Large-Scale 3D Printing Shapes UPM Group’s EuroShop Stand
UPM Group has created a 100 m² exhibition stand using large-scale robotic 3D printing for EuroShop 2026 in Düsseldorf. Combining architectural structures, integrated technology and bespoke furniture, the project demonstrates how additive manufacturing can be applied to temporary interiors and large-format spatial design.
Distributed Robotic Production
The stand was manufactured across UPM Group’s production hubs in Modena and London. Dividing the work between the two facilities increased production capacity and helped optimise manufacturing time and logistics. The complete process, from prototyping to final production, took approximately six weeks.
Production involved KUKA robotic arms fitted with WASP HDP XL and HDP XXL extrusion systems. This large-format setup enabled the team to produce sizeable, structurally robust components while retaining considerable freedom over their geometry. The project therefore illustrates the potential of robotic additive manufacturing to move beyond prototypes and small objects towards architectural-scale applications.
Organic Forms With Integrated Technology
Designed by architect Christopher G Ward, the installation is characterised by continuous, flowing forms. A key challenge was integrating functional and digital elements without interrupting this visual language. Signage, recessed LED walls and other technical systems were incorporated into or concealed within the printed structures.
Alongside the main architectural elements, the team produced custom sofas, stools and decorative components. A suspended Möbius strip, integrated into the stand’s truss structure, formed a prominent sculptural feature.
Glass-Fibre-Reinforced PETG
The components were printed in UV-stabilised PETG-GF 20% supplied by FormFutura. The thermoplastic contains 20% glass-fibre reinforcement, improving its structural performance for large-format parts. It is also certified as flame-retardant, an important requirement for exhibition and interior fit-out environments.
Additive manufacturing can reduce the need for moulds and support material-efficient production by placing material according to a digital design. However, the use of glass-fibre reinforcement can complicate conventional recycling at the end of a component’s life. For temporary installations in particular, the environmental value of this production method will therefore also depend on disassembly, reuse and end-of-life planning.
Source: WASP / UPM Group
Photos: UPM Group