Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, March 16, 2021 – Wohlers Associates, Inc. announced today the publication of Wohlers Report 2021. This marks the 26th year of publishing the undisputed, industry-leading annual report on additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing.
The study provides trends, perspectives, and forecasts as a tool for decision making, education, and knowledge acceleration. The report gives readers new to AM a comprehensive understanding of the technology and industry. Veterans of the technology benefit from up-to-date information on growth, recent trends, and important developments worldwide.
The 375-page report discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the AM industry. Even with the pandemic, Wohlers Associates found industry expansion of 7.5% to nearly $12.8 billion in 2020. Growth was down considerably, compared to average growth of 27.4% over the previous 10 years.
Most established manufacturers of AM systems saw a decline in equipment sales, but many less-established companies grew in 2020. An increase in business by AM service providers supported industrywide growth. The following chart shows 7.1% growth from independent service providers worldwide, resulting in nearly $5.3 billion of revenue from this group.
Among the new and expanded features in Wohlers Report 2021:
3D printing of food, medicine, and electronics
Pricing of metals and polymers and the hidden costs of AM
Methods of AM part inspection
Pandemic’s impact on the AM industry
Compilation of expert reports from 34 countries
Tables of AM systems, software tools, service providers, and third-party materials
The report includes commentary on 74 early-stage investments and 35 acquisitions and public offerings. AM startups and established companies have received substantial funding in the recent past. One example is Desktop Metal, which received $575 million as part of a merger with a special acquisitions company. After going public in December 2020, Desktop Metal’s market capitalization exceeded $7.5 billion in February 2021.
Wohlers Report 2021 was created with the support of 124 service providers, 113 manufacturers of AM machines, and 24 producers of third-party materials. Eighty-eight co-authors and contributors from 34 countries provided expert views and perspectives. This valuable input, coupled with the experience and data from Wohlers Associates, resulted in the most detailed and comprehensive body of work on AM available.
Wohlers Report 2021 includes 54 charts and graphs, 104 tables, and 397 images and illustrations. It also includes 80 pages of supplemental online content available exclusively to the buyers of the report. More information on the new report is available here.
About Wohlers Associates, Inc.
The independent consulting firm offers an unparalleled window into AM and 3D printing. The company of 34 years provides technical, market, and strategic advice on the new developments and trends in rapid product development and AM. Wohlers Associates has provided consulting assistance to more than 275 organizations in 27 countries. Separately, the company has advised 180+ investors.
Source: Wohlers Associates, Inc.
