CompPair, founded in 2020, is a Swiss-based EPFL spin-off company. They are a dynamic and innovative company at the forefront of revolutionizing the field of self-healing composite materials. The company’s core activities revolve around offering a solution to composite damage events, through providing their healable composite technology, HealTechTM.
CompPair also specializes in eco-design and the implementation of sustainable materials, to reduce waste and CO2 emissions, both during production and use.
The R&D department’s efforts are focused on creating resin formulations that offer ultra-fast repair while maintaining competitive performances in composites and providing repair benefits.
Interview with Amaël Cohades, CEO & Co-Founder of CompPair Technologies.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Amaël Cohades: CompPair’s main areas of activities revolve around bringing repairability to composites. The HealTechTM technology is currently available as both preimpregnated textiles and Liquid Composite Moulding (LCM) processes. Our core activities extend to offering custom reinforcements and alternative fibres, including recycled carbon fibres – as you may have seen in our recently launched Circular C watch in collaboration with ID Genève.
Additionally, CompPair offers engineering support to preserve resources and reduce costs. For example, through eco-design, we rethink the way products are made to allow for faster and easier repair solutions.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
A.C: We have integrated an InnoSuisse Swiss Accelerator Program which specifically focuses on the Roll-to-roll and Resin Transfer Moulding processes to enable the production of a large variety of healable composite parts, highly complementary to current activities.
By offering more composite processes, we can answer to a larger market segment and adapt our solution to very large array of composite products.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
A.C: The composites industry is worth 100$ Billion. Within this large sector, the composites repair market is estimated at more than $20 Billion. This important market size underscores a compelling demand for streamlined and faster repair solutions. CompPair answers this need to drastically reduce repair costs of matrix damage, by offering an ultra-fast in-situ repair, without the need for added materials. By addressing this issue, the industry can not only enhance efficiency but also pave the way for sustainable growth and resources efficiency.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
A.C: The trend in the composites industry is experiencing a notable shift from a primary focus on recycling to an increasing emphasis on repair, driven by the realization that a circular material approach holds significant advantages. While recycling remains an important aspect of sustainable material practices to consider at the end of life, the industry is recognizing that prioritizing repair aligns best with the principles of a circular economy.
Instead of merely discarding and reprocessing materials at the end of their lifecycle, the emphasis is now increasingly on extending the life of composite structures through innovative repair technologies. This shift is motivated by the desire to minimize waste, reduce environmental impact, and optimize resource utilization. By adopting a repair-centric approach, the composites industry is moving towards a more sustainable model, where materials are kept at their highest value as long as possible. (Source: JEC Sustainability Report 2023)
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
A.C: All our product lines offer our unique HealTechTM innovation, to bring ultra-fast repair to composite parts.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2024?
A.C: In 2024 our primary objectives are to elevate our presence and impact on the market. Above all, we aim to release more product lines on the market to complement our current repair solutions. Our goal is to bring repairability to all composites.
We also envision fostering key partnerships within the sports and lifestyle as well as mobility sectors, to encourage efficient synergies that will amplify our market reach, but also position the CompPair brand as a go-to-choice for sustainable materials.
As we embark on our fifth year, our commitment to innovation, quality and sustainability remains unwavering.