Desktop Metal Acquires Adaptive3D, Adding Best-in-Class Elastomer Capabilities to Growing Materials Portfolio
Written on {{ “2021-05-18T00:00:00+00:00” | date “longDate” }} Modified on {{ “2021-05-18T00:00:00+00:00” | date “longDate” }}
Adaptive3D Acquisition Enables High-Volume, Additive Manufacturing for One of the Fastest Growing Segments in the Industry: End-Use Elastomeric Parts.
Adaptive3D is a category leader in printed elastomers for additive manufacturing. Its products enable volume end-use parts production via additive manufacturing of odorless, tough, strain-tolerant, tear-resistant, and biocompatible rubbers and rubber-like materials. Adaptive3D’s solutions are designed for high-throughput manufacturing, while maintaining low cost of production, with superior material performance. The company serves a broad customer base across consumer, healthcare, industrial, transportation, and oil and gas markets. (Photo: Business Wire)
- Acquired category leader with best-in-class properties in printed elastomers for additive manufacturing
- Provides entry into large and high growth elastomers market, one of the killer applications for additive manufacturing
- Complements Desktop Metal’s Xtreme 8K mass production printers, which offer the largest, high-speed DLP platform to accelerate the adoption of AM 2.0 for high-volume, cost-effective elastomeric parts
- Advances Desktop Metal’s vertical integration strategy to expand its portfolio of materials capabilities
Adaptive3D offers category-leading photopolymer elastomers. Its products enable volume end-use parts production via additive manufacturing of odorless, tough, strain-tolerant, tear-resistant, and biocompatible rubbers and rubber-like materials. The Company’s flagship resin is Elastic ToughRubber 90, a tough, printable elastomer for all seasons. Adaptive3D printable materials are optimized for high-throughput manufacturing of functional, complex 3D plastic and rubber parts in consumer, healthcare, industrial, transportation, and oil and gas markets. Adaptive3D’s core technology was developed through Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funding, and the Company has received strategic capital from leading materials companies including Covestro, Arkema Group, West Pharmaceuticals, Applied Ventures, and Royal DSM.
“The acquisition of Adaptive3D advances Desktop Metal’s vertical integration strategy to grow our portfolio of materials and expand the high-volume applications supported by our polymer additive manufacturing solutions,” said Ric Fulop, Founder and CEO of Desktop Metal. “Elastomers and rubber materials are a killer app for Additive Manufacturing 2.0 (AM 2.0). Adaptive3D has the best photoelastomer resins in the world. Combining Adaptive3D’s patented and superior elastomer materials with our printers, such as the Xtreme 8K, which lead the industry in throughput, affordability, and part quality, will accelerate the adoption of additively manufactured solutions for high-volume, end-use elastomeric parts and products.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Desktop Metal to enable additive manufacturing through our differentiated materials,” said Dr. Walter Voit, Founder and CEO of Adaptive3D. “This acquisition extends our already strong partnership with EnvisionTEC, enabling us to accelerate our growth into the $129 billion1 elastomer and flexible foams market just waiting for high-volume, additive manufacturing elastomer capabilities.”
Acquiring a Category Leader in Elastomers for Additive Manufacturing
Adaptive3D is a best-in-class provider of photoelastomers that enables additive manufacturing of rubbers, polyurethane-like, silicone-like, and rubber-like materials. The material properties of the ToughRubber photoresin material family lead the industry in tear strength, toughness, and elongation2. Adaptive3D’s solutions are designed for high-throughput manufacturing, while maintaining low cost of production, and superior material performance. Adaptive3D serves a broad customer base across consumer, healthcare, industrial, transportation, and oil and gas markets, with a massive opportunity to expand through leveraging Desktop Metal’s scale and channel network.
Bolstering AM 2.0 Solutions for Area-Wide Elastomer Materials
The acquisition extends Adaptive3D’s existing partnership to pair ToughRubber photoresins with EnvisionTEC’s Xtreme 8K. The Xtreme 8K printer is optimized for area-wide photopolymer printing and is the largest build area production-grade digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer in the world. Coupled with Adaptive3D’s photoelastomer resins, customers can produce tough, durable parts quickly and in volume with premium surface quality, robust material properties, and high part accuracy.
Expanding Materials Library
“This transaction advances Desktop Metal’s strategy to grow our proprietary materials portfolio in order to expand the high-volume applications we can provide our customers,” said Fulop. “We will continue to search for attractive opportunities to organically and inorganically add to our library of over 225 qualified materials across metals, composites, polymers, ceramics, biocompatible materials, wood, and now elastomers.”
Adaptive3D will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Desktop Metal, and Voit will continue to lead the business from its Plano, Texas headquarters. Desktop Metal executives will discuss this strategic acquisition during its first quarter 2021 financial results call scheduled for May 17, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
