MakerBot and Ultimaker, two desktop 3D printer companies, announced they would merge into a new, combined company May 12.
Bob Vavra, senior content director of IndustryWeek’s sister publication Machine Design, sat down with the CEOs of both companies to talk about the merger and what it means for the future of 3D printing.
In the interview, the CEOs said the two companies’ strengths will complement each other and help form a more cohesive industry. Nadav Goshen, CEO of Makerbot, said the companies have a “shared vision” to make 3D printing “more accessible” while offering more “professional-grade” services. Ultimaker CEO Jürgen von Hollen indicated that MakerBot’s closeness to its customer base could help with accessibility.
“The ability to understand the customer is critical, and by combining that with Ultimaker’s application engineering competence, we can bring a strong portfolio of solutions and coverage across the world,” von Hollen told Vavra.
New investment from the 3D printers’ parent companies—MakerBot is a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd., Ultimaker is baked by NPM Capital—will let the new, combined company expand commercially, said Goshen.
Von Hollen said that new investment attracted by the merger could push 3D printing to fulfill on its promises. “If you look at the potential of 3D printing, as an industry, we have not even started to scratch the surface,” he said, adding that 3D printing companies need to make applications that are both simple to use and versatile.
Once the merger is finished—Goshen says the companies will integrate with each other over “the next few months”—Goshen and von Hollen will be co-CEOs of the as-yet unnamed entity with split responsibilities. NPM Capital will own 54.4% of the new company, and Stratasys will own the remaining 45.5%.
For the full interview, read MakerBot/Ultimaker Merger Reaches for 3D’s Potential at Machine Design’s website.
