Dr. Elke Metzsch-Zilligen
Division Director Research and Developement »Materials« | Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Dr. Metzsch-Zilligen studied chemistry at the University of Cologne and received her PhD in physical chemistry in 2006. After working in the food industry for several years, she joined the German Plastics Institute (DKI) in 2011, which was integrated into Fraunhofer LBF in 2012. There she headed the “Additivation and Durability” department until April 1, 2024, when she subsequently took over as director of the plastics division at Fraunhofer LBF.
Her research focuses on the synthesis of new additives and the selection and evaluation of optimized additives/additive systems for thermoplastics depending on the application. She has also been working on the sustainability of plastics for many years. This includes significantly improving the quality of recyclates through adapted post-stabilization to improve the mechanical, sensory and optical properties in order to increase the amount of recyclates used or to enable the substitution of virgin material by recyclates in the first place.
Dr. Christian Beinert
Senior Scientific Expert Innovation, Transfer and Cooperation Ι Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Christian Beinert studied mechanical engineering at the University of Darmstadt, receiving his doctorate in numerical flow simulation in 2007. He held various management positions at Fraunhofer LBF in plastics processing and component design. His work primarily focused on developing solutions for the resource-efficient use of plastics in technically demanding applications. This covers the entire spectrum, from determining material properties based on requirements to simulating and developing processing methods. His department focused on designing structural components and developed methods and models that can best map material-, process-, and/or application-specific influencing factors in complex stress situations in a user-specific manner.
Since January 1, 2026, Mr. Beinert has contributed his many years of experience as a senior scientific expert to the new "Division of Innovation, Transfer, and Cooperation."
Dr. Christine Bunte
Managing Director | PlasticsEurope Deutschland e.V.
Christine Bunte is Managing Director of PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V. since January 1, 2025. Previously, she led the Corporate Advocacy Team at BASF in Ludwigshafen and represented the company on issues related to circular economy and environmental policy. The polymer chemist has gathered extensive experience in the fields of plastics, circular economy, and public affairs at both national and European levels. In her new role as Managing Director of Plastics Europe Deutschland, she aims to further advance the transformation of the plastics industry towards a climate-neutral circular economy.
Ton Emans
President of PRE and Group Recycling and Procurement Director at Cedo as well as board member of Cedo | Plastics Recyclers Europe
Ton Emans has more than 34 years’ experience in the plastic recycling process. He is Group Recycling and Procurement Director as well as board member of Cedo.
Ton Emans started his career with DSM in Geleen, The Netherlands and worked as researcher in the field of environment and safety. In 1991, he relocated to a subsidiary of DSM called REKO, a company which started to recycle plastics in 1979. As an Quality, Environment, Safety and Health Manager he became familiar with plastic recycling. After the merger with Wavin Re-use into Arena Recycling he was named Purchasing Manager.
After the bankruptcy of Arena Recycling in 2000 Ton searched for a new owner for the site in Geleen and found CeDo willing to buy her own recycling plant. He was named Managing Director.
In 2004, Ton Emans extended his responsibilities and moved to Mönchengladbach, Germany where he was named Supply Chain Managing Director of CeDo Group.
Ton Emans holds a Master of Science in occupational health and safety from the University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands and has completed several business programs.
In 2011, Ton Emans has been named President of PRE, a non-profit organization whose members are European plastic recyclers. PRE represents National Associations and Individual companies covering 80% of the European market. PRE focuses on the promotion of plastic recycling and the creation of conditions which enable profitable and sustainable business.
Julian Thielen
Managing Director | Innoform Coaching GmbH
Julian Thielen is the managing director of Innoform Coaching GmbH and an expert in sustainable packaging systems, recyclability, and regulatory developments. Born in Düren, he lives and works in Langerwehe near Cologne and combines in-depth technical knowledge with strategic industry expertise.
After studying paper and packaging process engineering (B.Eng) in Munich and packaging technology (M.Eng) at Beuth University in Berlin, he gained international experience as a business development engineer in the USA. He then worked in application engineering at Bischof + Klein, where he deepened his expertise in flexible packaging solutions.
In 2018, he moved to Interseroh (later Interzero) in Cologne, where he worked intensively on the requirements of the new Packaging Act and helped to promote the “Made for Recycling” concept. Before and during his studies, he worked in packaging development for brand manufacturers and private label manufacturers, as well as in corrugated cardboard and film production – laying the foundation for his holistic view of materials, technology, and the circular economy.
