Shipments of Industrial* 3D Printers were up +39% year-on-year (YoY) in the first three quarters of 2021, but remained down -6% from pre-Covid levels (Q1-Q3 2019) as supply challenges hit home, according to CONTEXT, the IT market intelligence company.
While demand for consumer-centric desktop machines soared during covid lockdowns in 2020, shipments for high-end industrial machines were largely put on hold along as business spending paused. In a reversal of fortunes, consumer demand has waned since initial lockdowns but the business market is being buoyed by the potential for 3D printers to alleviate supply chain problems. A return to in-person trade events during 2021 additionally injected new life into the high end of the market. Almost all major vendors at Formnext said that new and renewed interest in 3D printing is down to this factor, CONTEXT can reveal.
“Certain 3D printing technologies can bring mid-volume production of hard goods closer to the point of consumption and so shorten the supply chain, reducing the dependence on logistics that are currently problematic across the globe,” noted CONTEXT’s head of global analysis Chris Connery.
“However, not all components within 3D printers themselves can be made in this way and the industry was plagued with its own supply-chain challenges in Q3 2021.”
Strongest demand in Industrial 3D printers during Q1-Q3 2021 was seen in designs focused on production or mass customisation. This included polymer Vat Polymerisation printers (up +22% YoY over the period) and metal Binder Jetting models (+104%).
Elsewhere, CONTEXT data reveals that:
Professional class printer shipments were the least impacted by the pandemic. They recorded +14% YoY growth for Q1-Q3 2021 and 13% growth compared to Q1-Q3 2019. This was driven by new product lines and the introduction of benchtop SLS polymer Powder Bed Fusion machines\n\n2. Personal 3D printer shipments have declined since soaring at the start of 2020. However, they remain above pre-COVID levels. Projections suggest that annual shipments of personal printers could be down −10% YoY in Q4 but still +33% up on 2019\n\n3. Kit & Hobby printer shipments are on track to see growth of at least +36% YoY in 2021. Although that sounds impressive, vendors had even higher expectations, given that 2020 sales doubled those of 2019. Most in-demand are hobbyist-centric resin-based LCD printers
“During 2022, areas of focus for the industry will include high-temperature material extrusion thermoplastics, composites, the balance between organic growth and consolidation, supply-chain mitigation, and the role of digital manufacturing alongside that of additive manufacturing,” continued Chris Connery.\n\n“The current record backlog looks set to push aggregate system revenues for 2022 up +23% on 2021. The projection is that technologies poised to push further into mass production—like metal Binder Jetting, polymer Vat Photopolymerization and polymer Powder Bed Fusion—will see a CAGR of 30% or more in unit volumes over the coming five years.”
*Price-class categorisation of PERSONAL (<$2,500), PROFESSIONAL ($2,500-$20,000), DESIGN ($20,000-$100,000) and INDUSTRIAL ($100,000+) based on fully assembled, finished-good products; new KIT&HOBBY class defined by DIY assembly required.
About CONTEXT
CONTEXT’s market intelligence, performance benchmarks and opportunity analysis empower clients to optimise operations and accelerate tomorrow’s revenues. With over 35 years of industry partnership and experience reporting on large datasets, CONTEXT delivers analytics at all points in the value chain, providing clients with actionable insights rooted in concrete data and a profound understanding of customer needs. CONTEXT is headquartered in London, with over 300 staff across the world, and in 2021 was recognised as one of the UK’s Best WorkplacesTM by Great Place to Work.
Link: www.contextworld.com
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