Xerox Officially Sells Elem Additive Solutions

It has been a tumultuous year so far in the 3D printing world. There have been constant discussions of potential mergers and acquisition, for example the uncertainty surrounding Stratasys with Desktop Metal, Nano Dimension (though it has officially pulled out of the race) and 3D Systems all throwing their hat in the ring for a merger. Another example of the uncertainty is Xerox which after a triumphant entry into the 3D printing market in 2019, quietly started closing up shop this year. Now the mystery of what will happen to Xerox’s 3D printing capabilities has officially been unraveled as Xerox has announced the sale of Elem Additive Manufacturing to leading metal 3D printing solutions manufacturer ADDiTEC.

From the start of Xerox’s entry into additive manufacturing, it made an impact. Its patented metal 3D printing, Liquid Metal Printing (LMP), technology differed from any that came before because it involved the use of a liquid metal. In the process, a metal wire is heated up and then jetted as metal droplets, similar to material jetting. What was exceptional as well was that it enabled the creation of metal parts with interesting properties while eliminating dangers traditionally associated with the use of powders. As the first and leading provider of liquid metal additive manufacturing solutions, it was also adopted quickly by various major players. Some examples include the inclusion of a metal 3D printer on a naval ship, the U.S.S Essex, as well as work with Siemens, ORNL and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

The ElemX was developed by Xerox and uses LMP technology (photo credits: Xerox)

Despite this, however, starting late year, rumors started to circulate about the closing of the additive manufacturing branch of Xerox. Something that was confirmed when it was announced that the company would just be maintaining connections for printers already sold and not advancing further in AM. The decision was made as Xerox sought to refocus is strategic priorities on its core offerings. This news therefore is a breath of fresh air to the industry as it ensure the continuation of this unique technology.

Discussing the sale, Steve Bandrowczak, CEO at Xerox further explains, “The Elem Additive team has seen tremendous success since the organization was stood up nearly four years ago. In evaluating partners for this sale, it was critical we found a company with a shared mission that would sustain and advance Elem Additive’s innovation into the future. We are confident that ADDiTEC is the right partner and look forward to witnessing both teams’ shared success on the road ahead.”

Elem Additive Is Becoming Part of ADDiTEC

As mentioned, for those who may not be familiar, ADDiTEC is a leader in metal additive manufacturing. According to the company, it has acquired Elem Additive Solutions as a way to extend its own technology portfolio. Indeed, it seems that the LMP technology itself was a major draw as it will allow ADDiTEC to expand and strength its existing capabilities as well as open up new opportunities for growth. Considering that ADDiTEC was founded as a way to overcome obstacles to large scale additive manufacturing of metal components offering its own DED robotic solutions, the two seem to merge well. Especially as LMP has been identified as ideal for supply chain resiliency in markets such as transportation, aerospace, defense, and industrial manufacturing, all of which are targeted by ADDiTEC.

ADDiTEC focus on large format metal additive manufacturing (photo credits: ADDiTEC)

Brian Matthews concludes, “We’re very excited to have completed the acquisition of Elem Additive Solutions. This acquisition is a significant step for our company, we see incredible value in liquid metal print technology, and Elem Additive’s success supplements our growth efforts as we continue to develop new offerings and bring to market our turnkey metal additive manufacturing systems. We are delighted to have acquired Elem Additive Solutions and will strive to create further innovative services and solutions for our customers with the addition of this exciting liquid metal printing technology.” You can find out more in the press release HERE.

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