Formnext Asia Shenzhen will open on 26 August 2026 as its biggest edition to date, spanning 20,000 sq.m. of Hall 15 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center and hosting 330 exhibitors over three days. Pre-registration data released ahead of the show points to strong momentum with international visitor sign-ups climbing over 50% compared with the same point last year, according to organizer Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd.
The additive manufacturing fair will run alongside PCIM Asia Shenzhen, Messe Frankfurt’s power electronics exhibition covering intelligent motion, renewable energy and energy management. A single visitor badge covers both events.
Exhibitor Line-Up Mixes Established Names With First-Timers
The show floor will cover the full AM supply chain, materials, 3D printers, hardware, software, inspection tools and post-processing equipment. Returning exhibitors include Bambu Lab, Creality, Elegoo, Farsoon Technologies, HP, Raise3D, SUNLU and UnionTech, alongside Chinese industrial players such as Addireen, AmPro, Avimetal AM, Bright Laser Technologies (BLT), CNPC, DEW, Han’s Photonics and ZRapid.
A substantial group of companies will exhibit at Formnext Asia Shenzhen for the first time, among them EPSON, GLB, Meshy AI, Snapmaker, MAKERA, JLC 3D, KINGFA and TÜV Rheinland Greater China. The desktop side of the market is getting more floor space too: the 3D Print Farm and Consumer Products Zone has doubled its exhibitor count versus 2025, adding 3D printers, materials, software and production tools aimed at individual users, product developers and small print farms.
International participation extends beyond exhibitor booths. Companies from Germany, Japan, Singapore and the US will attend, and an International Pavilion will bring together exhibitors from France, Germany, South Korea and Spain. A separate pavilion is reserved for manufacturers from Jiangsu province, and a Start-up Area will host emerging AM companies.
Fringe Program Adds Five Forums and Two New Events
The show’s conference program has grown to 12 forums and activities, including five new sessions focused on AM opportunities specific to Asia and the Greater Bay Area. These will address additive manufacturing for humanoid robotics, AI data center cooling, commercial aviation and aerospace, mold making, binder jetting for 3C electronics and smartphones, and laser-based AM. A separate forum track will cover Shenzhen’s expanding desktop AM ecosystem and 3D printed footwear.
The China 3D Print Farm Conference, now in its third year since launching in 2024, returns under an expanded name, the China 3D Print Farm and Consumer-Grade AM Ecosystem Conference. Sessions will span AI-assisted modeling, equipment, materials, production management, brand development, cross-border e-commerce and applications in toys, fashion, footwear and small-batch manufacturing.
Two entirely new fixtures join the program this year. Formnext Asia Shenzhen Maker Day, organized with Shenzhen hardware community TroubleMaker, will run open-mic sessions, exhibitor tours and off-site factory visits. The Global Channel Partner & Dealer Business Matching Meeting will connect Chinese AM manufacturers with international distributors and dealers.
Footwear Awards Debut With Over 100 Entries
The fair will also launch the International 3D Printed Footwear Design Awards, judged from more than 100 submissions across categories spanning design, brands, printers, materials, cultural impact and sustainability. The judging panel will be led by Nicoline van Enter, founder of the footwear innovation platform Footwearology.
Formnext Asia Shenzhen sits within Messe Frankfurt’s broader Formnext event family, anchored by the flagship Formnext show in Frankfurt, Germany, which returns 17–20 November 2026. Further details on the Shenzhen event are available at www.formnext-shenzhen.com or via [email protected].
Exhibitors Report Standout Results From 2025 Show Floor
Last year’s results help explain the scale-up. HP’s Hua Zhao, Head of Greater China Market, credited the Formnext brand with “an assurance of global quality.” Han’s Laser Technology Industry Group saw strong demand for its copper-focused laser systems, and first-time exhibitor ChuangLian 3D reported traffic beyond expectations, converting on-site inquiries into new orders.
International visitors echoed the sentiment. Toyoda Seiko CEO Kazumasa Toyoda said the show gave him direct access to Chinese suppliers otherwise hard to reach from Japan, an experience that reshaped his view of the market’s quality. Siemens China’s Peiran Li singled out the 3C electronics forum for drawing major electronics brand owners scouting production partners.
That response is shaping this year’s program: new additions include a Thermal Management and Liquid Cooling AM Forum, and a Creality & Kingfa 3D Printing Farm Open Day.
Formnext’s Global Expansion Strategy
Formnext’s strategy has centered on scaling its footprint beyond the flagship Frankfurt fair into a year-round international network, using regional editions like Formnext Asia Shenzhen to reach markets that don’t map neatly onto the European show.
That growth shows in the flagship numbers themselves. Formnext 2023 confirmed 771 exhibitors and booked over 50,000 square meters two months before opening, on track for a record-breaking event, while Formnext 2024 saw 61% of exhibitors come from outside Germany, with several Chinese companies, including Bambu Lab, Creality, Elegoo, Anycubic, UnionTech and Flashforge, showing low-cost polymer 3D printing technology.
By 2025, Formnext tenth-anniversary edition drew 38,282 visitors, nearly half from outside Germany, and 804 exhibitors, 61 percent international, across roughly 50,000 square meters.
The regional strategy has followed a parallel trajectory. Formnext South China 2023 in Shenzhen brought together 275 companies and 13,183 trade visitors, a base that Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026’s 330 exhibitors and 20,000 sqm now builds well past.
Formnext’s approach is consistent: deepen Frankfurt while replicating its formula regionally. Shenzhen 2026 is the latest test of that model. This week’s numbers will show whether it’s paying off.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
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Featured image shows Formnext Asia Shenzhen in 2025. Photo via Formnext Asia Shenzhen.
