History
Nature is our guide in efficient design. Like our company name would suggest, the inventor of our composite joint Marko Pavlovic assistant professor Steel and Composite Structures at TU Delft, got inspired by trees. Near his hometown the local community saved a 300 years old tree by supporting it with steel tubulars. Over time it grew over and around these steel tubulars, creating a structural connection.
A tree reacts to the loads it is subjected to, it will grow additional fibres only in the locations where they are needed, this forms the essence of our joint technology to shape it in an optimal manner. With the first prototype being built in 2017 at Versteden B.V., a close collaboration has followed with over 90 tests executed at TU Delft to perfect this technique. With success after success, Tree Composites was founded in 2020 with the aim to get this technology to the market. At the end of 2020 the certification body Det Norske Veritas provided the statement of feasibility for this technology.
Our Team
Tree Composites consists of a dedicated team, with ties to academics and industry. All bring specific knowledge and experience to the table. We are ambitious, passionate and thoroughly enjoy creating the bridge between science and industry. Our team is eager to listen, learn and improve.
Maxim Segeren
Managing director & co-founder
Experience in BD at TU Delft setting up over 20 new innovation projects between Academia and industry. From all the innovation he has seen he believes that the wrapped composite joint can make a major impact and create a positive impact on the energy transition. He is highly motivated to lead the start-up company Tree Composites to a success. MSc in offshore engineering with focus on jackets for offshore wind turbines at TU Delft & PhD at Civil engineering at TU Delft in connections for offshore wind turbines.
Marko Pavlovic
Inventor
Assistant professor in Steel and Composite Structures at TU Delft. Aim at creating new knowledge for implementing Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite materials in structures. PhD in Civil Engineering TU Belgrade in high strength steel bolts for connections. Post-Doc at Lulea in Sweden focusing on steel and composites structures for wind turbine support in structures. Member of CEN TC/250 WG4 – development of Eurocode for FRP structures; Member of Bouwen met Staal TC23 – committee on joints between FRP and steel structural members; Member of IABSE – International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering – representative of TU Delft in Dutch national committee.
Peter Bogers
Commercial director & co-founder
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the HTS in Breda. Since 1995 he is active in the FRP piping business and in 2009 he became the commercial director of Versteden B.v.. His expertise and experience in the manufacturing of fibre reinforced polymers is invaluable for the company and his role is to lead the development of the manufacturing of the wrapped composite joints.
Tim Kapteijn
Structural engineer
Tim graduated from the TU Delft on the feasibility of an uniaxial TC-joint in a monopile breasting dolphin. Within Tree Composites Tim focusses on pilot projects to demonstrate the technology and on certification of the TC-joint. In the WrapNode-I research project Tim is responsible for the integration of the TC-joints in the steel jacket structure and the project management of the jacket design.
Mees Wolters
Composite Engineer
Graduated from TU Delft in December 2020 at which he developed a forming analysis to create mesoscale finite element models of complex composite structures. He obtained his bachelor’s degree at the Hogeschool Arnhem and Nijmegen, graduating on lateral load resisting frames for offshore skids. During his master studies, Mees worked part-time at SPIE Nederland where he developed analytical models for high-voltage lattice masts and substations. Within Tree Composites he focusses on the composite design of the TC-joint, production process and cost determination.
Vasilis Mylonopoulos
Composite Quality Engineer
Graduated from TU Delft on bi-material interface properties of composite to steel bonds. Before coming to the Netherlands he studied civil engineering at the University of Patras in Greece. Working as a trainee in Milan he gained experience with finite element modelling of large commercial and public projects. Within Tree Composites he focusses on the development of automated manufacturing of the TC-joint.
Tim in het Panhuis
Manufacturing engineer
Having finished his Bachelor study, Aeronautical Engineering at Inholland University of Applied Sciences within the specialization track of Design and Development. Within Tree Composites, Tim is investigating the future production process of the TC-joints with a focus on the process flow and the equipment required for the manufacturing line.
Clément Waltener
Composite engineer
Having obtained a MSc. degree in structural engineering at the TU Delft, Clément has developed a strong eagerness for the field of offshore wind energy over the past years. By undertaking a graduation project with Tree Composites, Clément is dedicated to expand the fatigue efficient TC-joint technology into its application to transition pieces of offshore wind turbine jacket substructures.
Berend van Leengoed
Manufacturing Engineer
Graduated from the Aerospace faculty of TU Delft in July 2022. Berend specialised in composites manufacturing at the master track Aerospace Structures and Materials. Between his Bachelor and Master studies he got first-hand experience with composites manufacturing as the chief structures of the student rocket team Stratos IV. In TreeComposites he will be working on industrialising and up-scaling the manufacturing process of the TC-joints
Eline Spek
Program Manager
Experienced Program & Project Manager with 15 years experience in start-up and scale-up companies, previously working on the River program of The Ocean Cleanup. Within Tree Composites, she focusses on delivering results within the project portfolio. Very motivated to be working on an innovation that will positively impact the energy transition. MA in Public Administration with a focus on organisation & management.
Anders Brodsjo
Composite Manufacturing Specialist
Graduated from TU Delft in 1999, with an MSc in Mechanical Engineering and specialisation in composites materials. With more than 20 years of experience in the composite industry, he has been involved in numerous projects, from research and development, to setting up manufacturing for composite components. Besides and extensive experience with composite materials and processing, he has also worked on the development of automation technologies for the composite industry. Within Tree Composites he works as a composite manufacturing specialist and is responsible for the development and implementation of new manufacturing methods, enabling the high volume production capability needed for future projects.
Paraskevi Karatsi
Structural Engineer Intern
Paraskevi is currently pursuing her MSc studies in Structural Engineering at TU Delft. During her studies she got fascinated by Steel and Composite structures. With her graduation project in Tree Composites, she focuses on the sea water diffusion and its potential effects on the interfacial properties of the TC-joint, with main goal to determine the anti-corrosion properties of it.
Ivo Liepa
Structural Engineer Intern
Ivo is a MSc structural engineering student at TU Delft within steel, timber, and composites track. He developed interest in composite materials and offshore structures during Bachelor studies where parallel to studies he worked for over two years on scientific research project to develop composite suction caissons as foundation for offshore oil platforms. Within Tree Composites Ivo is investigating the feasibility to use glass reinforced plastic filament wound tubes for offshore truss systems.
Advisory Board
Frank Sliggers
Technical advisor
Former Associate professor on offshore bottom founded structures at Tu Delft and 25 years of service at Shell. His experience on the design of Jackets for offshore conditions and experience in the installation and operational phase of offshore project is a true addition to the team.
Milan Veljkovic
Technical advisor
Head of the Section Steel and Composite Structures at Tu Delft. He bring in his experience and expertise on steel structures and the fatigue issues related to those. Member of the European Standardization committee CEN250/SC3 Steel Structures and Standardization committee CEN250/SC4 Composite Structures.
Work with us
We welcome new ideas, applications and partners with open arms. We would like to hear from you and we’ll gladly introduce our technology to you. If you are interested you can contact us by phone or e-mail.