3D Delta Week aims to become the international accelerator for the Additive Manufacturing industry

– interview with Ruben Fokkema, Brainport Eindhoven

“By joining forces, the 3D Delta Week can build a global competitive Additive Manufacturing industry” – so says Ruben Fokkema, business developer at Brainport Development. In his interview with Pieter Hermans from Jakajima he elaborates the scope and mission of the 3D Delta Week and its ambition to become a catalyst and accelerator for the Additive Manufacturing industry.

The Eindhoven region has a major industry that focuses on the development of fabrication equipment and printers. Additionally, there appears to be a lot of low volume manufacturing. This combination ensures that the region disposes of many AM suppliers (70) and a lot of companies that already apply AM in their development and manufacturing. Because of this potential, Brainport Development believes the BeNeLux region could well become one of the top 5 global AM industries. However, to accomplish this, the region still needs to work on its global visibility.

“We can build this global competitive Additive Manufacturing industry, so it is important to join forces and the 3D Delta Week can make this happen.”

Eindhoven has a lot of promising but small local AM companies, for whom it is challenging to make themselves visible on the global level. Furthermore, their USP’s often lie in their strong collaboration ability – something that is difficult to showcase on the global stage without the possibility to experience it yourself. “Brainport Eindhoven facilitates all forms of collaboration and events to make this happen”, Ruben explains. That is in fact the main reason why the organisation committed itself as a founding partner of the 3DDW.

The 3DDW is a platform that will unite and strengthen several important 3D activities and companies from the BeNeLux Area and reinforces an international positioning with a bigger appeal to the (international) audience. Companies, consortiums, and branch organisations are invited to contact the 3D Delta Week organisers to host their own event or activity during this week. “The event aims to provide a stage to companies in the BeNeLux region, which is seen as a hub for acceleration, but companies from other countries, such as Germany, Spain and France for instance, that see relevance in contacts with the region are also very welcome to join.”

The 3D Delta Week (6-10 December 2021) is an initiative initially set up by Brainport Eindhoven, Flam3D, Jakajima and Mikrocentrum. Does your company or organisation also believe that we can build a global competitive AM industry if we join forces? Or does your company or organisation have an international ambition or strategy? Then you are the company/organisation we would like to build the 3DDW with. Visit our partner or sponsor pages for more information and contact us if you want to get involved.


Ruben Fokkema is business developer at Brainport Development.

Brainport Development is an economic development agency of the world class high-tech region Brainport Eindhoven.

Besides international business development for the upcoming integrated photonics industry, and facilitating advanced manufacturing companies in their relocation to Brainport Eindhoven, Ruben primarily focuses on further development of the Additive Manufacturing ecosystem by offering and facilitating with:

  • acces to suppliers, facilities and the network
  • connection to 3D print facilities for testing, piloting and demonstration
  • knowledge about developments in the region
  • relevant events, workshops and meetings
  • innovation collaboration: regional, national, international
  • international market development