The Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden make up this year's Nordic Partner Region of Formnext 2023. At the world's leading trade fair for AM technologies and the next generation of manufacturing, which will take place in Frankfurt am Main from 07 - 10.11.2023, these countries will not only present themselves with numerous innovative exhibitors, but will also provide important impulses in the supporting programme of Formnext 2023.
This year's partner region will highlight the economic potential of the Northern European AM industry. In addition, the topic of sustainability, especially in the sense of energy and material efficiency, is the focus of these four countries - which will also be evident at Formnext. The lead partner is the Danish AM Hub; other important partners are the networks FAME - Finnish Additive Manufacturing Ecosystem and the Norwegian AM - Additive Manufacturing Cluster, Norway.
At Formnext, which is aiming for a new record this year with already around 660 registered exhibitors, there will also be around two dozen exhibitors from the Nordic countries. The centre of the Nordic activities is the Nordic joint stand, where a special show with exhibits of successful AM applications is also planned. Renowned users from the partner region will also present themselves with inspiring AM cases in the supporting programme. A panel supervised by the Danish AM Hub will be dedicated to the topic of sustainability. In addition, several delegations from the Nordic region are planning to visit Formnext 2023 to further promote the industrial application of AM through active exchange and the expansion of their networks.
"With the Nordic region, this year Formnext presents a partner that combines the topic of economic efficiency and sustainability like no other, making it the best example of how the world of 3D printing can play its part in building a responsible industry and manufacturing," explains Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice-President Formnext at the organiser Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
Versatile manufacturers, world-renowned users
The Danish companies will present a versatile range of products along the entire AM process chain, including research & development, services, materials and post-processing solutions. The young company Create it Real has also developed a specialised solution for the orthopaedics sector. Denmark also has well-known companies that have been using 3D printing for many years. Globally active companies such as Lego, Danfoss or Grundfos and others play in the first league of AM users.
The Finnish AM sector has a very strong industrial connection and presents itself at Formnext with numerous service providers (3D Formtech, 3DStep, Delva) as well as suppliers of software, polymer 3D printers and companies from the research & development sector. Sweden traditionally has a very strong raw materials industry, which is also reflected in the AM world. The world's leading AM material manufacturers Sandvik and Höganäs are at home here. In addition, the Swedish exhibitors cover the entire process chain with solutions for research & development, software, hardware, services and post-processing.
Frank Rosengreen Lorenzen, CEO of the Danish AM Hub, sees the Nordic partner region as "a great recognition of the knowledgeable and innovative Danish entrepreneurs, designers, engineers and manufacturers who are constantly advancing the scope of AM technology to design, develop and manufacture the products of the future." Lorenzen also points out that over the past three years, the Danish AM Hub has focused on "making Denmark the most knowledgeable place in the world when it comes to using AM for more sustainable manufacturing."
The background of the AM industry from the Nordic partner region will also be exclusively featured in a special issue of Formnext magazine, which will be published at the end of August. Another foretaste of Formnext will also be provided by the AM Summit Copenhagen on 21.09.2023, in which Formnext will participate.
