Arkema has announced the acquisition of a 10% stake in French additive manufacturing service provider ERPRO 3D Factory (E3DF).
It follows the acquisition of Colorado Photopolymer Solutions to expand its Sartomer 3D printing offering in December.
Founded in 2017, ERPRO 3D Factory is one of 6 entities within the ERPRO Group and specialises in large-series additive manufacturing. Since its creation in 2017, the company has produced more than 19 million parts, most of which are said to have been made with 100% bio-based Polyamide 11 powder.
Arkema has been working with ERPRO 3D Factory since 2018, developing projects across the cosmetics, medical, automotive and eyewear sectors. Through these endeavours, Arkema’s bio-based, recyclable specialty polyamides and its N3xtDimension advanced liquid UV-curable resins have been deployed. The materials specialists have now looked to step up the develop of such applications of its high-performance polymers, as well as gain new expertise, by investing in E3DF.
By acquiring a 10% stake in E3DF, Arkema will not only reinforce the existing partnership, but also become a member of the company’s strategic committee. The companies believes that by combining their expertise in materials and large-series additive manufacturing, they will be able to accelerate the development of high-value added 3D printing applications.
Arkema has also said the transaction aligns with its strategy to develop its Specialty Materials in applications that address ‘major sustainable development challenges.’ In recent years, Arkema has been working towards becoming a ‘pure player in specialty materials’ by 2024, structuring the group into the Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials and Coating Solutions segments. These segments – considered by Arkema to be ‘complementary, resilient and highly innovative – account for 82% of the company’s sales, which is said to have amounted to around €8 billion in 2020.
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