US-based Desktop Metal Inc, a specialist in mass production and turnkey additive manufacturing solutions, has completed the previously announced acquisition of EnvisionTEC, a leading global provider of volume production photopolymer 3-D printing solutions for end-use parts.

The transaction is valued at $300 million and consists of a combination of cash and Desktop Metal stock and is subject to customary adjustment.

EnvisionTEC will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Desktop Metal and continue to be led by founder Al Siblani, who will serve as CEO of the EnvisionTEC business.

Ric Fulop, CEO and co-founder of Desktop Metal, said: “With EnvisionTEC now a part of Desktop Metal, we are well positioned to offer customers a complete platform across polymers and metals, focused on Additive Manufacturing 2.0 solutions for volume production of end-use parts.

“Together, we have more than 200 distribution partners around the world that extend our reach into applications across fast-growing markets for additive manufacturing, such as dental, medical, and jewelry, in addition to doubling down on the broader industrial market.

“As we join forces, I am more confident than ever that we can accelerate the adoption of AM 2.0 and help customers transform how parts are made around the world.”

As the original inventor of digital light processing (DLP) 3-D printing technology, EnvisionTEC has one of the strongest intellectual property portfolios in the area-wide photopolymer 3-D printing arena, with more than 140 issued and pending patents.

The company has in excess of 190 qualified materials for its platforms and more than 5,000 customers across a broad range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, medical devices, jewelery, and biofabrication. In addition, EnvisionTEC is a leader in the dental market, with over 1,000 dental customers now using its 3-D printers for pre-production and end-use parts.

Exceptional accuracy
EnvisionTEC also brings a strong product portfolio for photopolymer additive manufacturing under Desktop Metal’s umbrella, including the new Envision One and Xtreme 8K printing platforms designed to deliver high-speed and economic end-use parts production with exceptional accuracy and properties meeting or exceeding thermoplastics.

The company is also a pioneer in digital biofabrication additive manufacturing with its Bioplotter platform, which supports the production of biocompatible parts for medical applications such as bone regeneration, cartilage regeneration, soft tissue fabrication, drug release, and organ printing.

In addition, Desktop Metal adds EnvisionTEC’s robotic additive manufacturing (RAM) digital casting capabilities, which it plans to significantly advance using its proprietary and patent-pending Single Pass Jetting technology originally developed for the Production System to drive productivity enhancements and improve part economics.

The acquisition more than doubles Desktop Metal’s global distribution network, adding vertically focused partners in markets such as medical, dental, and jewelry, and increasing its geographic sales capabilities to 68 countries around the world.