VDMA Spring survey reports signs of improvement in AM industry

The VDMA’s Additive Manufacturing Working Group has published the results of its spring 2026 survey of the Additive Manufacturing industry, indicating a stable market environment with modest signs of improvement compared to autumn 2025.

While 29% of respondents reported declining sales in autumn 2025, this figure has now fallen to 19%. At the same time, 49% of companies reported positive business development. In light of this, the AM Working Group suggested that the sector’s ongoing consolidation phase continues.

“Our member companies are doing remarkably well, but we do not yet see a real trend reversal,” explained Dr Markus Heering, Managing Director of the Additive Manufacturing Working Group.

Short-term caution, mid-term optimism

According to the survey, companies remain cautious in the near term but expect conditions to improve over the coming months. For the next six months, 41% of respondents anticipate positive development, increasing to 50% over a one-year horizon.

Longer-term sentiment is notably stronger. Over the next two years, 76% of surveyed companies expect growth in the domestic market, up from 63% in the autumn 2025 survey.

Export expectations follow a similar trend, with companies forecasting growth in the medium to long term. The EU remains the most important sales market, cited by 80% of respondents. However, exports to the USA are becoming increasingly difficult to plan due to ongoing trade policy uncertainty.

The impact of US tariffs, highlighted in the previous survey, remains uneven. While some companies report little effect, 30% indicate minor disruption and 38% report significant negative impacts on their business.

Competitive pressure continues to intensify, particularly from China. Some 52% of respondents now identify Chinese providers as key competitors, a notable increase compared to earlier surveys. In contrast, the share of companies viewing domestic competitors as particularly relevant has declined from 67% to 59%.

Investment outlook remains steady

Most companies expected investment levels to remain stable in the coming months, with a significant proportion planning increased spending. Over the longer term, respondents indicate a renewed willingness to invest in Additive Manufacturing technologies.

Technical developments and new applications continue to drive business activity. At the same time, cost considerations remain a key constraint on the pace and scale of industrialisation, reinforcing trends already observed in the previous survey.

Progress in serial production

Progress towards serial production is becoming increasingly evident. For the first time, companies report that serial production accounts for the largest share of additively manufactured parts.

According to the VDMA’s Additive Manufacturing Working Group, the shift highlights the growing role of Additive Manufacturing as an industrial production technology. The continued increase in serial applications may suggest improving technical maturity and economic viability.

Despite these positive indicators, the industry continues to face challenges. In addition to cost pressures, issues such as process stability, automation, standardisation and quality assurance were reported as critical to achieving scalable industrial production.

“We see an industry that is gradually gaining industrial maturity,” Heering concluded. “In order for this process to progress more quickly, intensive exchange along the entire value chain is still needed – this is exactly where the VDMA comes in.”

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