Having taken off to become the world’s leading exhibition for additive manufacturing and modern industrial production in recent years, Formnext continues this development at a record pace in 2019. In March, 518 exhibitors have already registered for Formnext this year. This is another significant increase compared to the same time the year before. As such, the amount of space that Formnext 2019 will cover has already exceeded the final size of Formnext 2018.

In addition to enlarging booths of existing exhibitors, Formnext has managed to attract 147 new exhibitors. An impressively high proportion of the exhibitors debuting at Formnext in 2019 are international (64 percent), with companies from China, the United Kingdom, the USA, and the Netherlands being the most strongly represented.

© Mesago/Mathias Kutt

Growth along the entire process chain
Formnext has recorded strong growth along the entire process chain. The new exhibitors include international groups such as 3M Advanced Materials, Bosch Rexroth, Covestro, Evonik, Mitsubishi, and thyssenkrupp Materials. They will showcase their additive manufacturing solutions at Formnext. In addition, many young and innovative companies from around the world are represented, as well as long-established medium-sized companies such as Peter Lehmann and August Rüggeberg, and industrial clusters such as Bayern Innovativ and Leichtbau BW.

The post-processing area has developed considerably, which is key to the continued industrial development of additive manufacturing. “Here, many companies from traditional industrial sectors have seized market opportunities and developed very exciting products and technologies,” says Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President for Formnext, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. “In addition to growth in other sectors, Formnext can also further expand the process chain and explore the different areas in more depth.” Formnext reflects the development that sees additive manufacturing in industry often integrated into a multi-stage manufacturing process, in which several manufacturing processes are linked and combined. “We demonstrate various manufacturing processes, at the heart of which is additive manufacturing,” comments Wenzler.

World’s 3D-printing elite in Frankfurt
Due to the huge growth, Formnext 2019 will take place in Halls 11 and 12 for the first time, the most modern part of the Frankfurt exhibition grounds. The high-quality and elegant architecture of the two halls, combined with the modern and spacious entrance building Portalhaus, provide a very special setting for Formnext. In both halls, Formnext will occupy the lower and upper levels. “When deciding where to place exhibitors, we continue our approach of mixing things up, which has proven successful in recent years and has resonated well with exhibitors,” states Heike Pfab, Formnext Team Leader for Sales at Mesago Messe Frankfurt.

The unprecedented development of Formnext underscores its prominent position as a leading international exhibition for additive manufacturing and modern industrial manufacturing processes. From November 19 to 22, all the world elite in industrial 3D printing will once again be showcasing in Frankfurt.

Sector growing by 20 percent annually
Formnext’s dynamic growth is within an industry that has been rising in double digits for years and has now reached a volume of over 10 billion euros. Various market researchers and industry experts are forecasting continued high growth of around 20 percent annually over the next few years.

In order to attract even more target visitor groups, Formnext is expanding its Discover3Dprinting seminar series. This is aimed at medium-sized companies wishing to enter additive manufacturing, and is organized in cooperation with ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing, for example at the international exhibitions IFFA, PCIM, SPS, and of course Formnext. The event is therefore bringing innovations from additive manufacturing to other user industries that can benefit from them.

Partner country USA
In 2019, the USA will become the first partner country to be represented at Formnext. During the event, there will be special highlights for American guests. A diverse program awaits Formnext’s visitors on the partner country stage of the U.S. pavilion, including a discussion panel of renowned speakers. Following a successful launch in 2018, the “AM Standards Forum” is scheduled again this year, organized in cooperation with the U.S. Commercial Service.

Established events are being continued and expanded, such as the Start-up Challenge, the ideas competition “purmundus challenge”, the AM4U platform with a wealth of career opportunities, and the BE-AM Symposium, which focuses on additive activities in the construction industry. In addition, the high-quality conference program organized by Formnext’s content partner, TCT, will once again address current trends and developments in additive manufacturing in 2019, while bringing together thought leaders and users of additive manufacturing from various industries.

Background information on Formnext
Formnext is the leading trade fair for Additive Manufacturing and the next generation of intelligent manufacturing solutions. It focuses on the efficient realization of parts and products, from their design to serial production. Formnext shows the future of innovative manufacturing. Formnext is organized by Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. (Formnext.com)

About Mesago Messe Frankfurt
Mesago, founded in 1982 and located in Stuttgart, specializes in exhibitions and conferences on various topics of technology. The company belongs to the Messe Frankfurt Group. Mesago operates internationally and is not tied to a specific venue. With 140 members of staff Mesago organizes events for the benefit of more than 3,300 exhibitors and over 110,000 trade visitors, conference delegates and speakers from all over the world. Numerous trade associations, publishing houses, scientific institutes and universities work with Mesago closely as advisers, co-organizers and partners. (mesago.com)

Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,500* employees at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €715* million. Thanks to its far-reaching ties with the relevant sectors and to its international sales network, the Group looks after the business interests of its customers effectively. A comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com

*preliminary figures 2018

Background information on TCT (Content Partner)
Since 1992 the TCT Group’s mission has been to accelerate the adoption of 3D technologies for design, development and manufacture across all industry sectors. Through events, publications, websites and digital products TCT delivers business-critical insights on 3D printing, additive manufacturing, CAD/CAE, metrology and inspection, as well as traditional manufacturing processes such as molding, casting and CNC machining. The TCT Group is owned by Rapid News Publications Ltd (rapidnews.com), part of Rapid News Communications Group. (thetctgroup.com)

Background information on the Working Group Additive Manufacturing (Honorary Sponsor)
Within the Working Group Additive Manufacturing, more than 120 companies and research institutes collaborate under the direction of the German industry federation VDMA. Here, plant engineers; component and material suppliers; industrial companies that work with metals and plastics; service providers in software, manufacturing, and processing; and numerous researchers all work toward the same goal: the industrialization of additive manufacturing techniques. (am.vdma.org)

Source: Mesago Messe Frankfurt