Formnext 2025: The Industry Consolidates and Unveils Its Most Mature Applications

Another edition of Formnext has just come to a close, and not just any edition, but the tenth anniversary of the trade show. It was a great opportunity to take stock of market developments, the direction the industry is taking, and the latest trends. What notable events took place at Formnext 2025? What should we take away from it? It’s time to take stock and share our view of the event. Last year, the trend was toward stagnation, with the market suffering from the geopolitical situation and a conflict-ridden global climate. This situation has not changed much, and we remain in a rather anxiety-provoking situation. On paper, there were fewer exhibitors at Formnext (804 compared to 864 in 2024), notable absences, smaller stands, etc., but we were pleasantly surprised by this year’s show. According to the event’s organizers, 38,282 visitors attended the 50,000-square-meter event, 47% of whom came from abroad—an 11% increase over last year.

Among the major trends observed, metal additive manufacturing continues to feature strongly, with numerous announcements concerning various processes. We can also highlight the dominance of the Chinese market in the polymer desktop 3D printing segment, which was already very strong in 2024. Finally, there is no denying the predominant place of additive manufacturing applications at this trade show, but these are mature, tested, and proven applications. We are truly in a phase of adopting 3D technologies in increasingly demanding environments.