instances this has meant proverbial “Big Hitters” being willing to reduce their fixed compensation packages in order to realign their personal lives or to get involved in an organisation during an exciting growth phase where there are longer term benefits.  

At Delve Search we work closely with clients to understand each of their own needs and requirements and get a feel for what makes each business unique. To discuss our services further you can reach out to me on [email protected].

Linkedin – Andrew Ellis