Maker of CREATOR Metal 3D Printer to Be Bought by Lumentum for $5.7B

IMTS

Share this Article

There have been several important acquisitions in the 3D printing industry, including that of EnvisionTEC by Desktop Metal, Origin by Stratasys, and 3D Hubs by Proto Labs, leading us to speculate on some more to come. Now, It has been confirmed that Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE), a manufacturer of optical components and subsystems, has entered into an agreement to purchase photonics maker Coherent, Inc. (NASDAQ: COHR), which manufactures the well-received CREATOR 3D printer. The cash-and-stock deal is valued at $5.7 billion and sent Lumentum’s stock up roughly $2/share on Monday, January 25.

Coherent stock had already been trading at a high value since January 19, when the deal was first announced. Stockholder rights law firm Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., as well as WeissLaw LLP, are investigating the merger for what they believe may have been an “unfair process and ultimately agreed to an inadequate merger agreement.”

Coherent joined the 3D printing industry in 2018, when it acquired German company OR Laser. Two years prior, OR Laser had released a comparatively inexpensive, yet rapid powder bed fusion metal 3D printer, the CREATOR. This was followed by a hybrid version that could perform milling every five to 10 layers.

The Coherent Creator. Image courtesy of Coherent.

The system was very well received for its low price and the ability to 3D print 30 percent more quickly than comparable machines. However, Coherent no longer has a page for the machine and its YouTube channel has been nearly scrubbed of its Creator content, indicating definite changes in its additive manufacturing plans. It also appointed a new CEO, former McKinsey & Co. senior adviser and Diebold Nixdorf AG chief Andreas Mattes, in April 2020. Perhaps, as its merger with Lumentum approached, the businesses decided to ditch 3D printing in favor of a pure focus on lasers and other optics.

An older version of the OR Laser twitter account was active up until September 2020, so perhaps all is not lost. Maybe we’re in store for a revamping of its additive division with more printers or a simple rebranding of its existing machines. We’ve reached out to the company for comment.

Share this Article


Recent News

Liquid Metal 3D Printing Sector Emerges with Fluent Metal’s $5.5M Investment

3DPOD Episode 191: Amy Alexander, 3D Printing at the Mayo Clinic



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

3DPOD Episode 190: Generative Design for 3D Printing with Novineer CEO Ali Tamijani

Ali Tamijani, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, has an extensive background in composites, tool pathing, and the development of functional 3D printed parts,...

Featured

3DPOD Episode 189: AMUG President Shannon VanDeren

Shannon VanDeren is a consultant in the 3D printing industry, focusing on implementation and integration for her company, Layered Manufacturing and Consulting. For nearly ten years, she has been involved...

3DPOD Episode 188: Clare Difazio of E3D – Growing the Industry, and Growing With the Industry

Clare DiFazio’s journey into the 3D printing industry was serendipitous, yet her involvement at critical moments has significantly influenced the sector. Her position as Head of Marketing & Product Strategy...

Featured

Printing Money Episode 15: 3D Printing Markets & Deals, with AM Research and AMPOWER

Printing Money returns with Episode 15! This month, NewCap Partners‘ Danny Piper is joined by Scott Dunham, Executive Vice President of Research at Additive Manufacturing (AM) Research, and Matthias Schmidt-Lehr,...