As Additive Manufacturing evolves from a niche technology into an industrial production tool, manufacturers around the world are reassessing its role in future value chains.
This presentation explores the latest market developments in Europe and globally, identifies the most promising application areas, and discusses how AM contributes to competitiveness, innovation, and supply chain resilience.
From the perspective of Formnext, the world's leading exhibition and business platform for Additive Manufacturing, the session will provide insights into emerging industrial applications, investment trends, and the growing importance of international collaboration. Particular attention will be given to the opportunities for closer cooperation between European and Japanese manufacturing industries.

Additive manufacturing has evolved from being used only for prototyping to becoming an established part of industrial production—but where exactly does the technology stand today, and where is it going?
In this presentation, Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of the Additive Manufacturing Working Group at the VDMA, provides a compact overview of additive manufacturing processes as well as the entire process chain.
Understanding the process steps is essential for the successful implementation of the technology.
Using current market figures and results from the latest VDMA Spring Survey 2026, the presentation highlights the industries and applications where additive manufacturing is already relevant today.
Concrete use cases from the VDMA network—including those from Trumpf, Siemens Energy, DMG Mori, and SMS Group—illustrate the measurable added value and potential of Additive Manufacturing components in machine tool manufacturing and other industries. Finally, the presentation gives insights in the technology’s key strengths and remaining challenges.

Rainer Lotz explains in a world of inflationary price pressures it’s increasingly important for mass manufacturers to increase margins through efficiency gains.
Historically, if manufacturers using established processes could gain single digit % improvements in shop floor operations this would be of high interest.
Through the use of Renishaw hardware, patented technologies and a connected workflow it’s now feasible for manufacturers to realise double digit % improvements across their shop floor processes.