The congress began on 18 September 2025 with a relaxed get-together event in the bar and on the terrace of the Hotel Le Louis, located in the immediate vicinity of the historic castle. The flying buffet provided an opportunity for interesting discussions about the spring industry in Europe, Asia and North America.

On Friday morning, hosts Antoine Serafini and Christophe Jacquemet from the French association FIM Ressort welcomed the participants and wished the congress every success. Paul-Bernd Vogtland, who has been President of the ESF for four years, focused his opening speech on four megatrends: sustainability, transformation, digitalisation, and geopolitical changes and location conditions. Dr Michael Hagedorn, Secretary General of the ESF, moderated the congress with many experts and highly topical issues as Chairman of the ESF.

Dr Young Soo Chun from Posco Steel in South Korea reported on current developments in the field of spring steels. The main focus here was on resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, which can have a negative impact on the fatigue strength of highly stressed steels. These research results may also be relevant for the energy supply of the future, as suitable steel materials must be available for a functioning hydrogen infrastructure.

In the second presentation, Mitja Schulz, Vice President for European Affairs at the VDA in Brussels, provided an in-depth insight into the current situation of the European and German automotive industry, which is still well positioned overall but faces a number of challenges. The switch to battery-powered vehicles in particular is creating new global dependencies that could jeopardise the supply chain.

In the third block of presentations, the presidents of the global spring associations reported on the economic situation in their respective regions. Utpal Shah spoke on behalf of the Indian association ISMA, Don Jacobson III. on behalf of the American association SMI, Shu Katahira on behalf of the Japanese association JSMA and Paul-Bernd Vogtland on behalf of the European Spring Federation ESF.

After the lunch break, Dr Uwe-Peter Weigmann from Wafios AG reported on the use of artificial intelligence in machine setup, maintenance and team communication. Dr Weigmann first highlighted the differences between the individual AI applications before going on to describe their integration into the machines. The highlight here was the live demonstration of the new Wafios software. A key point here is the issue of IT security, as the use of AI does not require a permanent connection to the internet, which is often a gateway for system attacks.

In the last presentation of the day, Yves Bertoncini outlined the situation facing European industry in the overall political context in Europe. He clearly highlighted the challenges facing the European Commission amid the rapidly changing political landscape. Mr Bertoncini emphasised that climate neutrality is no longer the sole priority in the EU's current strategy, but must be given equal weighting alongside the competitiveness of businesses.

Parallel to the congress, the accompanying programme took participants to the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. Lunch during the boat trip on the Seine rounded off the day with culinary delights.

In the evening, the congress participants ended the day in a relaxed atmosphere at ‘Le 1882 – Golf de la Boulie’ with good conversation and interesting discussions. Despite the tense economic situation, there was a lively exchange in an exceptionally pleasant atmosphere, which shows how important such events are for the spring industry. The European Spring Federation has clearly developed into an excellent and established network for international cooperation on the challenges of our time for the spring industry and other stakeholders. An exciting ESF congress with many answers to the current megatrends in the industry!

European Spring Federation (ESF)

Goldene Pforte 1

58093 Hagen/Germany

Tel.: +49 2331 9588-51

contact@esf-springs.org

www.esf-springs.eu