The countdown to Formnext 2026 is officially underway. On June 9, the event’s vice presidents, Sascha F. Wenzler and Christoph Stüker, gathered in Paris to present the upcoming edition, which will take place in Frankfurt from November 17 to 20. 3Dnatives was there to bring you all the latest details.
Formnext turns eleven in 2026, and the press conference offered an opportunity to take stock of where the industry stands. The vice presidents opened with a clear diagnosis: the post-COVID world has changed the way we manufacture, and additive manufacturing has reached more users, which in turn has unlocked new applications. The conversation has shifted away from whether the technology works and toward how to consolidate and scale it. In that journey, automation is one of the top priorities. Artificial intelligence is also emerging as a topic, though the vice presidents were clear on one point: as long as processes remain unautomated, AI has little room to contribute.
According to the organizers, the global landscape is fragmented and increasingly shaped by strategic decisions. “We have a very dynamic, export-oriented Chinese market. The biggest AM market is still the US, now concentrating almost everything on defense. And then you have Europe, also looking to find its way toward more stable and reliable supply chains, and a more self-sufficient approach to its challenges. There is also a push to cooperate and create a European path in industrial manufacturing, driven by defense, but also by the energy sector and aerospace, which are strong forces this year, especially in Germany,” said Sascha Wenzler.
The Numbers Behind Formnext 2026
For this year’s edition, Formnext has already secured 579 registered exhibitors and aims to surpass 800 by November. In terms of attendance, organizers expect to exceed 38,000 visitors, with exhibition space projected to reach 50,000 square meters. With 65% of participants coming from outside Germany, Formnext continues to reinforce its position as a truly global event.
China leads the ranking of international exhibitors with 115 companies, followed by Italy (32), France (28), the United States (23), and the United Kingdom (22).
The growing influence of China was one of the topics Christoph Stüker discussed with 3Dnatives:
“China has identified additive manufacturing as a strategic advantage and is investing heavily in supporting the technology, which of course puts significant pressure on other international technology providers. At the same time, it also helps drive adoption through accessible entry-level machines that are easy to use. This lowers the barrier to entry for new users and applications, which will hopefully lead to further growth across other additive manufacturing technologies. It’s a two-sided point of view that you have to apply to this situation.”
What’s in Store for the 2026 Program?
This year’s program features several new additions. The highlight is a special exhibition dedicated to post-processing, giving visitors a look at the entire workflow, from printing to the manual finishing work that follows. On the educational side, the event will feature presentations from technology users sharing real-world applications, case studies, and current industry trends. For those attending Formnext for the first time, the Discover3Dprinting seminars are back.
The Formnext Awards will once again recognize innovation across six categories, while Pitchnext will continue to spotlight startups in the sector. New this year, the United Kingdom will serve as the partner country in collaboration with AMUK and Innovate UK.
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*Cover Photo Credits: Formlabs