美国3D打印机制造商3D系统(DDD) has announced that it has agreed to sell its on-demand manufacturing business.
Acquired by private equity firmTrilantic North Americaand industry veteran Ziad Abou for $82 million, 3D Systems’ five on-demand production sites in the U.S. and Europe, will now operate as service providers under the revived ‘QuickParts’ moniker. The company’s decision to sell its service bureau segment ties into the broaderstrategic restructuringit announced last year, which has seen it refocus on its core industrial and healthcare verticals.
“We are continuing to aggressively execute our four-phase plan that we announced a year ago, to position the company for exciting growth and profitability as the market for industrial-scale AM continues to expand,” said Dr. Jeffrey Graves, President, and CEO of 3D Systems. “The on-demand manufacturing business is solid, and it has a very bright future under the stewardship of Trilantic North America.”
3D系统’ divestiture drive
Since Graves’ appointment as CEO in May 2020, 3D Systems has undergone a dramatic course change, which has seen it attempt to rapidly reduce its operating costs by $100 million per year. After a revenue decline of 28% between Q2 2019 and Q2 2020, the firm moved quickly to cut its expenditure, reducing its workforce by 20% and divesting business segments that don’t align with its revised strategy.
During November 2020, the company announced thesale of its Cimatron business及其与全球技术投资公司的相关子公司电池冒险，筹集了6500万美元的资本。由于其改善现金头寸，3D系统此后能够通过The Prive Intudrial和Healthcare部门的增长来重新投资acquisitions of Allevi and Additive Worksin May 2021.
Elsewhere, the firm has invested heavily in infrastructure, including a 50,000 sq. ft expansion of its Littleton base, which should enable its Colorado team to advance the healthcare and industrial R&D being conducted there, while the addition of metal 3D printing to its site in Leuven, Belgium, is designed to aid the aerospace, defense and automotive-focused applications its engineers there are developing.
证据of the firm’s revised focus can also be seen within its recent business moves, with the launch of its industrialRoadrunner FFF 3D printer, as well as advances within its打印到灌注生物打印program. Similarly, 3D Systems’ progression towards profitability was apparent within its Q1 2021 financials, in which it reported年收入增长8％。
Now, with the sale of its on-demand production segment, Graves says that the company is better-positioned to maintain or even expedite its rate of revenue growth in the months ahead.
“With a very strong balance sheet and cash position, proceeds from the sale will be used to further accelerate our investments for growth in our core AM capabilities, for which we are seeing rapidly rising demand in new, extraordinary applications ranging from the human body to electric vehicles and space travel,” added Graves.
Trilantic North America’s $82M deal
3D系统’ $82 million deal with Trilantic North America will see its on-demand production staff and facilities in Lawrenceburg, Seattle, Le Mans, Pinerolo and High Wycombe change hands. Under Trilantic North America’s ownership as QuickParts, 3D Systems’ soon-to-be ex-division will offer a variety of rapid manufacturing services, providing clients with both additive and subtractive capabilities.
As part of the acquisition agreement, Ziad Abou, who held the roles of Senior VP and General Manager of 3D Systems’ on-demand manufacturing division for nearly a decade, is set to become CEO of the reformed QuickParts. In his new role, Abou will seek to leverage the firm’s install base of 200 3D printers and the knowledge of his team of more than 250 colleagues, to continue addressing the aerospace, automotive, consumer and industrial sectors.
有趣的是，尽管出售业务，但Graves表示，一旦达成协议，3D系统打算继续与QuickParts合作，以便满足他们的共享客户。实际上，格雷夫斯（Graves）强调，剥离不是基于其他方面（例如盈利能力）而达成的，仅是基于其更广泛的重组计划，该计划的重点是解决“不断增长的市场需要高可获取性产品的市场”。
格雷夫斯说：“我们剥离的唯一理由是使我们的整个重点和投资优先级成为AM，在那里我们可以在激动人心的最终市场中扮演工业规模的AM在采用工业规模的AM方面发挥独特的领导作用。”“我们将继续与QuickParts合作，并确信，随着这两个组织的重点，对所有利益相关者的未来将是光明的。”
Although 3D Systems and Trilantic North America’s deal remains subject to certain closing conditions and adjustments, they have already signed a formal agreement, with the transaction expected to be finalized during Q3 2021.
退出服务局竞技场
3D系统’ decision to sell-off its on-demand manufacturing arm marks the end of its era as a 3D printing service bureau, and sees it leave an increasingly crowded space. In recent years, the rebrandedHubshas successfully begun to target more professional clientele, while its parent firmprotolabs试图扩展其金属激光烧结。
3D printer manufacturerStratasys同时，已经选择坚持下去Stratasys Direct Manufacturing subsidiary, despite committing to a‘strategic resizing’2020年6月，此后选择与制造市场合作Xometry, as a means ofmarketing its high-performance nylon materials。
Elsewhere, 3D printing service providerShapewayshasannounced its intention to go public通过与SPAC合并Galileo Acquisition Corp。一旦在H2 2021完成，该交易将使该公司筹集约1.95亿美元的资金，该公司打算重新投资扩大其当前的技术组合。
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Featured image shows 3D Systems’ Advanced Additive Manufacturing Center in Pinerolo. Photo via 3D Systems.
