SWISSM4M in Bettlach will open its doors on 24 March 2026 for a half-day expert and networking event, bringing together key industrial players, technology providers and innovation stakeholders.
Taking place from 13:00 to 18:00, this afternoon will focus on advanced manufacturing, materials, and industrial innovation, with concrete insights from entities such as Bobst, Ceramaret, Swissmem, a-metal, Steiner3D, inspire, and Swissm4m, alongside the AM Network.
Through a series of expert presentations, participants will explore real-world industrial challenges, emerging technologies, and practical approaches to innovation across the manufacturing value chain. The program will also include a roundtable discussion to encourage open exchange between industry, technology and research.
The event will conclude with a guided visit of Swissm4m’s facilities, offering a unique behind-the-scenes perspective, followed by a networking aperitif to foster meaningful connections in an informal setting.
A focused, content-rich afternoon designed to connect expertise, spark collaboration, and showcase how innovation moves from ideas to industrial reality.
Program
12h45 Welcome coffee
13h00 Opening by Nicolas Bouduban, CEO of Swissm4m, Florian Widmer, President of AM Network and Joëlle Tosetti, Managing Director of the CoBooster
13h20 Presentation from Roberto Valterio, Innovation Director Group Technology at Bobst: “AM: Recreating Matter, Reinventing What’s Possible”
Bobst is one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries. Video here.
13h20 Presentation from Zoltan Kis, Product & Marketing Manager at Ceramaret: “Ceramic components in additive manufacturing”
Ceramaret designs and manufactures components from ultra-hard materials such as advanced ceramics (zirconia, alumina, silicon carbide and silicon nitride) as well as synthetic sapphire and ruby. Its recipe for success: the expertise of 300 employees, state-of-the-art machinery and equipment, and rigorous standards for quality.
14h00 Presentation from Adriaan Spierings, Head of industry sector at Swissmem : “Constraints and opportunities when integrating AM in industry”
Swissmem is the umbrella association for SMEs and large companies in the Swiss mechanical, electrical and metal industries (MEM industries), as well as related technology sectors. It supports the national and international competitiveness of its approximately 1,050 member companies by representing their interests, providing tailored services, fostering targeted networks, and offering market-oriented education and continuing training programs for employees in the MEM industries.
14h20 Presentation from Stephan Steiner, Executive Lead at a-metal : “Accessible Metal 3D Printing: How to Overcome the Most Common Entry Hurdles for SMEs”
A-metal aims to democratize metal 3D printing for industry by making the technology accessible to SMEs, educational institutions, and small development teams directly on their own premises. The company develops an affordable, compact, and safe metal 3D printing system offering a strong price–performance ratio, a robust printing process, and high-quality parts. A closed-loop powder cartridge system enables clean and safe operation without the need for specialized laboratory infrastructure or academic expertise. With a standard mechanical workshop and an in-house technical team, users can produce complex metal parts on demand and at controlled cost.
14h40 Coffee break
15h00 Presentation from Michele Cianni, Sales Manager 3D at Steiner “tbd”
Steiner CNC – AM Technologies AG is a Swiss technology company offering integrated manufacturing solutions in CNC machining and additive manufacturing. By combining deep expertise in conventional machining with strong capabilities in additive manufacturing, Steiner CNC – AM Technologies AG delivers innovative, high-quality solutions tailored to modern industrial requirements.
15h20 Presentation from Rafael Casas, Project Manager at Inspire “Precision in Metal Additive Manufacturing: Challenges and Pathways to Industrial Qualification“
As a strategic partner of ETH Zurich, inspire AG is the leading Swiss competence centre for technology transfer to the mechanical, electrical and metal (MEM) industries. It conducts research for the industry, develops state-of-the-art technologies, methods and processes and solves problems in all areas of product innovation and production technology. inspire brings together the best partners from industry, universities and technical colleges for joint projects and has the brains, knowledge and experience to successfully turn ideas into innovations.
15h40 Presentation from Nicolas Bouduban, CEO of Swissm4m : “Additive Manufacturing Is Not a Kinder Surprise: Toys Are Fun, Value Pays the Bills.“
This presentation will explore how integrating 3D printing into end-to-end production workflows is key to unlocking its true value.
