New York-based MakerBot and Dutch-based Ultimaker, two leaders in desktop 3D printing, announced on Tuesday, September 13, that they have successfully completed their merger.
In May 2022, both companies had agreed to merge and secure additional funding to accelerate the global adoption of additive manufacturing. The new entity, UltiMaker (MakerBot + Ultimaker), had also secured funding of $62.4M (then, approximately €60M) to fuel global 3D printing innovation.
Under the new brand, UltiMaker aims to provide “easy-to-use” and accessible 3D printing hardware, software, and materials for any application, driving the industry to a future state of responsible and sustainable manufacturing.
The new company will continue to operate in New York and The Netherlands.
What to expect from UltiMaker?
UltiMaker will provide a wide range of solutions to customers by combining the product platforms of both businesses under one roof. This includes well-known brands like the MakerBot METHOD, MakerBot SKETCH and MakerBot Replicator 3D printers, MakerBot CloudPrint, as well as the Ultimaker 2+ Connect, Ultimaker S3, Ultimaker S5, and Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle.
Additionally, the new business will continue to run the open communities, Ultimaker Cura and MakerBot Thingiverse.
The newly created entity will invest money to accelerate growth, drive new product innovation, further research and development, and strengthen its presence across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific through market expansions.
Ultimaker CEO makes an exit
Besides the merger, former Ultimaker CEO Jürgen von Hollen has made the decision to depart the firm after helping with the integration and transition preparations for the new company over the next months.
Jürgen von Hollen says, “With the completion of the merger behind us, we can now focus on integrating the two businesses further and begin creating significant value for customers with leading 3D printing solutions. During the next few months, I look forward to helping the teams get started and take maximum advantage of the newly afforded opportunities.”
The new company, UltiMaker, will now be led by Makerbot’s CEO Nadav Goshen.
Nadav Goshen says, “As we begin the next chapter together as UltiMaker, we will continue to focus on developing 3D printing innovations to advance the availability of accessible and easy-to-use 3D printing solutions. By combining our teams and technical expertise, we can work towards developing and delivering a comprehensive portfolio of products to support professional, educational, and light-industrial applications.”
Brief about MakerBot
Founded in 2009 by Bre Pettis, MakerBot was one of the first companies to make 3D printing accessible and affordable with its first 3D printer, the Cupcake CNC. The company is now a global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry. It claims to empower the engineers of today and tomorrow with its additive manufacturing ecosystem.
MakerBot says it strives to redefine the standards for 3D printing for safety and emissions, reliability, accessibility, precision, and the ease-of-use. The company already has a large install base, manages Thingiverse, the largest 3D printing community in the world, and has members on the UL 2904 standards committee to ensure it is on the ‘cutting edge’ of emissions regulations.
About Ultimaker
Founded by Erik de Bruijn, Martijn Elserman and Siert Wijnia, Ultimaker built an open and easy-to-use solution of 3D printers, software, and materials that helps professional designers and engineers to innovate every day. The company’s mission was to accelerate the world’s transformation to flexible, empowering and sustainable solutions.
Ultimaker, which started shipping its first 3D printers in May 2011, has production facilities in Europe and the US. The company says it has a team of over 400 employees that work together to accelerate the world’s transition to local, digital manufacturing.
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