Chinese exports of 3D printers exploded to 3.78 million units in 2024, a surge of dozens of percent. With sales jumping tenfold during major promotions, it is just another proof, that the consumer AM market is booming.
I wrote about this a few weeks ago – in August 2025 the third era of the Additive Manufacturing market came to an end, symbolized by Desktop Metal’s declaration of bankruptcy:
And although Desktop Metal is reportedly going to be revived, this does not change the fact that nothing will ever be the same again. There will be no billion-dollar valuations, no acquisitions worth hundreds of millions for companies that weren’t even worth a tenth of that amount, no more promises of yet another industrial revolution.
No one is going to fall for it anymore. The money tap has been turned off, removed, and put away.
In that earlier article, I also mentioned the arrival of the next, fourth era, which would be characterized by the division of the AM market into two independent segments: professional/industrial and consumer:
This met with some resistance and criticism, but I expanded on this argument in another article.
And now? Well, it looks like I was right.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has announced that Chinese production and export of consumer 3D printers have exploded in volume. Devices are now classified as “new digital equipment,” which accelerates their entry into ordinary households.
According to customs data, in 2024 the number of exported 3D printers reached about 3.78 million units, with a shipment value of around 8.16 billion CNY (about 1.04 billion EUR).
These represent year-on-year increases of several dozen percent.
Moreover, in the January–August 2025 period exports maintained their momentum, with approximately 3.01 million units shipped worth about 6.49 billion CNY (around 824 million EUR), which translates into YoY growth of about +25% in volume and +16% in value.
These numbers clearly show how absorbent the mass market is — which in turn lowers prices and increases competitive pressure on “traditional” manufacturers from Europe and the U.S.
Another impulse, visible in retail sales, came from large promotional campaigns.
Data from JD.com in 2025 show that in the first hour of the “618” campaign*, 3D printer sales increased more than tenfold year-on-year, and during the entire event the 3D printing category saw a more than threefold jump in transactions.
Such spikes not only drive short-term volume but also accelerate adoption by home users, which in turn creates scale effects for low-cost producers.
* The “618” promotion is one of the largest annual online sales in China, alongside the famous Singles’ Day (11.11). Its name comes from the date June 18, which marks the anniversary of JD.com’s founding — the event’s initiator. Over time, the promotion has expanded beyond one company and has become a nationwide shopping festival involving all major e-commerce platforms.
This has not escaped the attention of the Chinese authorities. Currently, official government guidelines classify desktop 3D printers as a priority area for support under the umbrella of stimulating “digital product consumption.”
This means that equipment will qualify for state subsidies, trade-in programs, and consumer vouchers, drastically reducing the end-user price.
The policy aims to accelerate the transition of the technology from niche professional use to the mass market of everyday life, including home creativity and product personalization.
For manufacturers, this is a signal to develop an ecosystem — including platforms with models and digital content — and to build offline retail networks. Government support is also meant to attract new investors and major tech players into the sector, cementing Chinese brands’ position as global leaders in this category.
The collapse of the desktop sector in Europe
At the same time, we have been observing a systemic crisis among European companies.
Firms that for years relied on the “European quality” label and sales to education, industry, or specialist applications suddenly faced the need to cut margins, reorient their portfolios, or consolidate.
Examples of this phenomenon are stark and telling: Spanish BCN3D filed for voluntary bankruptcy in May 2025 after failed restructuring negotiations with creditors. In the following months, takeover bids for its assets appeared, and ultimately, in the second half of 2025, BCN3D’s assets were acquired by a new investor, which in effect means a “resurrection” under a different brand/ownership structure.
A much worse fate befell Polish Zortrax, which between 2014 and 2018 had been a showcase example of rapid success and export of desktop solutions. In 2024 the company entered restructuring, from which it has been unable to recover. Currently, Zortrax appears to be in an agonizing state — after the departure of long-time CEO Mariusz Babula and the relocation from a large standalone headquarters to a single modest office, it is hard to say whether and how many employees are even left. The brand is almost forgotten, and its resurrection would be nothing short of a historic miracle.
The situation of Dutch-American UltiMaker is more nuanced. The company long held the position of the European “standard” in the educational and industrial segments, but in 2024–2025 it was hit by competitive pressure from Asian manufacturers offering much better price-to-performance ratios.
To respond to shrinking market share in traditional segments, Ultimaker clearly shifted its strategy. Announcements appeared about diversifying revenue sources, including a plan to generate up to 30% of income from the defense sector and “secure/deployable” solutions.
This move points to an attempt to pivot towards higher margins and niches where security, certifications, and service support outweigh the unit price of equipment.
Nevertheless, in practice for many customers Ultimaker is no longer the obvious choice — which is naturally understood as a form of “marginalization” in the areas it once dominated.
All in all, the only desktop-grade company in Europe that is still growing is Czech Prusa Research, although the scale of growth and revenues is not nearly as high as that of leading Chinese firms.
Asian domination
The consequences of these changes are multidimensional. First, China’s export dynamics (now counted in millions of units annually) and the dominance of low-cost devices have caused an erosion of average selling prices in the consumer and prosumer segments.
Industry reports indicate that in the “entry-level” segment (devices below USD 2,500), Chinese manufacturers accounted for about 95% of shipments in Q1 2025. The result is shrinking room to maneuver for producers who are unwilling or unable to compete on both price and innovation speed.
Second, cost pressure and the rapid pace of innovation have forced a shift away from business models based on “selling a one-time, more expensive device plus premium support.”
European and American companies that once relied on selling 3D printers to industry or education now see that their customers expect lower prices, more “ready-to-use” features (AI, automation, ease of use), and integration with content ecosystems (model marketplaces).
