We asked 13 movers, shakers and thinkers from different industry sectors what they reckon the big trends, developments and challenges will be in their sector in the coming year. This is what they had to say:
Dr Phil Reeves – Managing Director of Econolyst
I think 2013 is going to be the year of tears and tiaras. I think the tears will come from a few blooded noses and hurt prides.
I don’t think all the plethora of small consumer 3D print machine makers will be sustainable but I do think that some of the new start-ups in this space, who are well invested and even better connected, could cause some real upset. I expect we will see some interesting turf wars at the low-end in 2013.
I think the tiaras will quite rightly be worn and paraded by the likes of Morris Tech (following GE’s acquisition of Morris), MCor (following the Mcor Staples announcement) and of course the Objet Stratasys merger.
But I also think we are in for a rough ride in the popular press where the tiaras are going to get knocked off.
The sentiment towards 3D printing in the popular media is turning decidedly colder, from 3D printed weapons to patent disputes. Let’s not forget a good train wreck sells a lot more papers (or clicks) than the birth of yet another baby.
