AM Trade and Media Organizations Unite to Launch Formnext USA Chicago in Spring 2025

Since 2015, Formnext has grown to become the premier additive manufacturing (AM) trade show in the world, nearly quadrupling exhibitor and visitor numbers in just five years. In its drive to improve, grow and explore opportunities in the global marketplace, Mesago Messe Frankfurt (Germany) has announced that it has found the ideal partners in Gardner Business Media Inc. (GBM, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.) and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology (McLean, Virg., U.S.), to launch the Formnext USA Chicago event which will be held April 8 – 10, 2025 at McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Prompted by the continued and accelerated adoption of AM by both new and established manufacturers in the U.S., Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT and GBM will debut a series of events with the Formnext brand to build their presence in the U.S. The initial showing of Formnext in the U.S. market will be at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, which runs September 12 – 17, 2022 in Chicago at McCormick Place.

Glynn Fletcher, president of EOS North America shared that “EOS has been engaged with both Formnext and AMT for many years. The combined strengths of these two organizations brings exceptional value to the AM industry and stimulates further peer-to-peer engagement.”

The AM4U Area presented by Formnext will launch in the IMTS 2022 AM pavilion. The AM4U Area is a multi-use area on the show floor where industry experts present on topics such as seminars for the adoption of industrial AM, as well as, entrepreneurship and business models for start-ups and young enterprises. In 2023, the AM4U Area presented by Formnext will be co-located with the Additive Manufacturing Conference in Austin, Texas.

Launching in 2024, Formnext Forum Austin starts as a brand new event of Formnext in Germany. This event features a range of topical seminars and exhibition areas and covers a variety of AM and next-generation intelligent industrial production solutions. The forum will provide attending exhibitors, speakers and attendees relevant industry knowledge and offer ample business and networking opportunities. Austin as a “birthplace” of modern 3D printing and an actual hot spot of the industry is an ideal location for the forum in 2024.

“Formnext is clearly the premier additive manufacturing event in Europe, and we are extremely excited to be partnering with them to bring these world-class events to the U.S.,” says Douglas Woods, president of AMT.

The timeline for the new series of U.S. events is as follows:

• 2022: AM4U Area presented by Formnext will be featured at IMTS 2022 from September 12 – 17, 2022; Additive Manufacturing Conference 2022 continues to be co-located at IMTS 2022. The Additive Manufacturing Conference is owned and operated by GBM.
• 2023: AM4U Area presented by Formnext will be co-located with the Additive Manufacturing Conference in Austin, Texas.
• 2024: Formnext Forum Austin will launch as a standalone conference in partnership with GBM and AMT; co-located at IMTS 2024 will be AM4U Area presented by Formnext and the Additive Manufacturing Conference 2024.
• 2025: The official launch of the Formnext USA Chicago trade show will be April 8 – 10, 2025 at McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill., U.S.

The trade show will build upon Formnext’s world-class legacy and showcase industrial 3D printing equipment, post-processing solutions, software, service providers, materials and more. This event promises to be a unique collaboration between Mesago, GBM and AMT that utilizes each partner’s varied area of expertise for maximum impact and exposure. The group also invites other organizations to participate in the Chicago event, as the goal is to build a coalition of leaders with broad appeal to the additive and manufacturing communities.

AMT, a leading advocate for the growth and expansion of manufacturing technology, brings to the partnership a century’s worth of experience producing IMTS, said to be the largest manufacturing technology event in the Americas. The association’s members represent not only the leading technology suppliers in North America, but a growing and prominent community of additive manufacturers.

The marketing and promotion of the event will be handled by GBM, a leading media and event producer in North America focused entirely on durable goods manufacturing. Gardner has several long-established industrial media brands that will support Formnext USA Chicago, including Additive Manufacturing, Modern Machine Shop, Plastics Technology, MoldMaking Technology and CompositesWorld.

“Gardner reaches more than 350,000 manufacturing decision-makers as qualified print subscribers in North America, and we will dedicate the full force of our brands to ensure the success of this event,” says Rick Kline, Jr. president of Gardner Business Media.