If manufacturers cannot build their own content and service ecosystems, they lose access to growth channels.
In practice, this means that hardware success must go hand in hand with digital and service offerings, which in turn raises the capital entry barrier for players with limited resources. This transformation is neither cheap nor fast.
The third effect is consolidation and a “season of acquisitions.” In 2024–2025 we saw a wave of asset restructurings (examples include Stratasys’s acquisition of Forward AM’s assets and the attempts to acquire BCN3D’s assets), which means that stronger industrial players or sector investors can buy technology and talent at reduced prices.
For the end consumer, this may mean continued availability of parts and support, but for the market it implies faster concentration of capital and know-how in the hands of a few large players. This concentration carries the risk of reduced innovation diversity and higher entry barriers for startups.
Analyzing the numbers and trends, it is also important to note market stratification: while the consumer/entry-level and part of the prosumer segment are exploding thanks to Chinese production costs and brand agnosticism among users, the industrial and medical segments remain relatively stable and profitable for European and American suppliers — in those niches where certifications, tolerances, process control, and service relationships are required.
That is why the strategies of companies such as UltiMaker theoretically make sense: migration towards high-barrier industries allows for margins unattainable in the mass, price-driven segment.
The problem is that such migration does not guarantee preservation of brand awareness among customers, where consumer loyalty once was a key asset.
At the end-user level the narrative is simple: the availability of cheap, easy-to-use 3D printers (with auto-calibration, AI-assisted slicing, and large model communities) means that adoption is growing — both in hobbyist applications and in small repairs, prototyping, or home product personalization.
In the long term this is a positive change: a larger user base creates a market for materials, courses, design services, and new business models. For those who can adapt, it is a huge opportunity. For companies that stick with the old “sell hardware only” model, it may be the end.
#7. Slant 3D simplified online 3D product sales
Slant 3D has launched Version 2 of its Portals service for selling 3D-printed goods, just two weeks after the platform’s initial release. The update introduces features previously exclusive to its Teleport app, significantly lowering the barrier to online sales.
A key new feature allows designers to include additional components like screws or magnets with their 3D-printed products at no extra cost, enabling complete product solutions. Portals differs from traditional platforms; each product gets a unique link for sharing on social media or websites. Slant 3D handles all manufacturing and shipping, leaving sellers only with product design. Founder Gabe Bentz emphasizes the reduced setup effort, as sellers only upload a 3D file and pay fees when orders are placed.
READ MORE: www.3druck.com
#6. Olaf Diegel launched custom 3D-printed guitar shop
Professor Olaf Diegel, a global additive manufacturing authority, has launched ODD Guitars, a shop for custom 3D-printed instruments. The venture reflects his career-long advocacy for the technology’s creative potential.
The shop is allowing customers to personalize the body with intricate lattice structures and unique aesthetics only possible through 3D printing. They are fitted with top-quality off-the-shelf hardware for reliable performance. Starting as an experiment in 2011, Diegel has since produced over 116 guitars using various advanced printing technologies. For him, ODD Guitars is a living gallery showcasing the fusion of imagination and advanced manufacturing.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#5. Carbon launched FDA-cleared 3D printing resin for dentures
Carbon has introduced FP3D, the first FDA-cleared, flexible resin for 3D printing removable partial dentures. Developed with Keystone Industries, this Class II medical product uses Carbon’s proprietary dual-cure chemistry.
The material is designed for durability, high translucency, and lifelike aesthetics, offering a digital alternative to labor-intensive traditional fabrication. It meets stringent biocompatibility standards and boasts a validated three-year lifetime. FP3D is now commercially available in the United States and Canada, with European market expansion planned for 2026 following regulatory approvals.
READ MORE: www.tctmagazine.com
#4. SHINING 3D launched EinScan Medixa scanner for medical use
SHINING 3D has introduced the EinScan Medixa, an all-in-one, wireless 3D scanner designed specifically for orthotics and prosthetics (O&P). The device digitizes traditional workflows, replacing time-consuming methods like plaster casting.
The system is designed to be intuitive for clinicians, with pre-set workflows for different body parts. SHINING 3D states the EinScan Medixa can reduce case time from five hours to just one, improving efficiency and patient comfort.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#3. Formlabs claims, that Fuse Series is responsible for 55% of global SLS printer market
Formlabs has announced that its Fuse Series now represents 55% of all SLS 3D printers sold worldwide. A new monthly sales record in North America in August underscores this momentum. The series is considered highly attractive for its cost-effectiveness and is used across industries like tooling and drone technology for both prototyping and end-part production.
READ MORE: www.3druck.com
#2. Dynbdrite and Phasio have partnered to create a fully automated workflow for HP’s Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing systems
The integration connects Phasio’s configure-price-quote and shop management tools with Dyndrite’s MJF Pro platform. The solution automatically converts customer demand into validated print jobs withoutzmanual intervention, targeting increased adoption by lowering the barrier to entry. While applicable to many industries, the partnership highlights drone production as an ideal use case due to the need for rapid, secure, and continuous manufacturing. The collaboration also supports HP’s Metal Jet system, potentially expanding automation to metal part production.
READ MORE: www.3dprint.com
#1. Caracol acquired AM Division from Hans Weber
Italian company Caracol has acquired the intellectual property and robotic machine configuration assets from the additive manufacturing division of Germany’s Hans Weber Maschinenfabrik GmbH.
The deal allows Caracol to integrate Weber’s extrusion technology into its large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) portfolio, strengthening its Heron platform offerings. It also expands Caracol’s presence in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). Caracol will provide full support to existing Weber additive manufacturing customers through its global service network spanning over 55 countries. Weber will remain a key partner for future technology development.
READ MORE: www.tctmagazine.com