Formnext Chicago to showcase the Additive Manufacturing industry in April 2025
June 6, 2024
Germany’s Mesago Messe Frankfurt, organiser of the Formnext series of Additive Manufacturing industry events, has confirmed that it is bringing the format to the USA, with the new Formnext Chicago set to take place April 8-10, 2025.
“We see huge potential in US companies that have not yet encountered Additive Manufacturing or are not utilising the benefits of this technology,” explained Sascha F Wenzler, Vice President Formnext. “Our focus is on the various user industries to which we want to provide solutions. This will further raise awareness of the opportunities offered by Additive Manufacturing across the industry. We also intend to promote AM technologies and significantly increase our exhibitors’ business contacts.”
With Formnext Chicago, Mesago Messe Frankfurt is expanding its strategy of regionally adapted formats in relevant AM markets, based on the successful original Formnext event in Frankfurt. International examples to date include the Formnext + PM South China in Shenzhen, China, and the Formnext Forum Tokyo, Japan.
Formnext Chicago is being organised by Mesago Messe Frankfurt in collaboration with AMT (the Association for Manufacturing Technology) and Gardner Business Media. AMT is the organiser behind International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), reputedly the largest manufacturing trade fair in North America. Gardner Business Media is a North American media company focused on machining, plastics processing, and other manufacturing technologies.
Challenging scheduling
“Formnext was early to recognise the significance of the US market for the AM industry and announced the 2025 Chicago event back in 2021. The AM community’s global growth is evidence of the high demand for the successful format. Other suppliers, such as Rapid+TCT, confirm our assessment of the potential of the local AM sector, but are now holding their event at the same time as Formnext Chicago,” said Douglas Woods, AMT President.
He added, “We see Formnext Chicago as a great opportunity for the US application industries because it covers the entire additive value chain from material suppliers, software, and production systems, to post-processing and quality assurance. This clearly differentiates the new format from existing 3D printing or rapid prototyping events in the US market.”
The meeting of the AM Users Group in Chicago will also be held around the same time as Formnext Chicago. Due to the very different formats of AMUG and Formnext Chicago, Sascha Wenzler sees potential here to discuss creating synergies with AMUG.
Woods explained, “There will always be competition, especially in the USA. And in a market as large as the United States and with a technology as important as Additive Manufacturing, there is room for more than one format.”
The following Formnext events are now scheduled:
- Formnext + PM South China, Shenzhen, China: August 28-30, 2024
- Formnext at IMTS, Chicago, USA: September 9-14, 2024
- Formnext Forum Tokyo, Japan: September 26-27, 2024
- Formnext in Frankfurt, Germany: November 19-22, 2024
- Formnext Chicago, USA: 8-10 April 2025
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