Additive Industries announced the appointment of two new leaders, including a new CEO.
The Eindhoven-based company has been producing modular metal 3D printing systems that fit very well into a variety of manufacturing workflows. They had been led for many years by Daan Kersten, who departed earlier last year.
Since that time there’s been a search underway for a replacement and it appears they’ve made their decision. The new CEO of Additive Industries is Ian Howe, a highly experienced veteran of the additive manufacturing space. Additive Industries explains Howe’s background:
“Ian C. Howe, who is currently Head of Business Line at Oerlikon Surface Solutions AG, has a proven track record in leading and delivering business growth within the high-tech technology business space. He has over 25 years of experience in developing and implementing growth strategies to address market and customer needs and in leading and developing teams and people towards a common goal. Howe has held management positions in market verticals in aerospace, energy, hightech, general industrial and automotive at Oerlikon Surface Solutions AG, Höganäs AB of Sweden, and GKN Group UK. He holds a master’s degree in Engineering (Materials) and an MBA in Finance, Strategy and Marketing, both from The Open University.”
I don’t think you could ask for better qualifications to lead a metal 3D printer manufacturer.
Additive Industries simultaneously announced the appointment of a new CFO, Carlien Siebelt, who also brings a wealth of experience.
Announcing two positions at the same time is a bit unusual, as the usual practice is to allow the new CEO to select the team members that will report to them. However, in this case it’s likely this has been in discussion behind the scenes for some time.
This is a bit of a milestone for Additive Industries, who only a few years ago could have been described as a 3D print startup. That’s most definitely not the case today, as they have been expanding greatly and now boast a list of notable industry clients.
The milestone is that the company is about to undergo change, as it continues its evolution from startup idea to large-scale manufacturer. Companies pass through phases, from the wild-west startup scrambles to the eager fundraising stages to steady growth.
Company boards of directors know this and usually select leaders whose expertise lies in the phase expected to happen next. Howe does not appear to be a startup specialist, and thus one can assume he’s going to be strongly focused on rapidly expanding Additive Industries in the near future, based on the groundwork established by Kersten.
Look for much more Additive Industries presence in the future.
