Annual International Wohlers Conference at EuroMold to Focus on Business and Investment Opportunities in Additive Manufacturng and 3D Printing

FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, USA, October 7, 2013—DEMAT GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany) and Wohlers Associates, Inc. have announced the 15th Annual International Wohlers Conference to be held at EuroMold 2013 in Frankfurt, Germany. This year’s conference, titled Business and Investment Opportunities in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, takes place on Thursday, December 5. Past conferences have featured major developments and trends in rapid product development, additive manufacturing (AM), and 3D printing. The EuroMold trade fair is December 3–6 at the Exhibition Center Frankfurt. This year’s trade fair marks the 20th anniversary of EuroMold.

The upcoming conference will concentrate on business and investment opportunities in the AM and 3D printing industry. AM technologies have captured the attention of the mainstream media, government agencies at all levels, and investors around the world. Interest and investment are at an all-time high, and they are leading to new businesses, business models, products, services, and organizations. Anyone exploring opportunities in AM and about to make important business decisions will want to attend this event.

AM is transitioning from a technology used for prototyping to technology for the production of final products. Speakers at the conference will discuss many of the issues and challenges related to this transition to final products. “The industry is experiencing extraordinary change,” said Dr.-Ing. Eberhard Döring, CEO of DEMAT (the company that sponsors EuroMold). “Countless opportunities are developing, and they extend beyond the engineering and scientific communities. Some of the largest corporations and brands in the world are engaging in AM.”

The conference includes nine speakers from Belgium, China, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA. They were carefully selected for their expertise in research, development, business, and investment in additive manufacturing. Collectively, they represent decades of knowledge and experience in AM and 3D printing. Each speaker brings unique insight to the event.

Last year, 1,086 exhibitors from 35 countries and 55,965 designers, engineers, managers, and executives from 92 countries participated in EuroMold. These individuals and organizations represent many industries, including automotive, consumer electronics, medical, aerospace, packaging, household appliances, furniture, sporting goods, and toys. DEMAT organizes some of the most successful trade fairs in Europe and other parts of the world.

Wohlers Associates is an independent consulting firm that provides technical, marketing, and strategic advice on the new developments and trends in rapid product development, additive manufacturing, and 3D printing. For more information, go to wohlersassociates.com. 

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The December 5, 2013 conference will feature the following topics and speakers:

Welcome
Dr.-Ing. Eberhard Döring, Chief Executive Officer
DEMAT GmbH (Germany)

Keynote: Additive Manufacturing Tales from the Antipodes
Dr. Olaf Diegel, CEO
ODD Guitars (New Zealand)

Unprecedented Opportunities Abound
Mr. Terry Wohlers, Principal Consultant and President
Wohlers Associates, Inc. (USA)

3D Printing Investments in China
Mr. James Yu, CEO and Chairman
WestingCut Group (China)

New AM Business Opportunities and Investments in South Africa
Prof. Deon de Beer, Executive Director, Technology Transfer and Innovation
Vaal University of Technology (South Africa)

Future AM Business Opportunities from the “Marble Model” Perspective
Wilfried Vancraen, CEO
Materialise (Belgium)

The Value Proposition for Medical Applications of AM
Mr. Andy Christensen, President
Medical Modeling Inc. (USA)

Intellectual Property Considerations When Investing in AM
William J. Cass, Partner
Cantor Colburn LLP (USA)

A Material Producer’s Perspective on Additive Manufacturing
Ms. Sylvia Monsheimer, Director of Additive Manufacturing
Evonik Industries AG (Germany)

AM Investments in the USA
Tim Caffrey, Associate Consultant
Wohlers Associates, Inc. (USA)