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After a period of enormous growth leading up to 2013, 3D printing stocks began a dramatic decline. Stocks continue to fall, causing investors to worry that 3D printing was merely a passing fad. However, Time reports that the technology itself has the potential to transform manufacturing. What remains a question is whether smaller companies can …
After a period of enormous growth leading up to 2013, 3D printing stocks began a dramatic decline. Stocks continue to fall, causing investors to worry that 3D printing was merely a passing fad. However, Time reports that the technology itself has the potential to transform manufacturing. What remains a question is whether smaller companies can preserve in this difficult market, or whether 3D printing start-ups will be engulfed by larger companies like Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ).
According to the article:
Instead, as is often the case with emerging technologies, the passage into a mainstream market is proving to be a slow and rocky one. Stratasys, for example, bought Makerbot in 2013 to get a foothold in the consumer end of the 3D printing market but consumers have been slow to buy in. Makerbot’s revenue fell 18% last quarter.
The bigger threat for 3D printing companies is that bigger, deeper-pocketed rivals like HP are making a belated but major push into the market, which may be giving customers pause. “Corporate buying managers are delaying purchases while they anticipate HP’s multi-jet fusion product in 2016,” Dougherty & Co. analyst Andrea James wroterecently.