Spain is this year's partner country of Formnext and will present itself at the world's leading trade fair for AM technologies and the next generation of manufacturing with numerous innovative exhibitors and will set important impulses in the supporting program. The country on the Iberian Peninsula not only has a very dynamic and rapidly growing AM industry but also serves as a bridge between Europe and Latin America due to its geographical location.
The strengths of the Iberian AM industry are also evident at Formnext, where Spain has been one of the strongest exhibiting countries for years: In 2024, around 30 Spanish exhibitors presented themselves in Frankfurt. 'We are very much looking forward to an extremely exciting partner country, Spain, with innovative AM companies. Spain is the best example of how AM can drive growth and new developments even in challenging times and invigorate the entire manufacturing industry,' says Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President Formnext at the organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
The AM industry in Spain employs more than 1,200 people and records double-digit growth every year. According to the Wohlers Report 2024, 1.5% of the world's installed industrial 3D printers are in Spain. 'Although the market is still small, the forecasts for the coming years are promising,' explains Naiara Zubizarreta, Director of the Spanish 3D Printing Association ADDIMAT. The Spanish AM industry is very diverse and includes numerous internationally renowned machine manufacturers (HP Printing and Computing, Meltio, Triditive, Reinforce 3D, Supernova, among others), many providers of materials, software, and specialized services, as well as a large number of research institutes.
Strong Partners
The Spanish 3D Printing Association ADDIMAT and the AM network IAM3DHUB act as partners of Formnext. 'These two very committed organizations play a crucial role in the Spanish AM industry and will showcase the remarkable potential of the Spanish AM landscape at Formnext 2025 together with their member companies and cooperation partners,' adds Christoph Stüker, Vice President Formnext, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
To support the technological transformation, Spain has built a very strong network. ADDIMAT is the Spanish association for additive manufacturing and 3D technologies and operates under the umbrella of the AFM Cluster, an industry association that includes seven industry associations and offers tailored services for the advanced manufacturing industry. ADDIMAT was founded in 2014 to promote the use of additive manufacturing in the Spanish industry. The association, based in San Sebastian, brings together more than 100 companies representing the entire AM value chain, including machine manufacturers, 3D printing service providers, technology centers, material suppliers, and end-users.
IAM3DHUB (International Advanced Manufacturing 3D Hub), based in Barcelona, is an industry consortium operated and managed by Leitat that serves as a central point of contact for companies implementing AM. It offers comprehensive support, including feasibility studies, training, and strategic implementation, and reinforces Catalonia's extensive efforts to position the region as a hub for Industry 4.0.
Solid Development of the Spanish AM Industry
'In Spain, the acceptance of 3D printing technologies is very high,' explains David Adrover Iglesias, Secretary General of IAM3DHUB. He also refers to a study by HP and 3dbpm Research, according to which 96% of Spanish manufacturing companies believe that AM accelerates the market introduction of their products. 'This explains why the adoption of 3D printing technologies in Spain continues to increase.' In 2022, AM machine sales grew by 24.5% and AM services by 36.2%. Key user industries include aerospace, the automotive industry, and healthcare, with various applications ranging from 3D-printed custom shoes to individual implants and prostheses to surgical guides.
The solid development of the Spanish AM industry is also based on a strong manufacturing industry. According to Eurostat, industrial production in Spain has grown by 7.3 percent since 2014, while other major European industrial countries like France and Germany stagnated or recorded a decline. Thus, AFM, the Spanish machine tool association, was able to report a record turnover of 2.157 billion euros in the machine tool sector for 2023. 'Spain has a long tradition in manufacturing, with strong supply chains, distributed capacities, and a well-established culture of innovation,' explains Naiara Zubizarreta, Director of ADDIMAT.
The positive developments in the Spanish economy and the Spanish AM market make Spain a strong partner for this year's Formnext, which in turn offers Spanish exhibitors and participants in the supporting program and special shows an ideal platform to highlight and further expand their influence on the global AM industry.
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