Formnext 2024 took place in Frankfurt from 19 – 22 November 2024. With numerous groundbreaking world premieres and innovations, the exhibition provided crucial momentum for the future evolution of industrial production towards greater efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. Formnext once again made Frankfurt the global center of Additive Manufacturing and the latest production technologies.
The expansion of the range of applications for industrial 3D Printing and the emergence of faster, more cost-effective AM production also played a major role. This was evident not only in the presentations by the exhibitors and this year’s partner country Australia, but also in the extensive supporting program of lectures and events.
Despite a challenging economic environment and global uncertainties, Formnext 2024 has further confirmed its leading position. With 864 exhibitors (of whom 61% were international), Formnext set new standards once again. The event showed clearly how Additive Manufacturing is increasingly gaining in importance in a wide range of industries. The 34.404 experts and executives (of whom 48% were international) that Formnext welcomed as visitors this year are proof of this.
From medical and dental technology to the packaging, automotive and mechanical engineering industries, and from architecture to aerospace and many other sectors: the broad applicability of Additive Manufacturing across numerous industries was strikingly demonstrated by the multifaceted supporting program and the various showcases. Visitors were able to discover pioneering solutions to help them optimize and future-proof their production processes.
With a myriad of world premieres and exciting innovations along the entire process chain, Formnext exhibitors helped pave the way for an even wider range of applications for Additive Manufacturing in the future. For manufacturers of AM systems, productivity was at the top of their innovation agenda, which was reflected in new solutions in the field of automation or specialized systems for particular applications. At the same time, the sustainability megatrend continued to play a prominent role – from the exhibition stands, which were printed from sustainable materials, to facilities for material recycling.
An inspiring success story
Once again, Formnext is demonstrating its pioneer status this year: “With an unparalleled variety of innovations and leading minds from the AM industry, it shows how modern production technologies can be used to drive companies and ultimately the economy forward,” says Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President Formnext at event organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
Christoph Stüker, Vice President Formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH, adds: “In close collaboration with the dynamic AM community, Formnext brings the industry together, constantly defines new areas of application, and brings technologies to industrial maturity. In this way, the exhibition provides crucial momentum and demonstrates how innovative solutions can be developed even in challenging times.”
Visitors at the event were also enthusiastic about Formnext’s development and the sheer number of innovations on display:
Artur Gutwin, Construction, Hailo Wind Systems GmbH & Co. KG: “My visit to Formnext has shown me that Additive Manufacturing offers ever greater possibilities! The quality of components and surfaces, the speed of printing and the variety of materials are constantly increasing. And let’s not forget to mention: The diversity of exhibitors is also growing continually!”
Anand Kumar Venkataswamy, Managing Director, Additive Industries PVT LTD:
“This is the first time I experienced Formnext. It was fantastic to see all the development and advancement in 3D Printing technologies and support services. It feels like the global market is booming.”
Axel Marckwardt, Application Engineer, Binder Dental GmbH:
‘We’ve been attending Formnext for many years and are still able to take away many new impressions and insights. We’ve once again improved our expertise and made new contacts. This fair is superbly organized and fun. Even after these many years, it's still always worth a visit.” Carl Michael Binder, Managing Director, Binder Dental GmbH, adds: “This Formnext has been incredibly impressive, providing us with exciting insights into other industries and beyond”.
A multifaceted and comprehensive program
Formnext 2024 has significantly expanded its already extensive supporting program once again. Numerous showcases focused on user industries ranging from the dental and medical sectors to the packaging and construction industries and mechanical engineering. Key trends, technologies, and applications were discussed in the extended multistage program with three presentation stages that were freely accessible to visitors. The revamped awards format, which allows visitors to vote and awards prizes in six different categories, became a trendsetting feature of Formnext 2024. The winners received their awards at a ceremony held on 21 November: Axolotl Biosciences (Start-up Award), Oryx Medicals (Rookie Award), Fraunhofer IGCV (R(E)volution Award), Siemens / 3D-PROCESS research consortium (Design Award), Ceratizit (Sustainability Award) and AM of Bones University of Stuttgart (AMbassador Award).
A strong international presence
Formnext 2024 once again attracted an exceptionally high proportion of international visitors (48%). Exhibitors also praised the impressive volume of visitor traffic and the high standard of discussions:
Norbert Gall, Head of Marketing at Lithoz: „Here we met exactly the people we had hoped to meet! We enjoyed numerous high-level discussions with new international users from the industry, both by appointment and spontaneously. This is further proof that Formnext is the 3D Printing industry's most important touchpoint for users worldwide. “
Shaun Wootton, Head of Communication, Colibrium Additive: “As always, Formnext is the platform for showcasing innovation, collaboration and the power of the additive ecosystem. We’re proud to have the show as the foundation of our marketing and communication strategy every year – it is the destination to do business, meet our peers and make new connections.”
Sandy R. Sirotic, Territory Sales Manager D/A/CH, Atomization & Equipment, EMEA, Linde AMT: “We were pleasantly surprised by the number of visitors and the noticeably full aisles from the very first day. And also by the high quality of the often very cooperative meetings that will support our business. We have also been able to strengthen our existing customer relationships – something that is all the more important in difficult economic times.”
The exchange continues: Formnext throughout the year
As part of the AM Hub, content from the stage program will continue to be available on demand via Formnext’s digital channels (LinkedIn, YouTube and Formnext.TV) even after the exhibition.
Formnext also provides the AM community with valuable content, inspiration and opportunities to share ideas all year round. Petra Haarburger, President Mesago Messe Frankfurt: “Especially in turbulent times, it is essential that people in the industry talk to one another. That’s why we are steadily building the Formnext brand into an AM and technology Hub and creating opportunities to obtain information, take part in events, and network through a wide range of formats in order to boost the entire industry.”
Next year’s Formnext is scheduled to take place from 18 – 21 November 2025 in Frankfurt.
2024 in figures, overview:
Exhibition space (gross): 54.000 m²
Exhibitors: 864
Visitors: 34.404
www.formnext.com
