As the demand for personalisation continues to be unleashed, 3D printing's targeting of customised needs has led to significant changes in the international market landscape. Market intelligence firm CONTEXT recently released a new report around the 3D printing industry, highlighting a shift in regional patterns of global sales of industrial-grade 3D printers in the second quarter of 2023, and focusing on recent changes in the European, American and Chinese markets:
In Europe and the US, the main story is that a merger/acquisition of a well-known brand that lasted most of the year ultimately failed to materialise, while European and US industrial suppliers have lower unit sales, but a focus on producing more expensive systems is driving revenue growth.
According to CONTEXT, Q2 2023 industrial 3D printer shipments by region, the majority of demand in China was met by domestic suppliers, while Western suppliers mainly supplied orders from the US, Europe and the rest of the world.
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Forecast of industrial unit shipments by ASTM process and material (image via CONTEXT)
The Chinese market shows that China is once again the world's largest industrial 3D printing market, with 38 per cent of industrial 3D printers sold in China in the second quarter of 2023. Sales of industrial polymer 3D printers, particularly UnionTech ’s light-curing products, grew by 66% in China. The market for Industrial Grade Metal 3D Printers continues to be dominated by the powder bed fusion process, with Western Industrial Grade Metal 3D Printer shipments declining 12% year-on-year, while shipments from Chinese suppliers grew 1%.
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Industrial metal powder bed fusion 3D printer system shipments (image via CONTEXT)
CONTEXT data shows that growth in domestic light-curing 3D printer shipments in China, primarily from Luen Thai Technology, has also impacted mid-range 3D printer shipment growth. Accelerated sales of Luen Thai's latest line of mid-priced 3D printers have contributed to the recent growth.
Overall, CONTEXT highlights mixed unit shipment results for the second quarter of 2023. Half of the top 10 revenue-leading 3D printer manufacturers costing more than $2,500 saw year-over-year shipment growth, including global industrial-grade 3D printer brands such as UnionTech and EOS.
