Dear Colleagues,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you, on behalf of the organising committee, to the 16th European Conference on Composite Materials, ECCM16, in the historic city of Seville, especially since this is the first time that Spain has hosted an ECCM Conference.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to all participants of the Conference and to all those that have contributed to making possible this unique occasion. We expect to have about 1200 attendees from 69 countries from all over the world.

A total of 660 oral presentations in 53 oral sessions are scheduled in the Conference programme. 180 posters will be presented in 11 sessions, with a format aimed at maximising the both the audience and knowledge transfer.  All these contributions have been integrated in 31 thematic sessions and 22 general sessions.

Four Plenary Lectures and 6 Keynote Lectures have been planned for the Conference. A special role has been given to Industry, with Plenary Lectures covering different developments from leading companies in composite applications.

A high proportion of students (42%) are registered, which is an exciting innovation in terms of the both the continuity of research and the development of skills in the field of composites. The Keynote Lectures have been selected from the topics with most contributions, and are aimed at providing an introductory guide, prepared by leading researchers in the field, for those starting in composites.

The role of the industry in this Conference has been highlighted with three special activities. A roundtable, with speakers from leading companies in the use of composites, to identify the challenges for the immediate future. An exhibition presenting different components and structures covering various manufacturing processes and testing methods. Finally, a visit to the Airbus A400M Final Assembly Line has been scheduled.

Particular effort has been put into integrating the activities of the Conference with the sites of the city, combining this excellent occasion to meet colleagues with the opportunity to enjoy the culture and gastronomy of Andalucía.

Finally, I would like to express my acknowledgements to sponsors and organisations that have given patronage to this event, and to express my gratitude to all members of the local committee, whose efforts, vision and dedication have made this conference possible.

On behalf of all the organising committee, we wish all you a fruitful Conference and an enjoyable stay in Seville.

Federico París
Chairman of ECCM16