2023-11-10 13:49:35
Global uncertainties lead to postponement of investments in additive manufacturing. Markus Heering, director of the VDMA AM working group, announced this on Formnext. What is striking in the figures he presented is the importance of the Chinese market for German AM companies. That has been halved in just a few years. Meanwhile, manufacturers also have to deal with increasing competition from China.
If you want to sum up the current market in one sentence, it’s gloom regarding the short term, optimism regarding the long term. The six-monthly survey into the mood among VDMA members shows that everyone in the AM is currently affected by geopolitical uncertainties, to which Israel has recently been added, coincidentally a country where quite a few 3D printing companies are located. 20% of members are currently seeing a decline in turnover. In the medium term, VDMA members remain positive. 60% expect an increase in orders in the next two years.
Government interference with exports
The developments in China are interesting. Two years ago, 25% of VDMA members indicated that they considered the Chinese AM market important. Now only 10 to 12%. However, China has influence on the German – and European – AM industry on both sides. According to Heering, European manufacturers are increasingly confronted with government interference when they want to export to China. This has everything to do with the fact that additive manufacturing is related to the defense industry. That is why Western governments are reluctant to issue export licenses, which Heering finds understandable.
Double challenge
“At the same time, Chinese manufacturers are increasingly entering the European market,” says Markus Heering. Technically, Chinese AM technology is at a comparable level to European AM technology. Then if they are competitive, you can ask whether there are subsidies in China for the Chinese AM industry. The VDMA wants to get this discussion started. “China is a double challenge,” said Markus Heering at the opening of Formnext in Frankfurt.
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