Building New Bridges: ELCA Welcomes EUPIC and Wuxi Delegation to Barcelona for Europe–China Collaboration in Advanced Materials

Last week, the ELCA hosted the Chinese Delegation EU Project Innovation Centre (EUPIC) together with representatives from Wuxi (China) marking a significant milestone in efforts to foster Europe–China cooperation in lightweighting and advanced materials. The meeting brought together leading experts, consultants and cluster members committed to strengthening international technology transfer and innovation across continents.

Forging New Collaboration Paths

The discussions revolved around how European expertise and Chinese industrial capabilities can combine to drive innovation in advanced materials. As part of the agenda, ELCA was presented as a strategic gateway for Europe–China cooperation in lightweight technologies — a platform designed to facilitate matchmaking, joint development, and cross‑border initiatives.

ELCA member Clúster de Materials Avançats de Catalunya (Cluster MAV) and ACCIÓ, exchanged ideas on potential collaboration scenarios. These ranged from collaborative R&D and technology transfer to organising events and workshops aimed at sharing knowledge and fostering business opportunities between European and Chinese stakeholders.

Spotlight on ELCA as an International Gateway

By positioning ELCA as a “bridge” between Europe and China, the meeting underscored the network’s growing role not only within Europe, but also on the global stage. Through this cooperation, ELCA aims to expand its reach beyond traditional European boundaries, exploring new markets, industrial synergies, and innovation pathways that leverage the complementary strengths of both regions.

This aligns closely with ELCA’s mission to accelerate the adoption of lightweight materials across strategic sectors, by facilitating cross-border cooperation, R&D collaborations, and technology transfer.

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