CONTEXT publishes a report on sales of 3D printers for the first three quarters of 2022.

CONTEXT, a research company specializing in 3D printing market analysis, has published another report in which it noted a significant increase in revenue from the sale of 3D printers – despite the fact that the global number of deliveries fell by -4% in the period under review. According to CONTEXT, the revenue generated from the sale of 3D printers increased by +14% in the third quarter of 2022 due to “inflationary pressure” that generated price increases across all classes of devices. On the other hand, the company recorded a decrease in the number of 3D printers delivered to customers – it mainly concerned desktop and amateur 3D printers, i.e. those costing less than USD 2,500 (~ PLN 10,000). The reason was supposed to be problems with demand and the supply chain.

Despite higher revenue growth, CONTEXT shows that shipments of industrial-grade machines increased by only +2% between Q3 2021 and Q3 2022, with sales of metal 3D printers increasing +4% and 3D printers printing with plastics decreased by -2%. The company says EOS, the largest manufacturer in the segment, “is an example of a trend where revenue is growing much faster than unit sales.”

Companies that have contributed to a significant increase in revenue in the industry include Meltio, which CONTEXT describes as a “low-end new player” and manufacturers of 3D printers that print from powdered metals in China. The company also lists good sales of 3D printers from manufacturers such as HBD, SLM Solutions, Velo3D, Desktop Metal and UnionTech.

CONTEXT attributes the increase in Q3 2022 shipments to a recovery from lockdowns in Q2 of the year, with sales down -38% year-on-year, shipping +62% more 3D printers than in Q3 2021. China emerged as the largest and the fastest growing market, growing +34% over the same period.

Another reason for the increase in revenues is inflationary pressure. Sometimes inflation can push customers to buy ahead of anticipated price increases. At the same time, CONTEXT attributes this to rising revenues from the sale of metal 3D printers, driving demand with the introduction of more efficient, productive and more powerful machines.

While sales of industrial 3D printers increased by +2% from Q3 2021 to Q3 2022, CONTEXT reports that shipments of professional and personal 3D printers – including self-assembly kits – fell by -7%, – 11% and – 3%. In the first category, $2,500 to $20,000 3D printers, CONTEXT reports a drop in shipments of -7%, with FDM/FFF 3D printers down -8% and SLA down -21%.

CONTEXT says the surge in shipments of sub-$2,500 3D printers seen during the C19 pandemic has now ended, with amateur 3D printer sales down -11% and DIY 3D printers (Kit & Hobby) down -3% . The undisputed leader in this sector is Creality3D, although the success of Bambu Lab (the company raised $7.1 million during its Kickstarter campaign) is a significant success.

UltiMaker (until recently MakerBot and Ultimaker) had a market share of 36%, but the number of deliveries dropped by -14%. Combined, UltiMaker and Formlabs (which also saw reduced unit shipments) accounted for 51% of global 3D printer revenue in the third quarter of 2022. At the same time, it was reported that shipments of Nexa3D’s XiP 3D printer began to increase significantly.

At the same time, CONTEXT shows that shipments of printers worth $20,000 to $100,000 increased +29%, driven by new product sales in this category. These include Formlabs Fuse 1+ (already the fourth best-selling product in its price category), UnionTech’s new DLP system, Stratasys’ Origin P3, Photocentric’s LC Magna and Desktop Metal’s Fiber system, which together accounted for 15% of all recorded sales in this segment.

In conclusion, CONTEXT says revenue growth will continue to be significantly higher than the number of devices sold, and estimates revenue growth of +19% across all technologies.

Source: www.contextworld.com via www.3dprintingindustry.com
Photo: www.pixabay.com