Nexa3D has acquired Addifab.
Addifab is a Copenhagen-based manufacturer of a rather interesting technology: Freeform Injection Molding. It’s a way to quickly 3D print a mold suitable for traditional injection molding. After injection, the mold dissolves easily, leaving a fully normal injection molded part.
The big advantage is that unlike “real” molds, the FFIM approach permits any radical geometry, just like 3D printing parts directly. In addition, virtually any normal injection molding material can be used, and the resulting parts have the same properties as those made with traditional injection molding.
Recently Addifab has been partnering with Nexa3D, as an SLA-style 3D printer is necessary to produce the molds with Addifab’s unique materials. This arrangement has been quite profitable for both companies, as it allows Nexa3D’s wide distribution network to sell the combination to manufacturers using injection molding. These manufacturers can then produce highly unusual injection molded parts for their clients.
Now it seems the partnership has taken an other step, with Nexa3D announcing they’ve formally “completed the acquisition” of Addifab.
Nexa3D explains:
“The acquisition follows a successful year of joint go-to-market collaboration between the two companies in both North America and EMEA. The joint sales and marketing efforts resulted in converting dozens of customers from traditional tooling to digital tooling due to significant time and cost savings associated with this innovative approach. This transformative end-to-end solution combines the best of Nexa3D’s ultrafast 3D printers with Addifab’s high-impact, high-temperature soluble resins to print complex tools that are compatible with any injection molding feedstock, thereby delivering complex tooling at a fraction of the cost and time of other 3D printers or conventional tooling processes.”
Evidently that success was so great that Nexa3D decided to acquire Addifab outright.
What will happen next? Nexa3D said:
“As part of its growing commitment to EMEA, and in service of its growing reseller partner network, Nexa3D plans to immediately leverage Addifab’s Copenhagen facility as its Customer Experience Center, inclusive of a product showroom, service and support hub for its European-based customers, and a main warehouse and logistics center in Europe.”
So there’s a bit more to the deal than meets the eye. Nexa3D not only acquires the interesting FFIM technology, but also gains a foothold in Europe. From there they will be able to launch sales and distribution of additional equipment beyond FFIM. That should greatly assist in the growth of Nexa3D in coming years.
Somehow I am not too surprised by this move for several reasons. First, it seemed to be a good match of complementary technologies when the partnership was announced some time ago. In fact, Nexa3D emphasized the FFIM opportunity at many events, which is a bit unusual for a technology that isn’t in-house.
Secondly, Addifab is a small company with a great technology. They are at the stage where they require major investment to grow further. While they have been somewhat successful in finding additional investors, the ability of Nexa3D’s resources to power FFIM forward are just that much greater. It’s a good thing for Addifab.
Finally, Nexa3D has been on a bit of a buying spree. While they suffered layoffs last year, evidently that free up enough cash to enable some acquisitions. Just recently Nexa3D captured the SLS business from XYZprinting in a surprise move.
And now Nexa3D has bagged another company. I wonder which company will be next?
Via BusinessWire
