Registration for the SAMPE BeNeLux Spring meeting 2026 at GKN Fokker on Tuesday, 9th June 2026 in Hoogeveen is now closed! Get yourself ready for talks around
Technologies enabling transition to sustainable aviation in the next two decades!
GKN Fokker Aerospace BV (part of GKN Aerospace) is a leading global aerospace supplier. Originally founded by Dutch aviation pioneer Anthony Fokker in 1919, it was acquired by British engineering group GKN in 2015. The company specialises in the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced lightweight aerostructures, landing gears, and electrical wiring systems for civil and defense aviation. Operating major production facilities in the Netherlands (including Papendrecht and Hoogeveen), they have a large track record in use of composite materials and supply key components for major aerospace manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
Location (for parking):
Registration, Parking and Visiting information:
- The nature of the visited company requires us to pre-register, you will be informed via email once signed up. If you miss the registration deadline, you cannot join the event. Showing a valid passport is required on entrance. The host reserves the right to deny entrance to the facilities. For Dutch citizen only, a drivers licence is acceptable.
- Parking is available 3 minuste walking from the main entrance at Edisonstraat 18, Hoogeveen, see parking instructions below. Once parked, please walk to Edisonstraat 1 for registration.
- To facilitate entrance, please bring the health and safety form completed with your data, this will be shared via email once registration is closed. You are expected to comply with the health and safety requirements from GKN during the entire visit, including wearing the mandated personal protection equipement (PPE). Please feel free to bring your own PPE if available.
Registration is now closed.
Please note: the host reserves the right to deny admission based on nationality.
Agenda:
9:30 Registration & coffee
10:00 Welcome and Introduction – Aart Van Vuure, SAMPE BeNeLux
10:05 Welcome and introduction to GKN Fokker Aerospace – Arnt Offringa, GKN Fokker Aerospace
10:30 Enabling Sustainable Aircraft Structures with Thermoplastic Composites – Ismet Baran, Collins Aerospace Interiors
10:55 Making Waste Fly: Enabling Circularity of Thermoplastic Composites in Aerospace – Thomas de Bruijn, GKN Fokker Aerospace
11:20 Coffee break
11:40 Advancements in thermoplastic composite technologies for large aerostructure applications – Prithul Narula, Toray Nijverdal
12:05 Composites cleared for take off: securing the Netherlands’ position in the future aviation supply chain – Bouke Veldman, NXTGEN Hightech Composieten & Laura Veldenz, Luchtvaart in Transitie
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Presentations by winners of SAMPE Benelux student competition
14:00 Automatic preforming of complex shaped spars with dry fibres, an automation concept – Peter Nijhuis,
Netherlands Aerospace Centre
14:25 Sustainable aerospace composites enabled by energy- and resource-efficient manufacturing – Baris Caglar,
Delft University of Technology
14:50 Coffee Break
15:10 Enlighten: A multiscale approach to optimize fusion bonding of thermoplastic composites – Remko Akkerman, University Twente
15.25 Visit to GKN GTC
17:00 Start of networking drink
Participation is free for SAMPE members. Non-members pay 95.00 € (includes one-year membership) and students 20.00 € to become members (for one year). This membership application can be performed online at: https://sampe-membership.eu
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED! Due to the hosts internal processes, late admissions are not possible.
Please note: the nature of the visited company requires us to pre-register names and birth dates. Valid passport required on entrance.