Rapid News Group
Chief Executive

Mr. Duncan Wood Simultaneous interpretation

Duncan Wood has been Chief Executive Officer of Rapid News Group since 2017. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Packaging Europe Ltd and Chairman of Globus Rapid News Co Ltd.

Duncan has almost 30 years’ experience in media and event management roles predominantly in business development and leadership. Starting with Miller Freeman (now UBM) in 1996. He then joined Rapid News originally in 1997 as a Sales Manager on Rapid News Magazine. Between 2002-2005 he worked at QMJ Group and then as Sales Manager for a start-up Pure Insight, a provider of professional development solutions to help innovation. In 2005 he returned to Rapid News to take up the role of Director of Sales across the TCT portfolio. He was appointed to the board in 2008, taking the role of Managing Director of the Events Division in 2010 and in early 2012 was appointed Chief Operating Officer.

He has driven growth at Rapid News Group through a range of strategies including new product launches, geo-cloning of existing brands, acquisitions and developing innovative partnerships and joint ventures across the globe.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Business Studies from the University of Portsmouth and was nominated for the Interplas 75@75 in 2023.

Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International
Founder and Distinguished Fellow of Advanced Manufacturing

Mr. Terry Wohlers Simultaneous interpretation

Industry analyst, author, and speaker Terry Wohlers has provided consulting assistance to nearly 300 organizations in 27 countries. He has authored 450 books, articles, and technical papers, and given more than 200 keynote presentations on six continents. Wohlers has appeared on many television and radio news programs and was a featured speaker at the White House in 2012 and 2014.

For 29 years, he served as a principal author of the Wohlers Report, the undisputed industry-leading report on additive manufacturing and 3D printing worldwide. He founded Wohlers Associates, an independent consulting and advisory firm, in 1986. In 2021, after 35 years, the company was acquired by ASTM International, a non-profit organization.

Industry consultant, author, and speaker Terry Wohlers will discuss important global trends and developments. In this context, he will underscore Japan’s strengths and opportunities, as well as growing threats and challenges.

Japan and the West face tremendous competition from China, a clash unseen in additive manufacturing’s history. Wohlers will conclude with best practices from Wohlers Associates on how organizations in Japan and other countries can collaborate to offer niche products and services while reinforcing the importance of qualification, certification, and standardization.

SIGMAXYZ Inc.
Senior Executive Officer

The Japanese Institute of Additive Manufacturing
Director

Mr. Shinya Kirihara

Senior Executive Officer at SIGMAXYZ Inc. and Director of the Japanese Institute of Additive Manufacturing. Has supported numerous manufacturing companies in growth strategy, new business development, and digital transformation. Actively engaged in the social implementation of robotics and additive manufacturing. Former technical committee member for national programs such as NEDO and the Cabinet Office’s SIP. Also serves as an MOT lecturer, academic conference facilitator, and seminar speaker. Involved in the establishment and operation of the Japanese AM Society and the Cultured Meat Future Creation Consortium. Author of “Cutting-Edge Applications of 3D Printing: A New Era of Manufacturing.”

Technology has evolved through repeated cycles of imitation and fusion.
In todays increasingly digitalized world, the next source of industrial competitiveness lies in the advanced integration of so-called "REAL TECH" such as Additive Manufacturing (AM) and robotics with "DIGITAL TECH" centered on AI.
In this lecture, I will first provide an overview of the current innovation landscape, and then present and discuss examples of the paradigm shifts in products and services brought about by Additive Manufacturing. I will also touch upon the opportunities for applying AM in humanoid robots, a field in which technological development is accelerating globally.
Finally, I will introduce the activities of the Japanese Institute of Additive Manufacturing, which aims to lead this transformation and strengthen the competitiveness of Japanese manufacturing industry.

Government Official, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The WorldSkills Competition is held every two years for young skilled workers, generally under the age of 22, with the aim of promoting vocational training and improving skill levels in participating countries and regions through skills competitions, as well as promoting international exchange and goodwill. It is run by WorldSkills International (headquartered in the Netherlands). The 48th competition will be held in Shanghai in September of this year, and the 49th competition will be held in Aichi in 2028.
The "additive manufacturing" (3D printing) competition category has been included since the 46th competition in 2022, and is scheduled to be included in the 48th competition this year.