Car Body Parts 2026

Car Body Parts 2026

Material. Process. Progress

Car Body Parts – Materials and Forming Processes premiered in 2024 and has quickly gained significant momentum offering two intensive congress days discussing advancements in the development and production of structural and outer skin car body parts.

Building on the success of the past two editions, Automotive Circle is ready to convene its international network of materials and process experts again to evaluate the crucial link between car body material innovation and advanced production techniques.

On June 23-24,  2026, in Bad Nauheim, Germany, we are once again delighted to host this two-day congress, which features two parallel sessions dedicated to discussing the latest progress in car body parts production processes and the corresponding material developments.

Overview of parallel congress sessions

Call For Speakers

We cordially invite you to actively contribute your latest findings to your event: Let us know about your recent relevant progress and submit your suggestion for a half-hour technical presentation, reporting about your latest developments, applications or study results.

To do that, please send your convincing and concise abstract describing your suggested presentation using our online submission form no later than

January 12, 2026.

In particular, the congress seeks to discuss progress in the following areas:

  • latest series car body material concepts, especially for next-generation BEV
  • new steel, aluminum, magnesium or composite/plastics material developments, enabling
    • improved in-use car body part performance and durability
    • a reduced scope-3 climate gas footprint / a higher recycled materials content
    • better formability and processability
    • greater design freedom
    • new or wider application windows in the car body.
  • efficient primary and secondary forming processes for both structural and outer skin car body parts, e.g. via
    • panel forming innovations in the tool shop and press plant, from method planning/simulation to tryout and series production equipment
    • aluminum or steel hot forming process improvements
    • multipart integration via “megastampings”
    • aluminum megacastings and their capabilities and applicability
    • megacasting process development
    • magnesium thixomolding and its application possibilities
    • extrusion, roll- or blow-forming processes and their efficient use for car body parts
  • specific semi-finished goods and their benefits (e.g. tailor-welded/tailor rolled blanks, hybrid materials)
  • improved forming process control / quality control tools
  • smart digitalization and data management in press plant, foundry, tool shop

Whenever it is meaningful as a complement to a presentation, the accompanying exhibition of demonstrator car body parts or full car bodies is possible and highly encouraged.

Based on your abstract, your proposal will be evaluated in collaboration with the members of the OEM Advisory Board to the congress. In that process, the novelty of your results, their industrial relevance and the engineering-oriented, technical character of your proposal will be of particular importance. Please do avoid the impression of a mere product promotion.
Please find advice on how to be most successful with your abstract in the online submission form.

Further key dates
Notification of acceptance of your proposal: by February 2026
Publication of the congress program: early March 2026
Submission of your English-language presentation documents as a pdf for the congress proceedings: May 29, 2026

Please note that, for each accepted contribution, one speaker per presenting company (max. two different companies) will be invited to the congress, exempt of the congress fees.

Congress Program

The conference program will be published in March 2026.

Participants

  • Car body engineers, managers and employees of international OEM
  • System suppliers and engineering service providers
  • Experts from institutes
All responsible for press plant, tool shop or foundry projects or/and projects regarding Materials in Car Body Engineering in the areas of pre-development, development, planning, production and quality control.

Exhibition & Sponsoring

Become a sponsor or exhibitor

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!

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: June 23-24, 2026

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
1.835 €*
for registrations received by March 22, 2026
Early-bird
2.035 €*
for registrations received by May 22, 2026
Standard
2.235 €*
for registrations received after May 22, 2026

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 May 22, 2026. 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 May 22, 2026. Should notification reach us after June 8, 2026, 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

Vincentz Network; ©AndSus – stock.adobe.com

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, July 2025

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
  • 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.

Review

Impressions of Car Body Parts: Materials and Forming Processes 2025

For more information on Car Body Parts: Materials and Forming Processes 2025 (e.g. Agenda, participants), take a look here!

Your Contacts

Dr. Dirk Meine

Presidium

+49 511 9910-319

Jannike von Kampen

Senior Event Manager

+49 511 9910-384

Frauke Haentsch

Director Sales

+49 511 9910-340