The European Rebar Council (ERC) and the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate the adoption of composite rebar in construction and infrastructure. The agreement was signed in Atlanta during CAMX 2026.
The initiative connects two leading European and North American industry organisations involved in composite reinforcement, with the shared goal of promoting the use of GFRP rebars and other composite reinforcement technologies in concrete structures.
Composite rebars are increasingly considered an alternative to conventional steel reinforcement, particularly in applications exposed to corrosion and harsh environments, including bridges, marine structures and transport infrastructure. Wider adoption, however, requires consistent standards, shared design guidelines and greater confidence among engineers, specifiers and asset owners.
The agreement covers six main areas of cooperation: information exchange, standards harmonisation, governance, communication, training and market development, as well as sustainability. ERC and ACMA also aim to support greater alignment between European frameworks based on the Eurocodes and North American standards developed through ACI and AASHTO.
The memorandum also provides for joint training programmes, design guides, academic initiatives, research activities and demonstration projects. Sustainability cooperation will include life-cycle assessment, product category rules, environmental product declarations and circular-economy initiatives.
The partnership therefore aims to reduce regulatory fragmentation between Europe and North America and create more favourable conditions for the broader industrial adoption of composite reinforcement in construction and infrastructure.
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09 October 2026
