EALA – European Automotive Laser Applications

28th Expert Conference

EALA, European Automotive Laser Applications, is Automotive Circle’s focus conference on everything to do with laser-based material processing in any area of automobile series production. Since 1999, the conference has taken place annually in Bad Nauheim, Germany, and has been discussing technical advancements regarding, for instance,

laser-based welding, brazing, cutting, drilling, cladding, surface structuring or surface cleaning
laser systems and laser optics
laser beam and laser seam analytics and process control
process data management and AI- or non-AI-based data analyses
corresponding simulation techniques
new application areas of industrial laser material processing, in any component of the automobile.

Bringing together an international audience of laser systems and automotive engineering experts, the conference always aims at presenting a mixture of latest application progress reports from trailblazing OEM and Tier1 module suppliers, most recent innovations from laser system and process control equipment suppliers and highly interesting academic study results.

Next Instalment

Please note the date: The 28^th EALA edition takes place on February 2-3, 2027 in Bad Nauheim, Germany and online.

EXHIBITION

Benefit from the exhibition on site, where topic-specific products and services will be displayed!

MEET THE SPEAKERS

During the breaks, the speakers of the immediately preceding block will be available for your individual questions and further discussions.

LIVE POLLS ON SITE

Ask your specific questions on current issues and benefit from the answers of the conference´s expert audience!

Call for Speakers

Kicking off the AUTOMOTIVE CIRCLE year 2027, EALA, the international focus conference on laser-based material processing technologies in automotive production, again sets out to gather its global community of renowned expert engineers to Bad Nauheim, Germany, to learn about, discuss and evaluate latest technical developments and trends.

Your speaking opportunity

We cordially invite you, as expert representatives of trailblazing international OEM, Tier 1, laser system and laser process equipment suppliers, as well as renowned research institutions, to let us know about your proposal for a half-hour technical presentation at EALA 2027. EALA aims to cover all aspects of improving laser-based material processing in industrial automotive production, and we are looking forward to hearing about your recent progress or study results in this field. Specifically, topics may address:

Efficiency, quality and robustness of industrial laser-welding or laser-brazing processes, through process innovations and/or advanced laser system developments
Laser-based joining solutions for challenging or novel materials and material combinations
Laser-based
- panel cutting
- drilling
- cladding/additive manufacturing
- surface cleaning or
- surface texturing operations.
Laser-based processes enabling new production solutions
Applications of lasers in the production of electric or hybrid-electric drive components, e.g. in battery cells, tabs, battery modules, battery cases, fuel cells, power train components, or their encasement
Possibilities for laser applications in automotive recycling/refurbishing/reuse scenarios, e.g. lasers in dismantling or paint removal operations
Efficient, closed loop process and quality control of laser beams and laser seams; integration of laser processes in smart production concepts
Process data management and data analyses – AI- or non-AI-based
Simulation of laser-based processes

Please submit your suggested conference contribution via a short, English-language abstract describing your presentation content in an engineering-oriented and non-promotional way, using our online submission form

by October 9, 2026.

Based on your abstract, the Automotive Circle, in collaboration with the conference’s OEM Advisory Board, will decide on the acceptance of your proposal for the conference program.

Please note that, for accepted contributions, one speaker per presenting company (max. two different companies) will be fully invited to the conference.

Further deadlines:
– Notification of acceptance: end of October 2026.
– Publication of the conference program: early November 2026
– Submission of your (English-language) presentation files: by December 7, 2026

SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT

Conference Program

The program is going to be published in October 2026.

Participants

International OEM Advisory Board

Dr. Jan-Philipp Weberpals

Audi AG

Dr. Florian Oefele

BMW Group

Stefan Axmacher

Ford-Werke GmbH

Dr. Masoud M. Pour

General Motors Company

Dr. Sujit Chatterjee

Jaguar Land Rover

Christian Elsner

Mercedes-Benz AG

Eveline Reinheimer

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Christian Brémont

Renault SAS

Raul Botta

Stellantis, DE

Meinulf Hinz

Volkswagen AG

Yves van den Stock

Volvo Cars

The conference addresses

Car body engineers, managers and employees of OEM
Suppliers and service providers
Experts from institutes

All working within the field of laser applications.

Exhibition & Sponsoring

Take advantage of the high coverage of the Automotive Circle and profit from the sponsoring options before and during the events. Show your competence and services, matching the conference subjects, to the numerous car body engineers of international OEM. Thus, you are strengthening your brand awareness in the automotive industry!

Come on board as an exhibitor or sponsor and benefit from this excellent platform to strongly promote your company’s capabilities as a reliable supplier!

Feel free to check out the various sponsoring options!

Terms & Conditions Exhibiton and Sponsoring | PDF

More Information

Prices, Terms & Conditions

Organizer

Vincentz Network GmbH & Co. KG
Plathnerstrasse 4c
30175 Hannover, Germany

T. +49 511 9910 – 384
www.automotive-circle.com
jannike.von.kampen@vincentz.net

Date & Venue

Conference: February 2-3, 2027

Digital Participation
or
On site Participation @
DOLCE by Wyndham Bad Nauheim
Elvis-Presley-Platz 1
61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany

T +49 6032 303-0
F +49 6032 303-529
info@dolcebadnauheim .com
www.dolcebadnauheim.com

Accommodation is available at the conference hotel.

We kindly ask you to make your own hotel reservation at the conference hotel. Rooms are available from € 164,- to € 194,- (prices of 2026), depending on the room category. All rooms include breakfast for a price of € 5,- per person and day. Please refer to: “Automotive Circle”.

The following cancellation conditions apply for all categories:

All reservations can be cancelled free of charge up to 4 weeks before arrival. Up to 2 weeks before arrival 60% of the room rate will be due. From 2 weeks before arrival 80 % will be charged.

