CECIMO Launches AM-Europe to Unify the Continent’s Additive Manufacturing Ecosystem

CECIMO, the European Association of Manufacturing Technologies, has officially unveiled AM-Europe, a dedicated platform designed to consolidate and amplify the additive manufacturing sector’s presence across the continent. The initiative transforms CECIMO’s long-standing internal activities into an outward-facing, inclusive ecosystem that aims to establish a distinct European identity for the industry. By unifying national associations and research bodies, the platform seeks to strengthen Europe’s industrial strategy and global competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.

AM-Europe was established by a founding group of prominent national organizations, including UCIMU and AITA3D from Italy, ADDIMAT from Spain, FMTI, SWISSMEM from Switzerland, and AMUK from the United Kingdom. This diverse group represents a broad spectrum of machine builders, technology developers, and manufacturing associations, providing a geographically and technically robust foundation. The platform is now extending membership to a wider range of actors, including research institutions and competence centers, to move beyond bilateral relationships toward a structured, continent-wide dialogue that can effectively engage with EU policymakers in Brussels.

The launch comes at a critical time as additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly recognized by European authorities as a strategic technology for enhancing industrial flexibility, reducing supply chain dependencies, and strengthening capabilities in sectors like defense, aerospace, energy, and healthcare. AM-Europe’s agenda is specifically aligned with these priorities, focusing on policy advocacy, standardization, market intelligence, and skills development. Virgilio García, Chairman of AM-Europe, emphasized that the platform is intended to provide the necessary framework conditions for companies to develop, invest, and scale, ensuring Europe leverages its expertise to lead in the global AM landscape.

This new entity addresses a long-standing gap in the European market where AM expertise was historically strong at the national level but fragmented across the continent. To bolster its international influence, AM-Europe has already entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with ASTM International to coordinate global standards, certification, and workforce training. This partnership signals that a unified European platform can exert significant transatlantic weight, helping the continent maintain its position in the global race to industrialize additive manufacturing technologies while advancing the goals of the Manifesto for a Competitive European Additive Manufacturing Sector.