Sales of 3D printers are growing, but still not compensating for declines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic

The analytical company CONTEXT has published its latest report on the sale of 3D printers in the world. The first half of 2021 is very successful and overall, manufacturers are recording high year-on-year sales growth, but the number of deliveries is still lower than in 2019. On the other hand, CONTEXT predicts that the second half of the year will be even better. By the end of 2021, global 3D printer sales could exceed pre-COVID-19 levels.

Sales of industrial-class 3D printers, costing over USD 100,000, increased by +61% in the first half of 2021, however, compared to 2019, the result is still lower by -10%. In the longer term, however, it is expected that in full-year terms, there will be a large increase in sales of industrial-grade equipment by approx. +35% year on year, and that 2019 levels will be exceeded by +6%.

Among 3D printers from the prototype and prosumer segment, costing between $ 20,000 and $ 100,000, the year-on-year increase was +43%, and compared to 2019 there was a decrease by -5%. By the end of the year, however, sales should reach pre-pandemic levels. In the segment of desktop 3D printers priced from $ 2,500 – $ 20,000, deliveries picked up after the pandemic by + 38% in Q2 2021 and by as much as + 33% compared to Q2 2019. According to CONTEXT, it is however, it is more related to the introduction of new models to the market by the largest brands than to changes related to the pandemic.

All of the top ten producers recorded sales increases in the second quarter of 2021. Among the companies for which it was a particularly good period, Context mentions Zortrax from Olsztyn.

A reverse trend can be seen in the sale of amateur and educational 3D printers. Last year there was a very large increase, however in 2021 the dynamics decreased to + 18% year-on-year. In the case of the cheapest devices, up to USD 2.5 thousand, the decrease was -32% this year. The most popular in this lower price segment are UV LCD photopolymer 3D printers, which accounted for 46% of deliveries, up from 10% for the whole of 2019.

Source: www.centrumdruku3d.pl