On 14 November, the Circular Valley Forum 2025 brought together more than 1,200 decision-makers from politics, business, science and civil society to demonstrate the importance of the circular economy for Europe, and to showcase the power that can be generated when regions and different industries collaborate. The motto of this year's forum was “Action Across Borders and Industries”.

The forum generated strong momentum right from the start: following opening statements by Dr. Thomas Stoffmehl (Vorwerk) and Dr. Dorothee Becker (Becker Group) and a keynote address by North Rhine-Westphalia Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur, numerous panels demonstrated how far the circular economy has already developed in many industries. Dr. Thomas Latzel, President of the Protestant Church in the Rhineland, provided a special social insight: the circular economy also touches on issues of responsibility, social participation, and the preservation of creation.

Lively exchange also between the panels

Throughout the day, experts from the metals, chemicals, and building materials industries discussed new technologies, rising recycling rates, and the conditions required for scalable solutions. The European perspective also played a central role, with delegations from North Rhine-Westphalia, Flanders and the Netherlands presenting their close cooperation and the potential of the trilateral region as a core area of the European circular economy. Pitches from startups in Batch 9 of the Circular Economy Accelerator demonstrated which new technologies are close to market maturity.

The afternoon sessions focused on topics such as digital product passports, innovation structures, regional cooperation, and the role of the tech industry in circular processes. But it wasn't just the program that shaped the day; it was also the special atmosphere at the Circular Valley Forum: "You could feel how much willingness there was to exchange ideas. That was exactly what we wanted: for people not only to discuss issues in the panels, but also to meet each other in between, share ideas, and think ahead together," says Dr. Carsten Gerhardt, Chairman of the Circular Valley Foundation. The participants enjoyed talking to each other—across their own industries and professional fields.

Highlight of the day: The trilateral agreement

In the evening, leading representatives from North Rhine-Westphalia, Flanders and the Netherlands signed a joint declaration on cooperation. This officially expands the existing collaboration between North Rhine-Westphalia and Flanders to encompass the Netherlands. NRW Environment Minister Oliver Krischer emphasised the importance of signing the declaration: 'I am very pleased that we now have comprehensive cooperation with the Netherlands and Flanders, which will further strengthen our regional expertise and expand our exchanges, enabling us to have a broader impact.'

Krischer also emphasised the importance of the circular economy in addressing the major challenges of our time. 'When it comes to climate protection and adaptation, the circular economy is key. It is the answer to ensuring a sustainable future for our planet and managing our limited resources. It is an ecological solution, but also an economic one.”

Implementation begins immediately upon signing

Work began immediately after the signing ceremony. “We sat down together straight away and started planning the next steps,” says Dr. Carsten Gerhardt. Representatives from all three regions discussed developing concrete proposals for actions and projects that would be taken beyond the regions and presented to Brussels.

Gerhardt sees this as a strong sign. "The Circular Valley Forum should be a place for implementation, not announcements. That is exactly what happened today. Today showed how much can be achieved when people who really want to make a difference come together.”

Following its successful launch in March 2025 with more than 100 exhibitors and 200 speakers, the Circular Valley Convention (CVC) is set to return next year. On 11 and 12 March 2026, Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf will once again be transformed into a meeting place for decision-makers and thought leaders in the field of circular economy from business, science, politics and society who are actively shaping the transition to a circular economy.

BASF, Bayer, Evonik and Henkel are co-hosting the leading international event for the circular economy. Alongside numerous other partners who have confirmed their participation, these four market leaders are demonstrating their commitment to cross-industry and cross-sector collaboration and a circular approach to business.

As co-hosts and pioneers in the field of the circular economy, BASF, Bayer, Evonik and Henkel are contributing to the convention concept with their own exhibition stands, illustrative best practice examples in the expo area and relevant content and high-profile speakers on the conference stages.

Frank Meyer, CSVP R&D & Sustainability Henkel Consumer Brands adds: “The Circular Valley Convention is a unique platform for connecting ideas, talent, and industries—dimensions that are of strategic importance to Henkel. By connecting science, industry, and partners along the entire value chain, we can drive scalable solutions that promote the circular economy, sustainable growth, and lasting impact.”

Conferences, expos and events offer concrete solutions for the circular economy

The Circular Valley Convention offers an impressive mix of innovative features, including a high-calibre expert conference, a practice-oriented expo and exclusive networking opportunities, which provide a platform for dialogue, inspiration and concrete collaborations. The focus is on solution-oriented approaches to creating circular value, cross-industry collaboration and innovation throughout the entire product life cycle, from design and material use to digital applications and recycling technologies.

Registration as an exhibitor is now open. Companies, startups, research institutions, and NGOs that would like to present their solutions for the circular economy in the expo area or on the conference stage at CVC 2026 can now register as exhibitors or partners.

In autumn, the Circular Economy Accelerator welcomed Batch 9 startups to Circular Valley. Teams from all over the world came together in the Rhine-Ruhr region for several intensive weeks, during which they participated in a diverse programme designed to impart knowledge, facilitate networking and advance the founders' business ideas.

At the latest Circular Valley Partner Talk at the leading plastics trade fair K, companies and institutions discussed concrete ways to achieve greater sustainability. Insights from the tour of the fair, the keynote speech, and the discussion show how diverse the approaches to a circular plastics economy are.

Both of these issues were highlighted at the latest Circular Valley Partner Talk at the Circular Valley Partner Messe Düsseldorf, where representatives of partner companies and institutions met at the leading plastics trade fair K.

