The owner of Formnext fair organization, Mesago Messe Frankfurt announced that they decided to hold this year’s fair on a digital platform on November 10-13, under the name of Formnext Connect. This year, Formnext 2020 is planned to be realized as a hybrid at Frankfurt fairgrounds with a digital add-on component, and will only be held on a virtual platform as the global Covid-19 infection figures have increased again recently. Additive manufacturing technology suppliers and users will come together in the virtual event where many digital services will take place.
Mesago Messe Frankfurt has been preparing for Formnext 2020 for months. However, they had to make changes in its plans; with the increase in Covid-19 infection figures at the end of the summer. The organizer decided to bring together the world of additive manufacturing by organizing Formnext 2020 on a virtual platform under the name of Formnext Connect. Saying that the current rise of the Covid-19 infection figures in Germany, Europe and around the world had led to increasing uncertainty among exhibitors and visitors, President of Mesago Messe Frankfurt, Petra Haarburger told; “Together with the renewed tightening of official and in-house travel restrictions, this will no longer allow the otherwise highly international Formnext to be carried out in the accustomed quality.”
Formnext Connect will be the central virtual platform
Additive manufacturing plays an important role in the development of new products; the design of resilient supply chains, and the development of sustainable business models. Vice President Formnext Mesago Messe Frankfurt, Sascha F. Wenzler stated that an exchange between technology providers and users is absolutely necessary for this. Telling that they were now putting all their energy into the realization of a virtual Formnext; Wenzler noted that it would be the central virtual platform for business and knowledge exchange; for the global additive manufacturing community at the end of the year.
Mesago Messe Frankfurt announced that it will offer a wide range of digital services at the Formnext Connect; digitally taking place on 10 November 2020. These include exhibitor presentations in showrooms (products, information, videos, chat function, lead generation / lead tracking); intelligent matchmaking with all participants supported by AI, live streaming and on-demand content of the supporting program; and webinars as well as the scheduling / assignment of appointments for online meetings with exhibitors.