2023-12-05 17:35:36
Oerlikon will concentrate AM production at its facility in Huntersville, USA. The main reasons for this are that the US AM market is currently the fastest growing and that the unfavorable conditions in the German AM market are holding back the Swiss company’s growth opportunities.
The current activities in both Barleben (D) and Shanghai are scheduled to be relocated in 2024.
Supplying European customers from the US
It has been clear for some time that the US is currently investing heavily in additive manufacturing. The US government’s programs to recover production and invest in new production technology are shaping developments in the AM industry. In response to current developments, Oerlikon has now decided to transfer the 3D printing service activities in Europe to the US. The Swiss have a strong production branch in Europe following the takeover of Citim, a German AM company, a few years ago. In 2016, Oerlikon acquired Citim. Oerlikon announced at the time that it wanted to become an independent service provider for 3D printed metal parts.
Closer to growing semiconductor industry
The group still wants to take that position, but it will serve international customers from Hunstville in North Carolina. In addition to the fact that most AM activities take place in North America, Oerlikon emphatically emphasizes in a press release the unfavorable developments for the AM market currently in Germany. This limits the company’s growth opportunities with AM. By moving its activities to the US, Oerlikon wants to be closer to growth sectors such as the semiconductor industry. The company can then better benefit from the more favorable conditions in the US and the greater market acceptance for breakthrough technologies.
R&D location remains in Germany
However, the R&D site in Garching, just outside Munich, will remain standing. Work is underway here on the development of new metal powders for AM processes. Oerlikon is one of the pioneers in Garching regarding the new AM cluster that the Technical University of Munich has set up and in which several parties are participating. In addition to the development of new powders, Oerlikon also develops coating techniques and digitalization solutions here.
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