AMT announced the availability of financing services.
For clients in North America, the company’s resellers are now able to provide financing options that should enable many more companies to make use of AMT’s powerful post-processing systems.
AMT Post-Processing
AMT is one of several providers of 3D print post-processing equipment. Post-processing is an essential step to arrive at fully useable printed parts, but is often forgotten by those enthused with the printing stage.
The problem is most evident in operations doing continuous 3D printing with fleets of devices. The stream of freshly 3D printed parts flows off of the printers, and then have to post-processed.
In earlier days post-processing was mostly a manual process, even if tools were used. This caused two issues: cost of the large amounts of manual labor required, and the time delay for product completion while parts waited to be processed.
Nowadays there are companies providing more automated solutions specifically dedicated to 3D printing operations, including AMT with its PostPro 3D solution.
3D Print Service Challenges
The challenge facing 3D print services, be they internally or externally focused, is to manage costs and delivery times, all while balancing equipment usage and labor assignments. It’s a tricky business to run at high efficiency levels.
While such an operation might determine the addition of post-processing automation equipment might increase efficiency and lower costs, the capital outlay for the equipment could totally mess up finances. It essentially means having a huge dent in net profit, perhaps even losses, for a period to pay for the equipment.
That’s really bad news for a service operation in a competitive market, where competitors’ pricing means you can’t easily raise your own prices to pay for the equipment without losing business. And losing a client once could mean losing them forever.
That’s where financing options can provide a massive opportunity for these operations.
AMT Financing
Instead of “saving up” and paying all at once, the firm can slice off a small piece of ongoing monthly service income to gradually pay for the equipment — while using it. This is far less disruptive to cash flows.
AMT doesn’t explain the specific nature of the financing options, which likely involve payments over a fixed term before ownership is finalized. That’s because every scenario will be different and it seems they have an online form ready to accept applications.
The financing is being provided by a third party, Envision Capital Group, who have been in business over 15 years.
Note, you’ll have to provide some information like your credit score, as well as specifications for the financing required before your application can be reviewed.
My thought is that this new financing option will provide a big opportunity for many smaller print services to quickly ramp up their efficiency. It is even possible that in some cases the financing payments could immediately be exceeded by automation savings, making the purchase a no-brainer.
I’m surprised more 3D printer companies don’t offer similar financing options, as it is relatively easy to do when leveraging third party providers, and instantly opens the door to more potential customers.
Via AMT
