insights from germany: formnext, fraunhofer and the future of manufacturing
first-hand insights from the Innovate UK GBIP visit to Germany, including formnext, Fraunhofer institutes and BMW.
in november 2025, myprintpod participated in the innovate uk global business innovation programme (gbip) visit to germany, focused on advanced manufacturing and additive technologies.
between 16th and 21st november, the programme included visits to formnext, multiple fraunhofer institutes, bmw and a range of leading organisations shaping the future of production.
formnext: industrial scale additive manufacturing
formnext continues to demonstrate how far additive manufacturing has moved beyond prototyping into real production environments.
key themes observed across the exhibition:
- additive manufacturing is now embedded in industrial workflows, not isolated from them
- material innovation is accelerating, including bio-based and recycled inputs
- metal additive manufacturing continues to mature for high-performance applications
- integration with digital manufacturing systems is now expected, not optional
the scale and maturity of systems on display reinforce that additive manufacturing is no longer emerging — it is operational.
fraunhofer: bridging research and industry
visits to multiple fraunhofer institutes highlighted the strength of germany’s applied research model.
areas of focus included:
- bio-based and sustainable materials
- advanced manufacturing systems and automation
- process optimisation and digital production
in particular, work on biobased materials aligns strongly with myprintpod’s own exploration of alternative feedstocks, including seaweed-derived materials.
the fraunhofer approach demonstrates how research can be directly translated into industrial capability — something often missing in more fragmented innovation ecosystems.
bmw: additive in production environments
engagement with bmw provided insight into how additive manufacturing is deployed in real production settings.
key observations:
- additive is widely used for tooling, fixtures and low-volume components
- integration into digital production pipelines is critical
- there is a clear focus on efficiency, repeatability and sustainability
this reinforces the idea that additive manufacturing’s value lies in where it fits into the system, not just the technology itself.
materials, sustainability and the next frontier
across the programme, one theme stood out consistently:
materials are becoming as important as machines.
this includes:
- recycled polymers
- bio-based materials
- hybrid material systems
this aligns directly with myprintpod’s work on sustainable materials, including investigations into seaweed-based inputs and other low-impact feedstocks.
key takeaways
the gbip visit highlighted several clear trends:
- additive manufacturing is now a production tool, not just a prototyping method
- sustainability is becoming a primary driver of innovation
- material science is a critical differentiator
- collaboration between research institutions and industry is essential
- flexible, distributed manufacturing models are gaining traction
what this means for myprintpod
these insights reinforce the direction of myprintpod:
- developing sustainable material options
- enabling accessible, flexible production
- bridging the gap between research and real-world application
the opportunity is not just to adopt additive manufacturing, but to rethink how and where production happens.
looking ahead
the germany gbip programme provided valuable insight into both the current state and future direction of advanced manufacturing.
for myprintpod, it confirmed that:
- sustainability and materials innovation are central to future growth
- smaller, agile companies can play a meaningful role in this transition
- there is significant opportunity in bridging innovation and practical deployment
myprintpod will continue to build on these insights — focusing on practical, sustainable and accessible manufacturing systems.
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