Formlabs confirms job cuts: 3D printing pioneer lays off around 5% of its workforce

3D printing specialist Formlabs has confirmed a small reduction in its workforce. The company, known for its desktop stereolithography printers (SLA), has made around 40 employees redundant over the last two years. This equates to around 5% of the total workforce of just under 750 employees.

A company spokesperson told TechCrunch that Formlabs regularly reviews all areas of the business to ensure that existing positions are contributing optimally to customer support and product development. Despite the layoffs, the company emphasises that it continues to invest in research and development and is creating new positions in various departments and regions.

Formlabs, a spin-off from MIT, has proven to be one of the few success stories in the 3D printing market. The company was the first to offer high-precision SLA technology in desktop devices. Prior to Formlabs’ entry into the market, the desktop sector was dominated by FDM printers.

Unlike many of its competitors, Formlabs survived the bursting of the first desktop 3D printing bubble. The company has since expanded its portfolio to include SLS (selective laser sintering) technology. According to Formlabs, it supplies more than 50% of all SLS units sold worldwide. The company also recently acquired SLS startup Micronics.

Despite efforts to scale 3D printing for mass production, Formlabs’ focus remains on medical and dental applications.