CONTEXT presents the market report on the sale of 3D printers in the first quarter of 2023.

The analytical company CONTEXT presented a report describing the situation on the 3D printers market in the first quarter of 2023. The conclusions of the report are “mixed” – despite fluctuations in the growth rate of the number of devices sold, the total value of revenues increased due to inflationary price increases and a shift in demand towards industrial metal 3D printers, the value of which is usually the highest of all.

Global shipments of 3D printers in the “Industrial” and “Professional” classes fell by -15% and -30% year-on-year, respectively. At the same time, the “Midrange”, “Personal” (desktop 3D printers) and “Kit & Hobby” (amateur class 3D printers) saw increases of +18%, +34% and +29% year-on-year, respectively. Total revenues from the sale of 3D printers increased by +15%, however, as described above, global inflation had a significant share in this.

54% of all revenues come from the most expensive Industrial class 3D printers. The worst in this category were 3D printers printing from polymers (powdered plastics) and light-cured resins, where the decrease in sales was as much as -33% year-on-year. At the same time, revenues from the entire industrial machinery sector increased by +11% due to the growing demand for more efficient metal 3D printers. Industrial class metal 3D printers brought their producers an increase in revenues of +25%, with a simultaneous decrease in sales by -8%.

In the Midrange class, the leaders were Formlabs (offering SLS Fuse 3D printers) and UnionTech (3D printers printing from light-curing resins in DLP technology). Growth was +18% year-on-year. In the segment of “Personal” and “Kit & Hobby” 3D printers, the first place was taken by the Chinese Creality3D, and the second – growing into one of the market leaders, also the Chinese Bambu Lab. At the same time, CONTEXT analysts are moderately optimistic about further sales growth in this sector, attributing the excellent results to improved supply chain logistics rather than generating new demand.

CONTEXT also note that while enterprise-oriented 3D printer manufacturers are better able to cope with inflation by raising prices, many with the smallest and cheapest 3D printers are finding it increasingly difficult to make money. As a result, a number of companies began to pull out of the market – including XYZprinting, which sold part of its lineup (SLS) to Nexa3D and announced a complete exit from the industry, and other more regional brands including South Korean Sindoh and American Dremel (previously offered by Bosch), have reduced, sold out or otherwise deconcentrated efforts in the 3D printing market.

Source: www.contextworld.com
Photo: www.pixabay.com