The 2024 Additive Manufacturing Industry Development Forum and Annual Conference Convenes in Guangzhou

On December 19, 2024, the 2024 Additive Manufacturing Industry Development Forum and Annual Conference officially commenced in Guangzhou. With the theme “Empowering New Industrialization Through Additive Manufacturing,” the event was hosted by the Department of Equipment Industry Development under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and co-organized by the China Additive Manufacturing Industry Alliance, Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd., Aidi Technology（Beijing）Co., Ltd., and Guangzhou Liwan District Chuangneng Investment and Development Co., Ltd. The forum aimed to harness additive manufacturing to forge innovative productive forces, infuse vitality into industrial modernization, and contribute to China’s new wave of industrialization.

Distinguished attendees included Lu Ruiyang, a first-level investigator from MIIT’s Equipment Industry Division I; Yao Zhenzhi, Deputy Director of MIIT’s Department of Equipment Industry Development and Secretary-General of the China Additive Manufacturing Industry Alliance; Chen Lei, Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; Huang Guanglie, Deputy Secretary-General of Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government; Li Feng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Liwan District CPC Committee and Executive Deputy District Governor; Jing Guangjun, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd.; as well as other prominent figures. Key experts such as Academician Li Yinghong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Deputy Director of the Expert Committee of the China Additive Manufacturing Industry Alliance; Academician Tan Jianrong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Academician Han Enhong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; and esteemed representatives from academia and industry were also in attendance. Over 500 representatives from organizations across the additive manufacturing value chain, including enterprises, industry associations, and academic institutions, participated.

In his opening address, Lu Ruiyang highlighted the remarkable achievements in China’s additive manufacturing industry during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, characterized by rapid industrial growth, substantial advancements in both quality and quantity of enterprises, the transition of industry applications into scalable production, and significant breakthroughs in global outreach. He emphasized that the next phase will prioritize innovation in industrial technology, fundamental research, and critical core technologies, alongside establishing a robust technological innovation system. The Ministry will also focus on promoting sectoral applications, driven by demand, to foster synergies in emerging fields such as new energy vehicles, commercial aerospace, biomanufacturing, and general aviation, while optimizing the industrial ecosystem to enhance standardization and evaluation frameworks.

Chen Lei underscored the strategic importance of additive manufacturing as a frontier technology and a key area in global economic and technological competition. He noted that Guangdong Province has emerged as a leading hub for the laser and additive manufacturing industry in China, boasting a comprehensive value chain and a cluster of innovative enterprises, such as Han’s Laser, Kingfa Science & Technology, Maimed Medical, and ZWSOFT. He also highlighted the province’s broad application prospects in sectors like consumer electronics, automotive, home appliances, molds, and commercial aerospace, with industrial clusters centered around Guangzhou and Shenzhen forming a robust development framework.

Huang Guanglie reiterated Guangzhou’s commitment to fostering the additive manufacturing sector by leveraging policy, resources, and talent to create an optimal environment for businesses and scientists.

Li Feng elaborated on Liwan District’s initiatives to prioritize the laser and additive manufacturing industries, including an 80-million-yuan industry-specific development fund and over 2.5 billion yuan in financial support from banking institutions.

Meanwhile, Jing Guangjun affirmed Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holding Group’s strategic focus on additive manufacturing, with plans to establish high-level industrial platforms and production bases while cultivating top-tier talent to strengthen the industrial ecosystem.The conference also featured an academic forum where prominent academicians, including Li Yinghong, Tan Jianrong, and Han Enhong, discussed the cutting-edge advancements in additive manufacturing technologies. The China Additive Manufacturing Industry Alliance unveiled key insights and released significant publications such as the “2024 China Additive Manufacturing Industry Yearbook”.

Encompassing a diverse range of activities, the event showcased the latest achievements in additive manufacturing and its role in empowering industrial modernization. Highlights included the main forum, the “Empowering a Strong Nation Through Equipment” series promoting additive manufacturing applications in South China, the “Industrial Mother Machines+” initiative, and specialized discussions in Liwan District. These efforts collectively spotlighted the transformative potential of additive manufacturing and its contribution to high-quality development in new industrialization.