#3DExpress: Bentley Achieves Significant AM Milestone
This week, there has been a flurry of news in the additive manufacturing industry as many companies have taken advantage of RAPID + TCT for important announcements. This includes from MX3D who has announced a new partnership with the Phillips Corporation and Kimya being acquired by Airtech Advanced Materials. That is not all however, Bentley has also reached a significant milestone in its adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) and Nano Dimension has officially announced its new CEO. Finally, Stratasys has closed its $120M funding from Fortissimo Capital, a ray of hope in 3D printing! Happy ready and have a great weekend.
Bentley Celebrates a Major AM Milestone
Car manufacturer Bentley recently celebrated 25 years of using AM and since adopting 3D technologies, the group claims to have passed an important milestone: 125,000 3D-printed parts! It has invested in 13 machines and currently employs six different processes, enabling it to imagine numerous components, diverse designs and test multiple materials. Matthias Rabe, Bentley board member in charge of R&D, adds, “Additive manufacturing continues to play a vital role in the product development process, and our capability and expertise in this field has gone from strength to strength. The ability to rapidly produce and iterate components has advanced how we develop our models and offers further opportunities as we electrify our model range and create our next generation of extraordinary cars.”
Various parts 3D printed by Bentley (photo credits: Bentley)
MX3D and the Phillips Corporation Announce New Partnership for WAAM in the USA
At RAPID + TCT 2025, MX3D, a leader in robotic wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) systems, announced a new strategic partnership with the Phillips Corporation, a global leader in manufacturing. The goal of this collaboration is to not only bring MX3D’s advanced metal 3D printing solutions to the United States, but to help spread the use of WAAM technology in sectors like aerospace, energy, maritime and heavy manufacturing industries in the nation. As such, Philipps will be the exclusive U.S. distributor and support provider for MX3D systems.“Partnering with Phillips Corporation offers a great chance to speed up the adoption of MX3D technology in the USA,” concludes Gijs van der Velden, CEO of MX3D. “Their strong network and capability to provide timely and quality service locally is crucial now as more and more customers start using MX3D Systems for 24/7 qualified production.”
Stratasys Has Closed $120 Million Strategic Investment by Fortissimo Capital
It was a sign of hope in an industry that had a rough 2024: Fortissimo Capital, a private equity fund, would be investing $120 Million in Stratasys. Now, Stratasys has announced the official closing of that funding with Fortissimo acquiring “approximately 14% of Stratasys’ issued and outstanding ordinary shares through a direct purchase of 11,650,485 newly issued ordinary shares at $10.30 per share” according to a press release from the leader in polymer 3D printing solutions. In addition, Stratasys has announced that Dr. Yoav Zeif will be replaced on its board of directors after volunteering to step down, he will be replaced by Yuval Cohen, Founding and Managing Partner of Fortissimo. Cohen further explains, “Fortissimo made this significant investment in Stratasys out of recognition of its leadership, the tremendous growth potential inherent in its technology portfolio and its dedicated management team led by Yoav. I look forward to working with the company’s outstanding Board of Directors and management to unlock value for customers, employees and shareholders.”
Stratasys’ headquarters in Israel (photo credits: Stratasys)
Nano Dimension Has a New CEO
Nano Dimension has had a busy few months with acquisitions, lawsuits and resignations. And now it also has a new leader. The digital manufacturing expert has appointed Ofir Baharav as its new CEO, a move that seeks to accelerate the strategic integration of Desktop Metal and Markforged. Baharav assumes the role after serving as Chairman of the Board since December 2024, where he has already led key changes in order to help restore profitability and maximize shareholder value. With nearly 30 years of experience in additive manufacturing technologies and equipment for the electronics industry, Ofir Baharav has excelled in leading strategic transformations at companies such as Maxify, Stratasys, Xjet and Credence Systems. After a period of challenges and restructuring, it remains to be seen how this new direction will shape the course of Nano Dimension as it seeks to strengthen its position in the global market.
Photo Credits: Nano Dimension
KIMYA Relaunches in the Additive Manufacturing Market
A few months ago, we were saddened to learn of the closure of French company KIMYA, which had specialized in the production of plastic materials for additive manufacturing. However, hope is not entirely lost, as the brand has just announced that it has joined the American group Airtech Advanced Materials. The official press release expands, “This strategic enhancement includes Kimya’s technical filament materials, development and production capabilities, validation equipment, and intellectual property — further expanding Airtech’s offering for large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) and high-performance thermoplastic applications.” Filament production will now take place at the company’s European headquarters in Luxembourg. This decision reflects Airtech’s determination to pursue its additive manufacturing strategy of offering users advanced, high-quality materials.
Airtech Advanced Materials presented KIMYA materials at RAPID + TCT (photo credits: Airtech / LinkedIn)
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