Participation Fee

On site or digital participation (choice is all yours):

Super Early-bird	tba*	for registrations received by November 1, 2026
Early-bird	tba*	for registrations received by January 1, 2027
Standard	tba*	for registrations received after January 1, 2027

Students will get 50 % discount on standard prices on presentation of a valid student ID.
A 10% group discount on the rate that is valid at the time of registration is available. This will apply when 5 or more attendees from the same company address register at the same time.
The access data for the digital conference participation will be send out via E-Mail approx. one week prior the conference. The prerequisite for this is that all payments have been received in full.

* All prices plus 19 % German VAT. All conferences in Europe are subject to VAT. To reclaim, please contact your local tax office.

Participation fee includes

On site participation: Fees including full conference participation, incl. conference materials and list of delegates, the authority for downloading the presentation on the internet, luncheons, catering, the participation in the evening networking event and on-demand access to the presentation videos for 2 weeks after the conference.

Digital participation: Fees including full digital conference participation, incl. conference materials and list of delegates, the authority for downloading the presentation on the internet and on-demand access to the presentation videos for 2 weeks after the conference.

Registration

Registration is preferably done via the event’s website, alternatively by e-mail or regular mail. The confirmation of participation and invoice will be sent via e-mail. Without this confirmation, there is no claim to participation in the booked event. Registrations will be considered in the order in which they are received, except EuroCarBody. However, the number of participants is limited in all cases.

Technical Plattform for digital participation

This virtual event of the Automotive Circle is planned and conducted using electronic tools and platforms. The following tools are used:

Cvent Attendee Website (via browser, compatible with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge)
Vimeo Player
Slido

Each participant is responsible for using these tools. If it is not possible to use them, e.g. due to internal company requirements, this does not entitle the participant to cancel the digital participation free of charge.

Conference Language

The conference is held exclusively in English. All documents are predominately composed in the English language.

Cancellations

Fees will be refunded in full if notice of cancellation is received by January 1, 2027. Please understand that event preparation and organization involve financial and human resources. Therefore a fee of 50% of the participation fee will be charged, if the notification of cancellation is received after January 2, 2026. Should notification reach us after January 15, 2027, or in case of non-participation, 100% of the participation fee will be charged. Substitutions of delegates may be made at any time.

Cancellations and changes must be made in writing and will be confirmed by the organizer. Cancellations due to health reasons can be cancelled free of charge at any time with a medical certificate. If a participant is demonstrably unable to attend due to travel restrictions, he/she has the option of converting the attendance participation into a digital participation (if this is offered). Any cost differences will be reimbursed).

The participant undertakes to follow the instructions of the organizer and the venue. Failure to do so may result in exclusion from the event.

The organizer reserves the right to change the program or to cancel the event in the event of special circumstances (important reason). In particular, the organizer is entitled to take such measures in cases of force majeure, due to official orders, in the event of a situation endangering the life, body or health of the participants. In these cases, the organizer shall not be obliged to pay damages and/or reimbursement of expenses to the participants. This applies in particular to any cancellation fees incurred by third parties (e.g. hotel bookings, train or flight tickets).

If the digital event has to be canceled by the organizer due to insufficient number of participants, technical complications or due to illness of one or more speakers, already paid participation fees will be refunded in full. Further claims do not exist.

Invitation Letters

Please contact us if you need invitation letters for visa requirements. We will be happy to assist with this after we have received your registration. There requests are usually handled by us within 2 working days and we typically send the invitation letters out as a PDF file via eMail. If you require an original letter we can send it out by regular mail. Please understand that if you need letters sent via express mail that we have to further the delivery and handling costs to you.

Program Changes

Automotive Circle reserve the right to revise event content and change implementation tools. There is no claim to a specific lecture, workshop or references. Registered trademarks: No guarantee is given that the products, processes and other names mentioned are free of third-party property rights.

Data Protection

As participant of an event, you agree that data such as company, address (zip code, city, country), first name, name and job function of the attendee will be published on the list of participants. The list of participants is available to all participants in digital form. The list of participants could also be used by sponsors and exhibitors for advertising purposes. Objection against publication and circulation of your data may be made at any time until 3 weeks prior to the event and has to be made in writing to the organizer. The address data are processed for customer service and information purposes in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Company’s name, city and country might be published on the Internet as reference for upcoming Automotive Circle events. Personal data will be forwarded to the local health authority on request.

Pictures, Videos & Recordings

By registering you understand that your participation and attendance at the event may be videotaped, filmed and/or audio recorded. You agree that the recording may be used for any lawful purposes that Vincentz Network, or its designees, in their sole discretion, may determine.

Picture credits

Miscellaneous

With your binding registration you agree that film, image, word and sound recordings may be made of you during the event. These recordings may be used without restriction by Vincentz Network or authorized parties in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Also have a look at our Privacy Policy.

Hanover, February 2026

Digital Participation

What can you expect from the digital participation?

Follow the live stream of all presentations or on demand* until 2 weeks after the conference
Ask you individual questions during the Q&A session to the speakers during the live stream
Exhibitor forum and the possibility to get in touch with the exhibitors
Messaging and chat functions to get in touch with others
Download of the presentations

*Will be provided after the conference

Acces data to the digital platform will be send out approx. one week before the conference starts.

Technical Plattform

The virtual event of the Automotive Circle is planned and conducted using electronic tools and platforms. The follwoing tools are used:

Cvent Attendee Website (via browser, compatible with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge)
Vimeo Player
Wordly
Slido

Each participant is responsible for using these tools. If it is not possible to use them, e.g. due to technical company requirements, this does not entitle the participant to cancel the digital participation free of charge.