Formnext 2023 Puts the Nordic Region in the Spotlight

Formnext 2023 has officially opened its doors! As people travel around the world to enjoy conferences, discussions and more, the role of exhibitors in particular cannot be ignored. Especially those who come to take part while representing the annual partner country, or in some cases partner region. In 2023, the honor goes to the Nordic region as Formnext seeks to highlight additive manufacturing in Northern Europe, not just for the economic potential of the region but also for its material efficiency and its commitment to sustainability, particularly when it comes to the energy sector.

For those who may not be aware, the Nordic countries are a geographical (and cultural) region in Northern Europe. It is composed of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden as well as the autonomous territories of the Faroe Island, Greenland and autonomous region of Åland. Though well-known for its stunning beauty as well as its quality of life, it may not perhaps be the first that comes to mind when it comes to additive manufacturing.

The Nordic countries and autonomous territories (Photo credits: Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Although it is certainly not the region with the most AM solution manufacturers nor service providers, the region is up and coming and has grown in recent years. Indeed, more and more industries located in these countries are seeing the value for 3D printing. Take the oil industry in Norway for example, which expects that the use of AM technologies will help create jobs and increase profit all while staying more sustainable. Sini Metsä-Kortelainen from the Finnish Additive Manufacturing Ecosystem emphasizes that the Nordic regions are investing heavily in new AM technologies, especially in education. In the long term, these countries should become leaders in sustainable AM. “In Nordics the high quality of products is the competitive edge in various industries and AM does not make the exception. In Finland for example we are able to design, produce and test components and products with AM that are under critical loading such as pressure equipment and fatigue resistance components“, she says. Still, the region is behind compared to other parts of Western Europe and certainly next to AM powerhouses like the USA and China. That ideally will be changed through this partnership with Formnext.