Julian Thielen has been managing director of Innoform Coaching GmbH since 2026. There, he strategically develops continuing education and conference programs with a particular focus on sustainability, regulatory requirements, flexible packaging, and fiber-based materials. He hosts the podcasts “Gemischtes Pack” and the Innoform podcasts “Inno-Talk FlexPack Knowledge” and “FlexPack-News.”
Dipl.-Ing. Arthur Schwesig
Founder | OVERTYPER Arthur Schwesig e.U.
Arthur Schwesig, born on March 20, 1967, in Linz, is a leading research manager in the field of plastics recycling. While still a student at Graz University of Technology, he worked on UV-crosslinkable polystyrenes, later took over application technology at OMV Agrolinz Melamin in Castellanza, and joined Mike Biddle MBA Polymers in 2008, where he drove the company's development in Austria and China in various management positions. In 2020, he took over as Head of Research and Quality for Bage Plastics in Germany and Austria.
At the end of 2024, he started his own business and founded OVERTYPER, a consulting company dedicated to helping medium-sized European companies transition from a linear economy to a circular economy.
He works with companies that develop and produce their products using virgin plastics, paving the way for them to use mechanically recycled plastics from post-consumer sources.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Achim Grefenstein
Scientific Director Circular Economy | Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV) in Industrie und Handwerk an der RWTH Aachen
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Achim Grefenstein, born in 1965, studied mechanical engineering at the technical university of Aachen/Germany where he finished his PhD in the area of plastics processing. Until today, he teaches the subject “Plastics Compounding and Recycling” at the RWTH Aachen. Between 1996 and 2004 he worked at BASF SE in Ludwigshafen/Germany in the departments of technical thermoplastics and styrenics mainly for the automotive industry. From February 2004 to June 2013 he has been working as Director Corporate R&D for RKW SE in Frankenthal/Germany. Since July 2013 he is Senior Vice President Group R&D at Constantia Flexibles GmbH, Vienna/Austria. For the German Plastics Packaging Association (IK) he was from 2016 to 2019 chair of the working group “Bioplastics”.
At EuPC he was Chair of the Packaging Division from March 2020 to July 2024 and at Recyclass/PRE he is member of the Advisory Board and the Technical Committee Polyolefin Films since July 2019. In addition to his assignment at Constantia Flexibles, he is working at the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) as Scientific Director Circular Economy in order to further strengthen the recycling research in alignment with the actual industrial challenges.
Dr. Marcus Leistner
Technical Development Manager Sustainability | KRAHN Chemie Deutschland GmbH
Dr. Marcus Leistner studied polymer chemistry at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and received his doctorate in 2013 at TU Darmstadt while working as a research associate at Fraunhofer LBF. He then spent two years as a research associate at Texas A&M University, where his research focused on the development of functional and durable coatings for textiles and foams.
Following this academic career, he moved into industry, initially working as product development specialist for thermoplastic compounds and project manager at Mocom Compounds in Hamburg. There, he developed innovative and sustainable solutions for plastics in various application areas.
Since 2022, Dr. Leistner has been Technical Development Manager at KRAHN Chemie, where he focuses on sustainability projects and recycling. In this role, he develops customized recycling solutions for customers to promote the circular economy and minimize the environmental impact of various types of waste.
Dr. Matthias Wilhelm
Vice President Plastics Recycling Ι Lober GmbH & Co. Abfallentsorgungs KG
Matthias Wilhelm studied mechanical engineering at the TU Ilmenau. During his time at the German Plastics Center in Würzburg, he finished his Ph.D. in collaboration with the University of Paderborn.
From 2018-2022 he was main responsible for the international sales and business department at Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH for Pharma and Medical Devices.
Since 2022 Matthias Wilhelm is heading the business unit Recycling at Lober GmbH as Vice President Plastics Recycling and R&D.
Goran Brkljac
Head of Technical Service Center Ι TER Plastics Polymer Group
Education
Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Märkische University of Applied Sciences in Iserlohn, specializing in plastics manufacturing technology.
Professional Experience
1991–2005 Work in application engineering and product development at TER HELL PLASTIC.
