In 2015, the 3D Printing Association (3DPA) relocated its office from London to The Hague with the view of creating an independent professional B2B platform for the additive manufacturing industries in Europe. In view of the rapidly changing landscape of businesses, institutions and platforms aiming to develop additive manufacturing, 3DPA has decided to close down its operation as of 1 February 2019. 3DPA is pleased that CECIMO, the European Association of the Machine Tool Industries and related Manufacturing Technologies, has successfully established a leading role in advocating the interests of the additive manufacturing industry in Europe.
Managing director Jules Lejeune of 3DPA, who acquired the start-up platform in 2015 from its founder Ian Ferguson, recalls that 3DPA was founded at the time that 3D printing technology was in transition from being an ‘infant’, emerging young technology driven by creative, entrepreneurial start-ups, to becoming a more industrial, business model driven by investments from large multinational corporations. “3DPA’s goal, derived from an online survey and a business summit at the beginning of 2015, was to provide an independent B2B platform for standardisation, education and industry advocacy. Although there are still important steps to be taken to reaching full maturity, meanwhile the landscape has become less fragmented and volatile, and additive manufacturing has been embraced as strategic pillar by well-established umbrella organisations in sectors like manufacturing, automotive, aerospace and medical appliances.”
“CECIMO for example, is the long standing European Association of the Machine Tool Industries and related Manufacturing Technologies. It represents some 350 leading AM companies that play a significant role in a wide variety of critical sections of the AM value chain – from the supply of all different types of raw materials for additive manufacturing and the development of software, to machine manufacturing and post-processing. In recent years, it has successfully claimed a leading role in bringing relevant topics to the regulatory agenda in Brussels.”
In view of these developments, 3DPA has decided to permanently terminate its operations.
