Z Corporation, with its lovely multi-color inkjet 3D printers, has announced that it will be acquired by 3D Systems, a company set on becoming a multi-faceted, ‘integrated platform’ for all things additive manufacturing.
This is in addition to it picking up Huntsman’s much delayed/maligned 3D printing technology, the Digitalis – a monster machine still in development, although having a few beta models working in the larger, specialist 3D printing outfits – and its RenShape stereolithography materials.
3D Systems now becomes the first company capable of delivering an integrated platform of mixed 3D printing technologies, 3D content, and 3D design services.
Most delightfully, the press releases inform us that Z Corp and the Huntsman package have been snapped up for $137m and $41m respectively in cash. Not a postal order, IOU or in equivalent-vaue baseball trading cards, but in ‘hard cash’. It’s a bit gangster.
“Our vision is to help designers create more ideas, more communication, and more innovation; and joining 3D Systems enables to us deliver on that promise even faster,” whispered a nervous Z Corporation CEO John Kawola, wondering where to store $137m in cash until the banks open again tomorrow.
“We intend to make multi-color 3D printing accessible to far more designers, provide a more complete customer experience, rapidly advance new applications, and build the foundation for a new generation of Z Corporation innovations.”
“This decisive step will unleash the growth and value creation potential that this opportunity presents to our expanding base of customers, employees and shareholders,” commented Abe Reichental, president and CEO of 3D Systems.
“This is a strategic fit for both businesses that will expand our capabilities in product development, channel coverage, manufacturing and marketing. We share Z Corporation’s commitment to its customers and partners, and look forward to building the 3D content-to-print platform of the future.”