2005–2014 Application Development Manager
2014–Present Head of the Technical Service Center
Dr. Christian Beinert
Senior Scientific Expert Innovation, Transfer and Cooperation Ι Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Christian Beinert studied mechanical engineering at the University of Darmstadt, receiving his doctorate in numerical flow simulation in 2007. He held various management positions at Fraunhofer LBF in plastics processing and component design. His work primarily focused on developing solutions for the resource-efficient use of plastics in technically demanding applications. This covers the entire spectrum, from determining material properties based on requirements to simulating and developing processing methods. His department focused on designing structural components and developed methods and models that can best map material-, process-, and/or application-specific influencing factors in complex stress situations in a user-specific manner.
Since January 1, 2026, Mr. Beinert has contributed his many years of experience as a senior scientific expert to the new "Division of Innovation, Transfer, and Cooperation."
Participants Panel Discussion:
Dr. Christine Bunte
Managing Director
PlasticsEurope Deutschland e.V.
Dipl.-Ing. Arthur Schwesig
Founder
OVERTYPER Arthur Schwesig e.U.
Ton Emans
President of PRE and Group Recycling and Procurement Director at Cedo as well as board member of Cedo
Plastics Recyclers Europe
Dr. Christian Beinert
Head of Department Polymer Processing and Component Design
Fraunhofer LBF
Matthias Anton Schedel
Data Engineer Ι Ehrenmüller AI
Matthias Anton Schedel works as a data engineer at Ehrenmüller AI, where he has been developing innovative data solutions since September 2024. He laid the academic foundation for his career by studying computer science at Kempten University of Applied Sciences, followed by a master's degree in data science at the University of Stavanger. There, he specialized in data-intensive systems, cloud computing, and machine learning.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Schedel gained extensive practical experience, including in research on quantum computing and the application of augmented reality in industrial environments. At Ehrenmüller AI, his focus is on the development of complex AI applications and data-driven platforms. In the “KIKS” project in particular, he combines modern web technologies with advanced AI to accelerate the development of renewable and recycled plastics in a targeted and efficient manner.
Dr. Elke Metzsch-Zilligen
Division Director Research and Developement »Materials« | Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Dr. Metzsch-Zilligen studied chemistry at the University of Cologne and received her PhD in physical chemistry in 2006. After working in the food industry for several years, she joined the German Plastics Institute (DKI) in 2011, which was integrated into Fraunhofer LBF in 2012. There she headed the “Additivation and Durability” department until April 1, 2024, when she subsequently took over as director of the plastics division at Fraunhofer LBF.
Her research focuses on the synthesis of new additives and the selection and evaluation of optimized additives/additive systems for thermoplastics depending on the application. She has also been working on the sustainability of plastics for many years. This includes significantly improving the quality of recyclates through adapted post-stabilization to improve the mechanical, sensory and optical properties in order to increase the amount of recyclates used or to enable the substitution of virgin material by recyclates in the first place.
Dr. Christian Beinert
Senior Scientific Expert Innovation, Transfer and Cooperation Ι Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Christian Beinert studied mechanical engineering at the University of Darmstadt, receiving his doctorate in numerical flow simulation in 2007. He held various management positions at Fraunhofer LBF in plastics processing and component design. His work primarily focused on developing solutions for the resource-efficient use of plastics in technically demanding applications. This covers the entire spectrum, from determining material properties based on requirements to simulating and developing processing methods. His department focused on designing structural components and developed methods and models that can best map material-, process-, and/or application-specific influencing factors in complex stress situations in a user-specific manner.
Since January 1, 2026, Mr. Beinert has contributed his many years of experience as a senior scientific expert to the new "Division of Innovation, Transfer, and Cooperation."
Prof. Dr. Sonja Pongratz
Team leader | Volkswagen AG
1988-1994: Studied chemical engineering at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg
1994-2004: Research assistant at the Chair of Plastics Technology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg
2000: Doctorate on “Aging of plastics during processing and in use”
2005: Habilitation: “Aging and resistance of thermoplastics”
2004-2008: Freudenberg Forschungsdienste KG, Weinheim, focus on damage analysis
2007: Publication of the book “Resistance of Plastics,” together with Prof. Gottfried W. Ehrenstein, Carl Hanser Verlag (English edition 2013)
2008-present: Volkswagen AG, Materials Engineering, until 2012: Clerk, since 2012: Head of Damage Analysis Polymers and Materials Analysis
Natalie Rudolph
Division Manager Polymer | NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing
Natalie Rudolph earned her doctorate at the Chair of Plastics Technology at the University of Erlangen and has worked in both academia and industry with a focus on plastic materials, processing, and analysis. After completing her doctorate in Germany, she conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and later returned there as Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Director of the Polymer Engineering Center. There, she advanced research on additive manufacturing, composite materials, and, in particular, plastics recycling.