The meeting began with a tour of the K trade fair and visits to the stands of Evonik, Plastics Europe, Pöppelmann, and Der Grüne Punkt, i.e., companies along the value chain: from chemical raw materials to production and processing to recycling. The respective companies presented their activities and highlighted their approaches to the circular economy.

Wolfram Diener: The trade fair itself also wants to become more circular and sustainable

Following the tour, Wolfram Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf and host for the day, welcomed the group and shared his experience that the circular economy is not only an important topic in many industries that present themselves at trade fairs, but that the trade fair itself is also striving to become more circular and sustainable.

In a very concise keynote speech, Dr. Christine Bunte, Managing Director of Plastics Europe, gave an overview of the current situation in the European plastics industry, particularly with regard to how it can become more sustainable and circular. She presented the various mechanical and chemical recycling processes and showed how they can complement each other.

Chemical recycling methods are needed where mechanical methods reach their limits

This is not a question of “either/or,” but rather a nuanced consideration of “what when?” All recycling technologies are needed. They must be combined. For example, chemical recycling methods make sense when mechanical methods reach their limits. Likewise, extending product life, reuse, and intelligent product design are important for a sustainable plastics industry.

In the ensuing open discussion, against the backdrop of higher production costs and market-related challenges in terms of demand, the focus was on how the political framework conditions could be improved. Topics included more efficient reporting requirements, affordable energy prices, the role of recycled content quotas as an incentive system, and finally, how important it is for the German economy to advocate for ambitious goals at the European level.

Circular Valley thus demonstrates once again how education for sustainable development can be put into practice: with enthusiasm, interaction, and the opportunity for the next generation to realize their own ideas.

The analysis clearly shows that German technology providers offer robust solutions for almost every stage of the process: from mixing and coating to calendering, forming, and end-of-line testing. However, large-scale production lines that have been optimised over many years to balance cycle times, yields and costs as efficiently as their Asian competitors' are still lacking. However, there are also some promising strengths: companies such as Dürr and GROB are investing in forward-looking technologies, including dry electrode processes and high-precision calendering technology. Technological leadership can emerge in such niches in the short term.

The study outlines two potential development paths for Europe.

This would enable the mechanical engineering sector to have a faster impact and offer more attractive international solutions.

In the short term, according to the authors, Europe needs affordable batteries above all else—including through imports. At the same time, however, new regulatory requirements are opening up major opportunities in recycling: rising minimum quotas for efficiency and recycled materials are creating a growing market environment in which German technology providers can score points.

The alumni are once again demonstrating how diverse and effective circular innovations can be. In recent months, numerous startups from different batches have reached important milestones, formed new partnerships, and brought their technologies to market.

The first SapoCircle pilot plant has been installed at La Badira, Tunisia by Monsapo from Batch 8. Monsapo develops machines that convert used cooking oil into natural cleaning products, demonstrating how cleaning systems can be designed to conserve resources. The pilot plant is an important step towards the widespread adoption of this technology.

Revoltech from Batch 3 is also setting new trends: Leica has unveiled a new watch strap made from LOVR, the startup's plant-based, plastic-free material. It is now part of the brand's official accessory range. Revoltech is also working on further optimizing its algae-based textile leather in the new WATER research project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The numerous successes show that startups from Circular Valley are growing, networking, and bringing their innovations to where they are needed—into the practice of a circular future.

Previous guests have included Dana Aleff, co-founder and managing director of Circonomit, Dr. Peter Stemper, member of the board at NRW.BANK, Montgomery Wagner from revoltech, Dr. Thomas Rodemann from Vorwerk, and Felicitas Erfurt-Gordon, managing partner at Erfurt & Sohn.

A live recording on the introduction of the digital product passport, which is set to play a key role in making material flows more transparent in the future, recently received particular attention. One of the podcast's strengths is that it also addresses such current debates and brings different perspectives into the dialogue.

A recurring element also provides surprises time and again: at the end of each episode, the guests describe what they currently need or are looking for in their work. This ranges from specific research questions to approaches for collaboration. For many listeners, it is therefore particularly worthwhile to listen to the last few minutes of an episode—they often open doors to new projects, partners, or ideas.

Outlook: New voices, new topics

Many exciting episodes are still to come: in the coming weeks, for example, interviews are planned with Carsten Cramer, managing director of BVB, Maren Schulze from Madaster, Talke Schaffrannek from BASF, and Jürgen Ephan, managing director at Remondis. This development shows how diverse the circular economy has become – and how many industries are searching for circular solutions.

New episodes are released (in German) every two weeks on all popular platforms. Anyone who wants to share the podcast content can do so very easily: listen, recommend it to others, and share or like the accompanying social media posts. Every bit of encouragement helps to raise awareness of circular economy issues and strengthen dialogue within the network.

With the support of the Circular Valley Foundation, the children's book “Leni & Leon and the Broken Locomotive” was published, showing even the youngest readers how much fun repairing and tinkering together can be. Even after the book's publication, the author has been actively promoting it: Marie-Theres Hosp presented the story at the Circular Valley Forum, and there have been several readings this year – the most recent one in November.

The story of Leni, Leon, and their broken locomotive encourages children to appreciate things, take responsibility, and discover the joy of doing things themselves. It playfully demonstrates that repairing not only makes objects usable again, but also strengthens community and self-confidence.

Further readings have already been requested for the coming year, although the exact dates have not yet been finalized. Anyone who is curious can already discover the book together with their children. Especially during the Christmas season, this lovingly illustrated story offers a wonderful opportunity to teach children lasting values in a playful way.