Gardner sees AM primed for growth in the years ahead. Not only does it offer previously unachievable options for improved design, material properties and lead time, but it also provides a digital production solution in the face of supply chain disruptions.

Petra Haarburger, managing director of Mesago Messe Frankfurt, Germany, the organizer of Formnext in Frankfurt, says that “Formnext USA Chicago offers both North American and international additive manufacturers an exceptional platform in the highly dynamic U.S. market.”

Sascha Wenzler, vice president for Formnext at Mesago Messe Frankfurt adds, “Formnext has been a resounding success as the global meeting point in Europe, and we are confident that the combination of AM, materials and innovative process technologies will also perfectly address the current and future needs of the North American manufacturing industry.”

Formnext 2021 was held November 16-19 in Frankfurt and once again welcomed the global AM community and the unveiling of their exciting plans for the Formnext event series in the U.S. market, building to Formnext USA Chicago 2025 with AMT and GBM.

This article was originally published by sister brand Additive Manufacturing Media.

About Formnext
Formnext is the leading trade fair for additive manufacturing and the next generation of intelligent manufacturing solutions. It focuses on the efficient realization of parts and products, from their design to serial production. Formnext shows the future of innovative manufacturing. Formnext is organized by Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.

About Mesago Messe Frankfurt
Mesago, founded in 1982 and located in Stuttgart, specializes in exhibitions and conferences on various topics of technology. The company belongs to the Messe Frankfurt Group. Mesago operates internationally and is not tied to a specific venue. With 140 members of staff Mesago organizes events for the benefit of more than 3,300 exhibitors and over 110,000 trade visitors, conference delegates and speakers from all over the world. Numerous trade associations, publishing houses, scientific institutes and universities work with Mesago closely as advisers, co-organizers and partners (mesago.com).

About Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organizer with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,500 employees at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €715 million. Thanks to its far-reaching ties with the relevant sectors and to its international sales network, the group looks after the business interests of its customers effectively. A comprehensive range of services — both onsite and online — ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organizing and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). More information: messefrankfurt.com

About Messe Frankfurt USA

(See above article.) More coming soon.

About AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology

AMT represents and promotes U.S.-based manufacturing technology and its members — those who design, build, sell, and service the continuously evolving technology that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Founded in 1902 and based in Virginia, the association specializes in providing targeted business assistance, extensive global support, and business intelligence systems and analysis. AMT is the voice that communicates the importance of policies and programs that encourage research and innovation, and the development of educational initiatives to create tomorrow’s Smartforce. AMT owns and manages IMTS — The International Manufacturing Technology Show, which is the premier manufacturing technology event in North America.

About IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show

IMTS is the largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. IMTS 2022 will run Sept. 12-17. IMTS is ranked among the largest trade shows in the world. Recognized as one of the world’s preeminent stages for introducing and selling manufacturing equipment and technology as well as connecting the industry’s supply chain. IMTS attracts visitors from every level of industry and more than 117 countries. IMTS 2018 was the largest in number of registrations (129,415), net square feet of exhibit space (1,424,232 sq. ft.), booths (2,123) and exhibiting companies (2,563). IMTS is owned and managed by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.

About Gardner Business Media Inc.

Gardner Business Media is the premier publisher and event producer for manufacturing in North America – providing unique, one-of-a-kind, relevant information of keen interest to the people who power plants, shops, and factories. With powerhouse media brands like Modern Machine Shop, Plastics Technology, CompositesWorld and Additive Manufacturing Gardner has unprecedented reach into the North American manufacturing ecosystem 

About MT United

MT United is a joint venture of Gardner Business Media and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. MT United is designed to empower North American manufacturers with data, analysis, and strategic information for accelerated growth, innovation, and global competitiveness. MT United encompasses the entirety of manufacturing technology (MT) through industry-focused events, expansive media content, data and market intelligence products, coverage of IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, and public/private investment opportunities.