From 16 - 19 November 2021, despite the ongoing challenges presented by the global pandemic, Formnext temporarily made Frankfurt the global center of the additive manufacturing community, attracting 606 exhibitors and 17,859 visitors and once again confirming its position as the world’s most important exhibition for additive manufacturing and modern industrial production. At the same time, the hybrid exhibition concept with Formnext Digital Days gave anyone unable to visit Frankfurt due to travel restrictions, access to product innovations from the world of additive manufacturing as well as an opportunity to discuss the latest trends and expand their personal network.
“Formnext 2021 demonstrated once again the importance of shared dialogue for the industry and the value of in-person interaction for progress and business deals. Our annual Formnext offers the perfect framework for this. At the same time, our in-person trade fair concept, held under German ‘2G’ safety conditions and with extensive health protection measures, worked very well, as confirmed by the feedback from exhibitors and visitors,” says Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President Formnext at organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. “Over the past two years, we have also made great strides in developing our digital offering, meaning that we will continue to offer complementary online services in the future, where appropriate, to generate additional value for the industry as a whole.”
Formnext Digital Days, which took place on 30 November and 1 December 2021 and attracted 3,003 visitors, combined opportunities for interaction and matchmaking for the global AM industry with an extensive and varied program, including an extensive exhibitor database, inspiring presentations, and keynotes as well as numerous expert talks. On-demand content will be available until the end of the year. Overall, Digital Days offered 50 cutting-edge presentations by 76 speakers. The digital exhibitor directory, one of the most comprehensive company directories in the AM industry, will be available online until the end of May 2022.
A stalwart champion of the AM industry
Alongside the exhibition, Formnext acts as a key partner, ambassador, and driving force for the AM industry all year round. The informative, extensive, and varied AM4U offering, consisting of Formnext Magazine, AM Field Guide, Formnext.TV, and the Formnext Newsroom, continues to provide up-to-date information on the latest industry developments. It also highlights the versatility of additive manufacturing, introduces experts as well as important players, and provides an in-depth technical overview of all available technologies and current applications.
Formnext brand an international success
Formnext has also become a successful international brand, attending exhibitions and hosting its own events around the globe. Next year, there are three international Formnext brand events on the cards: the Rosmould (7 - 9 June 2022, Moscow, Russia), Formnext + PM South China (14 - 16 September 2022, Shenzhen, China), and Formnext Forum Tokyo (27 - 28 September 2022, Tokyo, Japan). Companies in these three key markets of the future from across the additive manufacturing and modern industrial production process chain will thus have an opportunity to showcase their innovations and discuss possible applications and developments with participants and visitors.
Formnext goes Stateside
Another important step in the event’s globalization will be the launch of Formnext USA 2025. To make this a reality, Mesago Messe Frankfurt and Messe Frankfurt North America recently agreed a strategic partnership with AMT (the Association for Manufacturing Technology) and Gardner Business Media. Formnext USA is scheduled to take place for the first time from 8 - 10 April 2025 at the McCormick Place Exhibition Center, Chicago, Ill. In preparation for this, Formnext will, over the next few years, start to expand its presence in the United States with various formats and cooperations. An initial step in this direction will be the AM4U Area organized by Formnext at IMTS 2022 in Chicago from 12 - 17 September 2022. Then, in 2023, Formnext will be in attendance at the Additive Manufacturing Conference in Austin, Texas. From 2024, Formnext Forum Austin will launch as a standalone conference with an accompanying exhibition in partnership with Gardner Business Media and AMT. IMTS 2024 will then once again feature the AM4U Area organized by Formnext. These milestones in the United States will, in 2025, culminate in the premiere of Formnext USA in Chicago.
Next year’s Formnext in Frankfurt will take place from 15-18 November 2022 at Frankfurt exhibition center.
For more information, please visit: www.formnext.com
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
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. The Group employs approximately 2,450 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 29 subsidiaries around the world. The company generated annual sales of approximately €257 million in 2020 after having recorded sales of €736 million the previous year. Even in difficult times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we are globally networked with our industry sectors. 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. We are expanding our digital expertise with new business models. 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
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 VDMA Working Group Additive Manufacturing (Honorary Sponsor)
Within the Working Group Additive Manufacturing, over 170 companies and research institutes collaborate under the direction of the German Engineering 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)