The Swiss m4m Center enables the MedTech and dental industries to achieve certified, safe, and efficient additive manufacturing (3D printing), from idea to series production. We are a technology company that engineers and manufactures innovative medical and dental devices using additive manufacturing. From design for additive manufacturing and product engineering to certified serial production, we provide end-to-end expertise and collaborative project support tailored to your medical device requirements.
16h00 Roundtable
16h20 Visit of Swissm4m
17h00 Apero
Presentation of the speakers
Nicolas Bouduban, CEO of Swissm4m, is an engineer holding a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Bern and the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) in Biel.
With more than 20 years of experience as an R&D Project Manager and Marketing and Sales Director in the medical technology industry, he has served as CEO of the Swiss m4m Center since June 2019.
His primary mission is to build, scale, and transform a technology transfer center dedicated to additive manufacturing, bridging research and industrial application from prototyping to serial medical device production.
Florian Widmer, President of AM Network, is an experienced product developer and consultant specializing in technical innovations, additive manufacturing, and industrial production processes. He has been combining design, engineering, and manufacturing for many years and is responsible for projects from conception to market readiness as well as leading interdisciplinary teams. In addition to his industrial activities, he has been active as a lecturer, mentor, and speaker and is involved at the interface of technology, education, and strategy.
Roberto Valterio, Innovation Director Group Technology at Bobst, is a mechanical engineer ETS. After completing an apprenticeship as a metal constructor, he pursued his engineering degree through evening courses. He joined Bobst in 1991, where—after holding various development roles—he became responsible for the mechanical development of a product line.
Driven by a constant desire to challenge the status quo and explore new technologies, he joined in 2014 a team dedicated to innovation in digital processes, including laser cutting, digital printing, and research activities.
In 2018, under the impulse of the Bobst CEO, he introduced the company’s first LPBF metal additive manufacturing machine. Since 2022, he has been leading the Additive Manufacturing department, a role he carries out alongside his involvement in digital projects and research initiatives.
Adriaan Spierings, Head of industry sector at Swissmem, studied mechanical engineering and business administration at ETH Zurich, with a focus on lightweight engineering. After several positions in industry and research he joined University of Applied Sciences 2005 to build up a research group on metal additive manufacturing, which moved to inspire in 2008. His main research topics addressed quality manufacturing along the AM value chain, from powder qualification to alloys for additive manufacturing and technologies for the in-situ monitoring of material integrity. His research led to several start-up companies.
After leading this research group for more than 18 years he took over the Swiss Additive Manufacturing Group (SAMG) at Swissmem in 2023, to continue supporting industry and research and to promote innovation and strengthen the Swiss footprint in additive manufacturing. Next to the SAMG he also leads similar Swissmem groups on semiconductor technologies, and medical manufacturing.
Research remains a core interest since it builds the baseline for industrial success. For this reason he remains active as an Editor for the Progress in Additive Manufacturing Journal and supports several start-up activities.
Stephan Steiner is CEO and Co-Founder of a-metal AG, where he leads the company’s strategic development of an affordable, compact, and safe metal 3D‑printing solution for SMEs and industrial users. He brings over five years of industry and research experience in additive manufacturing to this role and holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zürich with a focus on manufacturing technologies.
Michele Cianni is Sales Manager 3D at Steiner, with a background spanning consulting and engineering in the construction and glass industries, and a strong focus on additive manufacturing. Over the course of his career, he has developed a solid understanding of market dynamics, with the ability to identify customer needs and translate them into practical, value-driven solutions. In his current role, Michele focuses on connecting people, aligning perspectives, and transforming ideas into concrete additive manufacturing projects. He thrives at the intersection of complex processes, where the integration of technologies and the creation of synergies generate real industrial value. His experience as an adhesive bonding specialist in the chemical industry further strengthens this approach, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of joining technologies and system integration from multiple angles.
Rafael Casas, Senior Project Manager at Inspire, is a materials scientist and engineer with a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering and more than 12 years of experience in metal additive manufacturing and industrial R&D. His work focuses on the industrialisation and qualification of AM technologies.
Logistical informations
Date
Tuesday
24th March 2026
12h45
Location
Swiss m4m Center AG
Föhrenweg 7
CH-2544 Bettlach
Tel +41 32 645 00 24
info@swissm4m.ch
Parking
Some parkplaces are available on site.
Conditions of entry
This event is limited to 30 people.
The event will be in English, with the visit in English and/or German and French, depending on the attendees.
Registration
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