Additive Business Update: Formlabs, Materialise, Meltio, and More

Why It Matters

These leadership changes and partnerships accelerate the scaling of industrial‑grade 3D printing, while Materialise’s results underscore a market pivot toward high‑value medical applications amid broader industrial headwinds.

Key Takeaways

• Formlabs adds former Cognex CEO to board
• Stratasys joins Hawk Ridge’s expanding AM service portfolio
• Materialise revenue flat; medical segment up 15% YoY
• Meltio partners with AEC to sell wire‑laser printers in U.S.
• Industry focus shifts toward production‑ready, scalable additive solutions

Pulse Analysis

The appointment of Rob Willett to Formlabs’s board signals a deliberate push toward global industrial scaling. Willett’s background in machine‑vision and large‑scale manufacturing equips Formlabs with the expertise needed to transition from a prototyping‑centric model to mass‑production‑grade additive solutions. Simultaneously, the departure of Autodesk veteran Carl Bass may open space for fresh strategic perspectives, aligning the company with investors seeking accelerated revenue growth.

Strategic alliances are reshaping the AM supply chain, as evidenced by Hawk Ridge Systems’ integration of Stratasys’s PolyJet, SLA Neo, and Origin DLP platforms. This partnership broadens Hawk Ridge’s service offering, giving manufacturers immediate access to multi‑material and large‑format printing capabilities without extensive capital outlay. Likewise, Meltio’s collaboration with AEC brings its blue‑laser, wire‑fed metal printers to U.S. markets, leveraging AEC’s automation and welding expertise to deliver production‑ready solutions for heavy‑industry sectors such as oil & gas and defense.

Materialise’s 2025 financials illustrate the sector’s divergent trajectories. While total revenue held steady at €267.6 million, the medical segment’s 15.4% growth highlights the premium placed on regulated, high‑margin applications. Conversely, the software and manufacturing divisions faced double‑digit declines, prompting a shift toward cloud‑based subscriptions and series manufacturing. These dynamics suggest that additive manufacturers will increasingly prioritize niche, high‑value markets and subscription models to offset macroeconomic pressures in traditional industrial segments.