As the dust settles on TCT 3Sixty last week I am seeing a lot of commentary from across the 3D printing industry, and I think it is important that on behalf of The TCT Group, we address these points and perspectives and be honest about the journey and importantly signpost what is next.
TCT 3Sixty, previously TCT Live and before that TCT Show, will not run as an exhibition at the NEC in 2027. That’s a difficult line to write, but honestly, we’ve had time to get used to the idea!
This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction; despite several exhibitors still asking us to continue last week, we know we’ve been rowing against the tide for some time. But honestly, you never want to give up easily on something that has been a foundation stone of the global growth and success of the TCT brand over the last thirty years.
But every chapter in a good book has an ending, and for the UK TCT exhibition, a show that in 2014 was the largest event for this technology in the world, this is the end of that chapter.
The reasons why this has happened are numerous. The additive manufacturing market has changed. There has been a huge amount of consolidation with M&A activity and start-up attrition sifting out exhibitors. Secondly reduced demand for machines in the UK due to early adoption and excess capacity along with the drop in UK manufacturing output has meant that the UK isn’t a major sales territory for machine manufacturers these days, the majority are based overseas and now target the UK with resellers – we have three resellers who between them used to be over thirty, yes you read that right, thirty different stands...
External factors like Brexit, COVID and conflict, which have hampered international exhibitor participation, have played their part, and a lack of an industrial strategy from consecutive UK governments, which saw the UK slip to an all-time low of 12th in terms of manufacturing output, hasn’t helped much either.
That perfect storm of challenges means that the support from exhibitors is not sufficient to sustain the investment required to run a dedicated annual 3D printing exhibition in the UK anymore. The evidence is clear, and the growing adoption of the technology as part of the wider manufacturing toolkit, which we always knew would happen, means the technology is more likely to be showcased best alongside complementary technology at plastics events like Interplas UK and metal-focused events such as MACH or in vertical events like Med-Tech Expo.
Large additive manufacturing exhibitions will sustain in major engineering markets like China (TCT Asia), Germany (Formnext) and USA (Rapid + TCT) when there is enough demand. The UK sadly doesn’t fit these criteria anymore.
So, what comes next?
TCT has always broken new ground when it comes to 3D Printing events. Whether it was launching the first European event in 1996 in the UK, the TCT Conference, which ultimately became TCT 3Sixty, introducing the TCT Awards or taking the technology to the masses as the 3D printing conference organiser for TCT@CES in Las Vegas for four years between 2014 and 2018.
Along the way, we have created innovative partnerships to develop and grow existing events like RAPID + TCT in the USA and TCT Japan in Tokyo, and of course, created a joint venture in China to organise and produce TCT Asia & TCT Shenzhen with the Shanghai event assuming the mantle of the largest dedicated additive manufacturing event in the world, with the recent edition attracting 44,000 visitors.
We also were instrumental in the creation of Formnext, which was powered by TCT for the first five years of its existence. Although our friends in Germany don’t like to talk about that bit anymore!
None of this would have happened without the UK TCT event; it has been a catalyst for our work around the globe, so we are not sad that it has gone; we are glad that it happened.
The UK is still a powerhouse user of AM and 3DP. An early adopter, a country with deep subject matter expertise and capability, a world-renowned research base and of course the operational home of TCT.
So, in June 2027, we are going to break new ground again. We’ve been working on this for some time, and with the help and guidance of our TCT advisors and close supporters, we are going to deliver something truly unique.
To a cast of thousands who have played their part since the first event in 1996. Speakers, advisors, exhibitors and visitors, our message is a simple one. Thank you.
The next chapter is coming…
