Slovenian Business & Research Association 

FlexCycle was pleased to participate in the event "Closing the Automation Gap: Robotics for Textile Handling in Europe Contributing to Competitiveness”, held at the CSIC Brussels Office and organized by the Slovenian Business & Research Association (SBRA) together with its partners, including the Jozef Stefan Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
The event brought together researchers, policymakers, industry representatives, and European projects to discuss how robotics and automation can strengthen the competitiveness of Europe’s textile sector while supporting circular economy and sustainability objectives.
A key focus of the event was the challenge of handling deformable materials, one of the major barriers to automation in textile manufacturing and recycling. Participants explored the technological advances needed to bridge this automation gap and accelerate the adoption of robotics in industrial applications.
Representing FlexCycle, project coordinator Manuel Giuseppe Catalano presented the project’s approach to addressing the automation challenges associated with recycling complex and flexible materials. The presentation highlighted how advanced robotic manipulation, perception systems, adaptive end-effectors, and human-robot collaboration can support the efficient handling and disassembly of textiles, electrical cables, and fuel-cell components.
The event also featured the presentation of the ROMANDIC White Book on robotic textile manipulation and showcased several European research initiatives, including ROMANDIC, SoftEnable, TORNADO, and FlexCycle. Discussions emphasized the importance of collaboration between research institutions, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to develop innovative solutions capable of supporting Europe’s transition towards more sustainable and resilient production system. The event provided a valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking, reinforcing the growing European community working on deformable object manipulation and highlighting its strategic importance for the future of textile automation, recycling, and circular economy applications.
FlexCycle would like to thank SBRA, the partner organizations, the speakers, and all participants for the insightful discussions and for fostering collaboration across the European robotics and innovation ecosystem.