Until recently, PCB 3D printer manufacturer Nano Dimension had been sitting on a reported $1.2 billion in funding, with the industry left waiting to see where this would be invested.
Following a protracted bid to take over FDM 3D printing inventor Stratasys, Nano Dimension has now finally shown its cards, instead choosing to acquire Desktop Metal and Markforged.
Totaling $250 million, these transactions provide the company with a means of accessing new verticals, with Desktop Metal binder jetted and Markforged carbon fiber-reinforced parts.
But what do the deals mean for the future of 3D printing? Depending on who you ask, they’re likely to give you a different answer. Some have suggested that 3D printing is a relatively small field full of innovators offering similar products, making it ripe for consolidation.
However, it remains to be seen if Nano Dimension’s moves will start a trend, with big firms buying up smaller players, and there’s still plenty of diversity in the industry’s technologies.
More likely, the deals are a reflection of Markforged and Desktop Metal’s decisions to go public during COVID-19 lockdown via reverse mergers. These provided access to millions in funding, but brought a huge amount of investor expectation, which they arguably failed to meet.
With both companies burning through cash, their acquisition makes sense. They gain financial security, while Nano Dimension dramatically expands its reach. Though none of this is likely to impact 3D printing users in the short term, pooling these technologies together under one roof could have a knock on effect in the future.
So keep an eye on Nano Dimension. It now has all the resources required to drive further innovation and take additive manufacturing into exciting new places. Watch this space!
