After the tenth anniversary edition with record attendance in 2025, the outlook for Formnext 2026 is very positive already at the beginning of the year. According to figures from early March 2026, 527 exhibitors from 34 countries had registered for the world's leading trade fair dedicated to Additive Manufacturing and the next generation of modern production. They include both major global companies active in additive technologies and numerous start-ups, specialized solution providers and more established market participants representing the entire additive process chain.
An important feature of this year's edition is the high level of international participation. As many as 64.5 percent of the companies that have confirmed their attendance so far come from outside Germany. The United Kingdom, China, France, Italy, Spain and the United States are all strongly represented. As Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President Formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt, points out, despite increasingly complex economic conditions, the Additive Manufacturing market continues to grow and offers future-oriented business opportunities for stakeholders along the entire process chain.
Formnext 2026 thus remains a central venue for presenting systems, materials, services and software solutions related to additive technologies. The high growth dynamic of the sector is evident for both equipment manufacturers and material suppliers as well as service providers. Industrial companies that are building competencies in 3D printing and making them available to external customers are also showing interest. The organizers emphasize that for many new and smaller users, Formnext is a platform for entering professional Additive Manufacturing, facilitating the transition from prototyping applications to complex, large-scale production solutions.
Strong presence of leading AM system manufacturers
The Formnext 2026 exhibitor list includes leading international manufacturers of Additive Manufacturing systems. Companies such as 3D Systems, AMCM, Atlix (formerly Trumpf Additive Manufacturing), BigRep, BLT, Carbon, Colibrium Additive, DMG Mori, DyeMansion, EOS, ExOne (with Voxeljet), Farsoon, Formlabs, HBD, HP, Lithoz, Meltio, Nikon, Renishaw, Ricoh, Siemens, Sisma, Stratasys and XJet have all announced their participation. They will present their latest solutions to industrial users from around the world.
In parallel, global material sales for Additive Manufacturing continue to increase, reflecting the wider use of AM technologies in various user industries. This trend benefits specialized material suppliers such as DWS, Headmade Materials, Höganäs, m4p, Metalpine and Polymaker, as well as large industrial groups including Evonik, Linde, Sandvik and VDM Metals. All these companies plan to present their portfolios at Formnext 2026.
AM services as an important growth driver
Service providers in Additive Manufacturing are a market segment gaining in importance. For many smaller enterprises, they are a key channel for accessing the benefits of AM technologies, as low production volumes and high certification costs make investments in in-house systems difficult. This trend will be clearly visible at Formnext 2026.
The trade fair will host specialized AM service providers such as 3D-Werk Black Forest, 3Faktur, Alphacam, FIT AG, FKM Sintertechnik, Materialise and Toolcraft, as well as industrial enterprises including KraussMaffei, KSB and Oerlikon, which also offer their 3D printing expertise to external users. The exhibition program will additionally feature leading desktop 3D printer manufacturers such as Bambu Lab, Creality and Prusa. Their systems are increasingly used in industrial companies, small and medium-sized enterprises and printer farms.
The prosumer segment is gaining in importance. It enables many users to gain their first practical experience with professional Additive Manufacturing, which in turn facilitates the transition to large-scale and highly complex production solutions.
New exhibitors and a diversified range of solutions
The diversity of the Additive Manufacturing market is confirmed by the number of new exhibitors that have registered for Formnext 2026. By early March 2026, companies from 21 countries had joined, including start-ups, corporations and industry associations. Their services cover solutions in automation, software, design, new production technologies, as well as areas such as post-processing, cleaning and quality assurance. Several service providers are also among the new exhibitors.
According to Petra Haarburger, President of Mesago Messe Frankfurt, the variety of new participants illustrates the dynamics of the entire Additive Manufacturing sector and confirms the importance of leading international trade fairs such as Formnext for networking, building visibility and strengthening market position, especially for relatively young companies.
Focus on user industries and the role of the partner country
In 2026, Formnext supports the further development of the AM industry by clearly focusing on selected user sectors. Particular attention is given to automotive, mobility and transportation, construction and architecture, and energy as well as the oil and gas sector. According to Christoph Stüker, Vice President Formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt, Additive Manufacturing has become an integral part of processes in these industries. It is used in the production and, in many cases, optimization of functional components, helping to improve the efficiency of spare parts logistics, supply chain management and customer service.
The complex nature of additive processes generally requires appropriate solutions at every manufacturing stage, from design and material selection through additive production to post-processing. As the leading platform for AM technologies, Formnext provides an overview of such comprehensive solutions in a single location.
The partner country for this year's edition will be the United Kingdom. The participation of British companies and organizations will be visible both in the exhibition area and in the supporting events program, which will include presentations and discussions on the use of Additive Manufacturing in various sectors of the economy.
Outlook for Formnext 2026
Formnext 2026 will take place from 17 to 20 November 2026 in Frankfurt am Main. At the beginning of March 2026, the number of registered exhibitors stood at 527, with 34 countries represented. The share of companies from outside Germany reached 64.5 percent, indicating strong interest from the global Additive Manufacturing sector. New exhibitors from 21 countries plan to present solutions covering the entire AM process chain, from data preparation and design processes to production technologies and downstream operations.
The organizers point out that this year's edition will once again be a key international venue for presenting technological innovations, developing partnerships and shaping the industrial future of the Additive Manufacturing sector.
Formnext 2025 during the previous edition of the trade fair
