Citim logo
Global technology group, Oerlikon have today announced the acquisition of German company, citim GmbH.
citim, a leading player in additive manufacturing design and production of metal components, expands Oerlikon’s AM technology and service portfolio. The acquisition of citim will help Oerlikon establish 3D printing capabilities in Europe and in the USA.
After acquiring citim, Oerlikon now aims to become a leading company in surface solutions and advanced materials. The Swiss company’s knowledge and experience in the engineering of industrial components, materials, and closely related technologies, such as thermal spray and thin-film coating, make it well positioned to play a role in the industrialisation of additive manufacturing. Oerlikon believe citim will add strong expertise in AM-related production services and will allow them to provide additive manufacturing components independently.
“The competencies and team from citim will serve to consolidate our position in the additive manufacturing business, marking the acquisition as an important move for us to drive the industrialisation of additive manufacturing and to become an independent service provider for the production of additively manufactured components,” said Oerlikon CEO Dr Roland Fischer. “We will continue to make targeted investments in the additive manufacturing market to solidify our value proposition.”
Citim GmbH
citim 3D-printed metal part
An additively manufactured metal component produced by citim GmbH
The core expertise of citim mainly lies in metal additive manufacturing for small-series production and functional prototypes. Operating production sites in Europe and the USA, citim currently contribute to high-tech industries like aviation, automotive and energy.
Oerlikon offers a leading portfolio of advanced metal-based materials and processing technologies applied across a wide range of industrial areas. Its resources portfolio of metal powders also encompasses materials for fully qualified for additive manufacturing. Along with citim’s experience in the field, Oerlikon’s R&D skills in the design and engineering of industrial components, powder materials, surface technologies for post-production processing and in-house services for component production, it will now be able to offer an integrated end-to-end service concept for AM.
Founded in 1996 as a spin-off of Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, citim first focused on prototype tooling. Since, the company has continuously expanded its portfolio of technologies. In 2004, citim introduced its laser sintering technology, and in 2009, laser melting was launched onto the market. Now, with 16 modern machines operating in two different sites in Germany and the US, citim is a leading supplier for additively manufactured metal parts.
