The best way to ensure a successful energy and resource transition is to use resources as carefully and efficiently as possible. Lightweighting, a philosophy which focuses on conserving primary raw materials, is resource efficiency at its finest. This key-enabling technology reduces the amount of energy required for producing goods and also during their use.

At the centre of lightweight technologies and their further development are ever more efficient materials and the recycling of these. All this makes lightweighting a true gamechanger when it comes to working towards our ambitious climate, resource efficiency and sustainability targets. The continuous development of innovative lightweight solutions keeps Germany competitive as a hub for industry and helps create new jobs.

As part of our trajectory to becoming a lead market for green products, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action has launched the Lightweighting Technology Transfer Programme. This funding programme, which successfully started in 2020, is complemented by the Lightweighting Strategy. As announced in the current climate action status I presented at the beginning of the legislative term, we want to put the Lightweighting Strategy on an even broader basis during this parliament to ensure that we harness its full potential. At the same time, this will bring us closer to reaching our objective of making sure that the German economy is able to compete internationally and is also climate-neutral.

I hope all of the participants will enjoy good discussions and fascinating new insights. After all, a horizontal field like lightweighting requires strong networking to ensure that innovation can spread successfully across industry lines, materials and procedures and quickly give rise to marketable products. LightCon can make an important contribution to this.