The Investment Impact Awards 2026, a ranking curated by the fDi Intelligence division of the Financial Times, recognizes Nikon-SLM’s engineering hub in Reggio Emilia as one of the highest-impact foreign investment projects in Europe. Specifically, the investment reached the podium, securing third place in the category of small-scale European operational projects (under €50 million) for its significant contribution to the local and national economic fabric.
The attraction of Nikon-SLM’s investment to Reggio Emilia represents an excellent example of collaboration between business, institutions, and local stakeholders, resulting in the establishment of a new foreign company within a strategic sector. ART-ER (with the Invest in Emilia-Romagna contact point), the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Reggio Emilia / Reggio Hub, and STU Reggiane worked in synergy with numerous other stakeholders to ensure the company chose Emilia-Romagna, facilitating not only the settlement process but also its integration into the regional innovation ecosystem.
Nikon-SLM, a Japanese-owned company, specializes in additive manufacturing, particularly the production of 3D printers for metal materials designed for industrial processes across various sectors, including automotive. The Reggio Emilia hub focuses on the design phase, employing a staff of over 30 highly qualified engineers dedicated to developing new products and innovative design methodologies. The center hosts mechanical, process, and industrialization engineers, as well as electrical, electronic, and software developers. They are based in the iconic Capannone 15C, a building shared with the REI Foundation (Reggio Emilia Innovazione), in the very strategic location of the Reggiane Parco Innovazione. The project was officially inaugurated in March 2024.
Since its establishment, the company has formed highly productive strategic partnerships with the local university system, creating experimental laboratories and contributing to the attraction and retention of talent in the region. In collaboration with Unimore (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia), Nikon-SLM sponsored the “Management of Project and Innovation” course and Manuthon, a manufacturing-focused hackathon held in April 2024 in partnership with ART-ER and other local entities. Nikon-SLM has also launched collaborations with regional companies in strategic supply chains such as automotive and aerospace.
The Investment Impact Awards 2026 are currently in their first edition. The ranking is divided into two macro-categories—announced and operational projects—and further sub-categories based on investment size. Invest in Emilia-Romagna, the contact point for foreign investment managed by ART-ER on behalf of the Emilia-Romagna Region, collaborated with Nikon-SLM to collect and compile the data required for the ranking submission.
