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Formnext backed as key AM show

Two major producers of additive manufacturing (AM) systems have said they will appear at Formnext powered by TCT 2015 in Frankfurt in the wake of the Euromold show's move to Düsseldorf, Germany. Both EOS and Concept Laser have stated they see Formnext holding the most potential to become the leading international trade show for AM.

However, Euromold has announced a strategic partnership with Wohlers associates which the show said reinforces its position in AM. Wohlers annual report on the AM market was dubbed the industry bible by Marks Mills when writing for Forbes.

The Wohlers partnership was announced on the 27 February 2015, two days after EOS – and just one after Concept Laser – released it was recognising Formnext in Frankfurt as the future show for AM.

Euromold confirmed it would be changing location to Düsseldorf from Frankfurt on 9 January 2015. At the time, one of the main reasons for the switch was said to be that the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) area is home to a lot of automotive and industrial companies – according to a Euromold press release in 2013 NRW generated 21.9 per cent of German GDP and nearly one in four German machines are produced between the Rhine and the Weser. In terms of moving AM into mainstream production, there are benefits to holding the conference in the industrial heart of Germany.

The organisers of Euromold invited exhibitors to four information days at the new exhibition site in Düsseldorf on 13, 15, 20, and 22 January 2015. According to the organisers these four days were met with tremendous interest among the exhibitors and attended by around 130 people. Company representatives took advantage of the opportunity to inform themselves about the new concept, enter into intensive and sometimes controversial discussions about it with the organisers and contribute their suggestions and wishes. 'We listened closely to our exhibitors and are going to make numerous changes,' said Diana Schnabel, trade fair manager for Euromold. This, the conference team said, is important for Euromold to continue living up to its status as the largest and leading trade fair in its field, and that suggestions, questions and ideas continue to be welcome.

The Euromold conference prides itself on its stature in the AM field, and has been at the forefront of the industry for 21 years. So, it may come as a surprise to some that the likes of EOS and Concept Laser have opted to recognise another event as the leading show.

Frank Herzog, president and CEO of Concept Laser, commented: ‘As a pioneer in metal laser melting, we are used to breaking new ground while sticking with tradition. Therefore, we are looking forward to meeting representatives of the entire industry at this new tradeshow [Formnext] at the tried and tested location.’

He added: ‘The AM industry is extremely dynamic and continues to grow. [Concept Laser] needs a trade show to partner which has the ability to keep pace with new developments in the industry. At this point, for us, the Formnext powered by TCT exhibition has the highest potential to meet this goal.’

Dr Adrian Keppler, head of sales and marketing at EOS, said: ‘Our goal was to make a well-educated decision for the future of our company and for our industry. We are currently operating in a fascinating and growing market environment and see great potential ahead for the entire industry.

‘After a thorough analysis of all possible alternatives, we feel that Formnext powered by TCT has the biggest potential to become the leading, long-term global AM show of the future, offering the best platform we can currently think of to support further extensive market development of the entire AM industry. We look forward to meeting all relevant AM players at this show in Frankfurt.’

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