Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026 closes with record attendance, up 65%
International visitors more than doubled as the show added new programming for robotics, data center cooling, and 3D printed footwear.
Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026 concluded on 28 August after connecting the additive manufacturing sector with its user industries at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, in the heart of China’s Greater Bay Area manufacturing corridor. The exhibition drew 34,202 visitors from 113 countries and regions, a +65% increase over 2025, generating 41,986 visits across the show floor. International attendance climbed to 1,887 visitors, up +157%, alongside a broader international exhibitor and buyer presence than in prior editions.
The show hosted 330 exhibitors across 20,000 square meters, with 13 forum sessions and more than 100 presentations covering materials, printers, software, services, and post-processing technologies for metal, polymer, and ceramic additive manufacturing. New fringe programming focused on some of Asia’s fastest-growing application areas for the technology, including robotics and embodied intelligence, data center cooling and AI infrastructure, and 3D printed footwear.
Malaysia and Thailand supplied the largest contingents of international visitors, followed by Russia, Singapore, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Vietnam. Seven of the ten leading international visitor markets were in Asia.
Exhibitors presented equipment and materials for aerospace, the low-altitude economy, 3C electronics, robotics, new energy vehicles, and footwear and fashion, reflecting the range of industries now adopting additive manufacturing for faster and more flexible production. A number of companies used the Shenzhen show to introduce new equipment to the Asian market for the first time. Alongside the industrial halls, the show’s 3D Print Farm and Consumer Products Zone drew print farm operators, makers, and small businesses working with desktop 3D printing, an area of particular strength for Shenzhen as a manufacturing base for desktop 3D printing hardware.
Fringe programming and top exhibitors
The Global AM Channel Partner & Dealer Matching Meeting brought 27 international channel buyers together with 16 Chinese and Korean equipment and materials suppliers. Distributors, dealers, and service providers attended from Burkina Faso, France, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, the Philippines, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, and Zimbabwe, spanning Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
The inaugural International 3D Printed Footwear Design Awards drew more than 100 entries, with 30 awards presented across footwear design, brands, manufacturing equipment, and materials. Categories covered FDM, DLP/LCD, and MJF/SLS processes, along with awards for UV-curable materials and broader design and brand achievements.
HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions used the show to debut its MJF 1200 in the Asia Pacific region. “Shenzhen is unique in terms of density. You have this combination of knowledge, passion and people bringing new ideas to life quickly,” said Hua Zhao, head of Greater China market at HP Additive Manufacturing Solutions. “What we value most about Formnext Asia Shenzhen is that its visitors are on the front line of manufacturing. They come with a purpose or a problem to solve.”
TPM 3D Printing Technology introduced its CF-250, developed from feedback on the CF-200 shown at Formnext Frankfurt. “Formnext Asia Shenzhen has grown considerably since we first exhibited here. We are meeting Shenzhen-based manufacturers and service bureaus working across motors, electronics, robotics and footwear, alongside visitors from Africa and North America,” said Hanbo Wang, application engineer for overseas support at TPM 3D Printing Technology.
Guangdong Sunlu Technology used the show to compare customer priorities across markets. “Domestic visitors focused on materials for aesthetic and engineering applications, while overseas visitors were particularly interested in drying equipment and FGF pellets for industrial printing,” said Xinhong Chen, brand specialist at Guangdong Sunlu Technology. “I also gained ideas for the future direction of our materials, including pet prosthetics and home education.”
Makera brought its Z1 desktop CNC system along with an interactive materials display. “Many visitors understand 3D printing, but desktop CNC machining is still new to them, so there was considerable curiosity about our technology,” said Monica Wurina, marketing director at Makera. “The booth was so busy that we hardly had time to leave, with visitors discovering how much they could create themselves.”
Visitor and speaker feedback
“Our main business is dental products, including dentures and dental photography. As our field becomes more closely connected with 3D printing, we are becoming more involved ourselves, so I came to explore polymer systems for our own use,” said Nick Shevko, sales manager at FullMedical. “What stands out at Formnext Asia Shenzhen is the wide selection of machines, materials and printed applications.”
“This was my first visit to Formnext Asia Shenzhen, and it left a positive impression. The exhibitors were of a high standard, and there were many new machines, products and technologies worth following, including among the Bambu Lab Creative Award entries,” said Weiran Chen, deputy general manager at Shenzhen Shenjia Grid Technology.
Choi Myoung Jong, head of exhibition marketing at the Korean Mould Industry Association, spoke at the 3D Printing Technologies in Mould Making Summit. “As a first-time visitor, I was impressed by China’s mature additive manufacturing supply chain and the quality of its technologies and products. With Korea’s AM industry still developing, an influential event like this gives us an important way to connect with the Chinese market,” he said.
Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2026 ran alongside PCIM Asia Shenzhen 2026, the regional exhibition and conference for power electronics, intelligent motion, renewable energy, and energy management, which recorded 25,313 visits and added further cross-industry exchange between the two shows. The event’s official photo livestream recorded more than 360,000 visits online.
Dates for the next edition of Formnext Asia Shenzhen will be announced in due course. The show is organized by Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt and is part of the Formnext event family headlined by Formnext, which returns to Frankfurt, Germany, from 17 to 20 November 2026.
