2 September 2020 – Due to the recent rise of the Covid-19 infection figures worldwide, and the associated increase in travel restrictions, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH has decided to hold Formnext 2020 purely virtually. The digital event will be named “Formnext Connect”.
Formnext 2020 was previously planned as a hybrid trade fair, that is, with the on-site event at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds plus a digital add-on component. This plan was based on the Corona Contact and Operating Restrictions Ordinance valid in the State of Hesse and a health and hygiene concept agreed upon with the City of Frankfurt am Main, the State of Hesse and Messe Frankfurt.
“The current rise of the Covid-19 infection figures in Germany, Europe and around the world have led to increasing uncertainty among exhibitors and visitors. Together with the renewed tightening of official and in-house travel restrictions, this will no longer allow the otherwise highly international Formnext to be carried out in the accustomed quality,” stated Petra Haarburger, President of Mesago Messe Frankfurt.
“We have been planning Formnext 2020 for months now. We have done this consistently and with the full support of our Exhibitor Advisory Board and with the highest level of protection and safety for the health of our exhibitors and visitors. In doing so, we examined the entire layout of the fair from scratch from the halls with all entrances, booths, to the aisles. We devised completely new stand construction packages, spacing and communication areas in accordance with the health and hygiene concept agreed with the authorities. Our disappointment at the end of the summer is all the greater now that we have to recognize that the course of the pandemic is destroying our efforts to make these personal encounters possible again,” explained Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President Formnext Mesago Messe Frankfurt.
In the course of the crisis, the additive manufacturing industry has clearly demonstrated the potential that lies in flexible, diversified and decentralized production. There is no doubt that AM will be one of the leading technologies that will lead the way out of the recession. It will play a major role in the development of new products, the design of resilient supply chains and the development of sustainable business models.
“An exchange between technology providers and users is absolutely necessary for this, and we are now putting all our energy into the realization of a virtual Formnext, the Formnext Connect,” Wenzler continued. “It will be the central virtual platform for business and knowledge exchange for the global AM community at the end of the year.” The Exhibitor Advisory Board* unanimously welcomes and supports this decision.
Formnext Connect will start as a virtual event from 10 November 2020 and will offer a wide range of digital services. These include exhibitor presentations in showrooms (products, information, videos, chat function, lead generation / lead tracking), intelligent matchmaking with all participants supported by AI, live streaming and on-demand content of the supporting program and webinars as well as the scheduling / assignment of appointments for online meetings with exhibitors. Further details will follow shortly.
*The members of the Exhibitor Advisory Board of Formnext are: Rainer Lotz, Chairman of the Exhibitor Advisory Board (Renishaw), Dr.-Ing. Kristian Arntz (ACAM), Dr. Christoph Schumacher (Arburg), Kai Witter (Dyemansion), Dr. Thomas Weitlaner (EOS), Nora Cibula (GE Additive), Ingo Kuhlmann (IKOffice), Günther Rehm (iQtemp), Dr. Karsten Heuser (Siemens), Andreas Langfeld (Stratasys) and Dr. Markus Heering (VDMA AG AM).
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 160 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 2,600 employees* at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €733 million*. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our 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. Headquartered 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 2019
Background information on TCT (Content Partner)
Established in 1992, TCT Group’s mission is to accelerate design-to-manufacturing innovation. Through global trade shows, conferences, magazines, websites and digital products TCT delivers business-critical insights on the technologies that help manufacturers make better products, more quickly and cost-effectively. Through the TCT Awards TCT celebrates the most innovative products and applications across the design-to-manufacturing process chain. The TCT Group is owned by Rapid News Publications Ltd, part of Rapid News Group. (thetctgroup.com)
Background information on the Working Group Additive Manufacturing (Honorary Sponsor)
Within the Working Group Additive Manufacturing, about 150 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