Previously, she headed the Materials and Testing department at Fraunhofer ICT, focusing on lightweight materials for sustainable mobility and energy applications, and was Vice President of R&D at AREVO Inc., where she supported the scaling of 3D printing technologies for composite materials.
She joined NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing in Germany in 2020 and, as Division Manager Polymer, is responsible for global business development, application strategy, and technical communication. Her current focus is on practical tools for the circular economy—especially in plastics recycling—through modern material characterization and AI-supported analysis software.
Mara SIlber
Team Lead Recycling Analytics | BASF SE
Dr. Mara Silber studied chemical biology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). She then conducted research on the characterization of membrane proteins using NMR and received her doctorate in 2022. From 2022 to 2024, she was a postdoctoral researcher at BASF SE in the European research project “PRecycling – Plastics Recycling from and for toys, textiles and home appliances,” which was funded by the EU Horizon Europe program. During this time, she focused on the analytical characterization of plastic waste and recyclates, as well as the development of robust methods for quality assessment along complex material flows.
Since 2024, she has headed the Recycling Analytics team at BASF SE. In this role, she is responsible for the further development of modern analytical approaches for the evaluation of waste materials and for the quality assurance of recyclates in a wide variety of recycling projects.
Dr. rer. nat. Eva-Maria Langhammer
General Manager | Granula Polymer GmbH
Dr. Eva Langhammer holds a doctorate in chemistry (2016) and an additional master's degree in business administration (2020). Her doctoral thesis focused on cationic polymerization to hyperbranched polyethers. Since 2014, she has been the second-generation managing director of Granula Polymer GmbH and has established the company as a pioneer in sustainable and innovative cleaning granulates in the plastics processing industry.
Her master's thesis focused on the patented cleaning granulates that are now known worldwide under the GranaClean brand. Under her leadership, Granula Polymer GmbH, certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, was awarded the German Excellence Prize and the “Employer of the Future” prize in 2025. Since 2023, GranaClean cleaning granulates have been available internationally through ALBIS Distribution GmbH.
In addition to her work as a certified environmental manager and professional supply chain manager, Dr. Langhammer is involved in research projects with institutes, colleges, and universities. These collaborations contribute significantly to the continuous improvement of GranaClean cleaning granules. She is also an active member of the board of trustees of the Lüdenscheid Plastics Institute and is involved in the Poly4Nature network, which promotes knowledge transfer and sustainability in the plastics industry.
Viktoria Rothleitner
Founder & Managing Partner | Polytives GmbH
Viktoria Rothleitner is the co-founder and CEO of Polytives GmbH, an innovative chemistry startup based in Thuringia, Germany. First initiated as a project in 2017 and officially founded in 2020, Polytives aims to make plastics processing more efficient, sustainable, and resource-saving through the use of polymeric additives. The company develops solutions that enable recyclates and bioplastics to be used in demanding applications and also unlock new degrees of freedom for other plastics through innovative technology. In doing so, Polytives makes an important contribution to the circular economy and to more sustainable business practices overall.
Rothleitner studied Nutritional Science and later completed a Master of Science in Business Studies for Scientists at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. New approaches that combine interdisciplinary thinking with practical implementation shape her mindset as a founder.
Beyond her entrepreneurial activities, she is committed to societal and regional issues. She actively supports the alliance “Weltoffenes Thüringen”, contributes her experience to various advisory boards, and is closely connected within the Startup Community Thuringia, where she supports the organizing team and fosters exchange, cooperation, and mutual support.
With this combination of scientific background, business expertise, and social engagement, Viktoria Rothleitner represents an entrepreneurial spirit that unites innovation, responsibility, and openness.
