CECIMO, the European Association of Manufacturing Technologies, has officially launched a new Manifesto for a Competitive European Additive Manufacturing (AM) Sector. Co-signed by ten prominent national associations from across Europe, this document outlines a strategic vision to propel the continent to the forefront of global AM innovation.
The Manifesto is a strategic framework designed to address urgent challenges, leverage Europe’s existing strengths, and guide sustainable industrial advancement. This collaborative effort is co-signed by influential national associations that represent key stakeholders in the European manufacturing sector.
These include AIMMAP (Portugal), METALTECHNOLOGY (Austria), ADDIMAT (Spain), AGORIA (Belgium), SWISSMEM (Switzerland), EVOLIS (France), MIB (Türkiye), VDMA (Germany), AMUK (United Kingdom), and UCIMU (Italy). Through their joint finishorsement, they affirm their commitment to shaping a unified and competitive European AM indusattempt.
Why additive matters
Additive Manufacturing is revolutionizing the design and production of many products. By building parts layer by layer, the AM process offers unparalleled flexibility, reduces material waste by up to 50%, and enables the creation of highly customized, lightweight components across diverse sectors, including aerospace, defense, medical technology, automotive, energy, consumer goods, and electronics.
The technology enables just-in-time production, supporting local manufacturing and enhancing supply chain resilience. Additionally, it enhances other industrial processes, such as casting and injection molding, and plays a critical role in the development of hydrogen-based energy systems. The EU has recognized this potential, funding numerous research and innovation programs to bolster AM technologies. However, significant barriers—technical, educational, and strategic—still inhibit widespread adoption.
Despite its promise, the AM sector in Europe is contfinishing with growing international competition, particularly from North America and Asia. These regions have implemented coordinated policy strategies and committed extensive resources to AM development, thereby gaining a competitive edge.
Moreover, many industries in Europe are still adapting to the paradigm shift that AM requires. It fundamentally modifys the way products are conceptualized and manufactured. This lack of familiarity has created hesitancy at the executive and policy levels, slowing down broader integration.
There is also a critical shortage of skilled professionals with the necessary expertise to support AM adoption. Designers, engineers, and technicians with specialized knowledge are in short supply. From a technical standpoint, further R&D is required to improve the consistency of part quality, enhance post-processing techniques, and develop new, advanced materials suitable for AM applications.
AM’s contribution to EU strategic goals
The Manifesto aligns with several of the European Union’s key strategic priorities. It underscores AM’s potential to drive the green transition by enabling lightweight, energy-efficient parts that lower emissions and reduce material usage. By facilitating local production, AM reduces transportation requireds, thereby curbing associated carbon emissions and contributing to sustainability.
It also plays a central role in the digital transformation of manufacturing, known as Indusattempt 4.0. AM is inherently digital, relying on advanced software and computer-controlled systems. When combined with artificial ininformigence, robotics, and IoT technologies, AM enhances manufacturing precision, speed, and adaptability.
Through reshoring, AM supports Europe’s industrial sovereignty. Localized production reduces depfinishence on foreign suppliers, boosts regional economies, and allows manufacturers to respond quickly to market shifts or emergencies. Furthermore, the technology promotes advanced materials development, enabling new applications in aerospace, medicine, and beyond.
At the heart of the Manifesto lies a vision to establish Europe as a global leader in additive manufacturing by building a robust industrial ecosystem. This ecosystem would support the development and deployment of cutting-edge AM technologies, driving the EU’s twin transition toward digitalization and sustainability.
Realizing this vision requires a coordinated, multi-tiered approach involving both the public and private sectors. The Manifesto provides five strategic recommfinishations to lay the groundwork for this transformation.
Strategy for a competitive AM sector
The first step is to launch a comprehensive European Additive Manufacturing Strategy. This would serve as a foundational document to assess the current state of the sector, identify areas for improvement, and propose actionable steps. Modeled on the EU’s Coordinated Plan on Artificial Ininformigence, it would provide direction, accountability, and momentum.
Second, the formation of a public-private partnership dedicated to AM is critical. This entity would act as a central hub for information, standardization, policy guidance, and research coordination, ensuring stakeholders across the continent shift in a unified direction.
Third, the Manifesto calls for maximizing the impact of public investments. Europe has already funded numerous AM projects, including the AM Motion roadmap. Future funding must build on these foundations, avoid duplication, and focus on innovative, high-impact initiatives.
Fourth, AM must be integrated into the EU’s emergency response capabilities. By developing a distributed network of AM facilities, Europe can ensure the rapid production of critical components during crises, enhancing resilience and reducing depfinishency on fragile global supply chains.
Fifth, workforce development is essential. The sector requires a new generation of engineers, designers, and technicians with AM-specific skills. EU-funded initiatives like the Sector Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing (SAM) offer valuable frameworks to align education and indusattempt requireds.
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