Metal 3D printing is already fully operational in global industrial sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and energy, where the technology is changing how components are designed, produced, and maintained. In Denmark, the potential is significant, but adoption is progressing more slowly. Therefore, Dansk AM Hub is now launching a new nationwide network for metal additive manufacturing (AM) to help Danish manufacturing companies mature the technology and translate it into real business value.

“We find that many Danish companies see the potential of metal 3D printing, but it is not gaining momentum at the scale we know the technology can,” says Frank Rosengreen Lorenzen, Managing Director of Dansk AM Hub. “They are facing the same questions: Where are the valuable use cases? How are competencies and partnerships built? And how do you integrate the technology into an existing production setup?”

Danish industry lacks a natural pull

In countries such as Germany, the United States, and France, the aerospace, automotive, and defence industries in particular have driven the development of metal AM forward. Denmark does not have that starting point. At the same time, many Danish manufacturers operate at lower volumes, where investments in new processes require greater certainty, maturity, and collaboration across the value chain.

This means that, despite significant potential, the technology has not yet been scaled broadly in Denmark. The new network is intended to address precisely that gap.

Significant potential for Danish areas of strength

The combination of metal and additive manufacturing creates new opportunities within, among other areas:

• Optimised components for machinery and robots, where weight reduction and design optimisation deliver lower energy consumption and improved performance
• On-demand spare parts for, for example, the energy and offshore industries, where discontinued or worn components can be maintained or produced faster and without expensive tooling
• Integrated functions in tools, such as cooling channels in moulds or complex heat exchangers, which reduce joints and potential failure points

The technology is particularly relevant to Denmark’s areas of strength within energy, offshore, and advanced industrial components.

In demand by industry

The network is being established at the request of several Danish manufacturing companies that are calling for a forum to share practical experience, gain access to experts, and develop a shared understanding of both the technology’s possibilities and its business implications.

“What industry is asking for is not only technical knowledge, but a safe space to discuss strategy, business, and implementation. No one should have to stand alone with a new technology where uncertainty is still a barrier,” says Frank Rosengreen Lorenzen.

The network starts in 2026

The network is aimed at Danish manufacturers—or international manufacturers with a presence in Denmark—who have either invested in, or have ambitions to adopt, metal AM.

Participants will gain access to cases, facility visits, expert presentations, and a community of companies working on the same challenges.

The application deadline is 20 January 2026.