Dr. Kylie König
Business Development Manager Compounding | SÜDPACK VERPACKUNGEN SE & Co. KG
Dr. Kylie König has been Business Development Manager for Compounds at SÜDPACK Verpackungen SE & Co. KG since October 2021. Her focus is on implementing sustainable material solutions with recyclates and biopolymers for extrusion and injection molding. Another goal is to close material loops in close collaboration with customers, making a valuable contribution to conserving resources and reducing CO₂ emissions.
Her academic career began with a degree in aerospace engineering, followed by a doctorate in plastics technology from RWTH Aachen University and Maastricht University. This combination of technical know-how and innovative research forms the basis for her expertise in the field of modern material technologies.
Before joining SÜDPACK, Dr. König gained valuable experience at Technimark, where she worked in quality assurance for injection molding applications. There she deepened her technical understanding and her ability to combine complex industrial requirements with innovative solutions.
Patrick Gloeckner
Head Next Markets Program | Evonik Operations GmbH
Dr. Patrick Glöckner has been driving the transition towards a Circular Economy for many years. Together with customers and partners, he develops innovative solutions across various value chains. Over the past 25 years, the polymer chemist has held several leadership roles at Evonik, always at the intersection of technology, innovation, and business.
Today, Patrick leads Evonik’s Next Markets Program, which also encompasses the company’s Circularity initiatives to provide customers and partners solutions in the fields of Design4circularity, product-use-extension, and recycling of end-of-life materials. Patrick’s current role at Evonik fits his passion perfectly: Bringing people together, setting up partnerships along value chains to enable circularity in a wide range of applications and developing technologies and methodologies towards a profitable Circular Economy. Patrick represents Evonik in several international and national associations.
Hedi Skhiri
Senior Lead Technical Specialist | Hexagon AB
Hedi Skhiri studied Mechanical Engineering and worked as a Research Assistant at Université catholique de Louvain. He joined the Materials Group at Hexagon AB in 2014, where he is a Technical Leader working on several projects focused on component design, reliability, and validation of plastic parts across different industries. Hedi works closely with Product Development teams to deliver best-in-class simulation technologies and drive innovation in material modeling, multi-scale analysis, and predictive engineering for plastics.
Jan-Martin Kaiser
Chief expert & research group manager | Robert Bosch GmbH
Jan-Martin Kaiser studied mechatronics at Saarland University and earned his doctorate in plastics engineering. He has been working as a research engineer at Robert Bosch GmbH in Renningen since 2013, where he has headed the research group for component design, reliability, and validation of plastic components since 2018. In addition, he has been responsible for multiscale simulation methods for metals and polymers since 2023.
Klaus Kirr
Partner Circular Economy | Porsche Consulting
"Companies that succeed in the 2030s will have embedded circular business models into their operating systems — making them more resilient, cost-efficient, and sustainable."
Klaus Kirr brings deep cross-functional expertise from leading automotive OEMs and over 15 years of hands-on experience in resource efficiency and industrial sustainability. Since 2009, he has been shaping operational strategies that balance performance with environmental responsibility.
As Partner for Circular Economy at Porsche Consulting, Klaus develops tailored circular solutions across industries — from automotive to chemicals and packaging. His mission: turning regulatory pressure into strategic opportunity.
For him, the 3R principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) is just the starting point. To truly achieve resilience, we must think in high-performance terms — at least 911R.
“The secret to supply chain security lies in transparency: It’s not the origin of the raw material, but the intermediate processing steps that are decisive for mitigating geopolitical risks and unlocking the full potential of the circular economy.”
Dr. Elke Metzsch-Zilligen
Division Director Research and Developement »Materials« | Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF
Dr. Metzsch-Zilligen studied chemistry at the University of Cologne and received her PhD in physical chemistry in 2006. After working in the food industry for several years, she joined the German Plastics Institute (DKI) in 2011, which was integrated into Fraunhofer LBF in 2012. There she headed the “Additivation and Durability” department until April 1, 2024, when she subsequently took over as director of the plastics division at Fraunhofer LBF.
Her research focuses on the synthesis of new additives and the selection and evaluation of optimized additives/additive systems for thermoplastics depending on the application. She has also been working on the sustainability of plastics for many years. This includes significantly improving the quality of recyclates through adapted post-stabilization to improve the mechanical, sensory and optical properties in order to increase the amount of recyclates used or to enable the substitution of virgin material by recyclates in the first place.
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