Additive Industries Picks Oerlikon Exec as New CEO

Eindhoven-headquartered Additive Industries, which manufactures large, industrial 3D printing systems that are capable of producing high-quality metal parts with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology, has some exciting news to share in regards to its leadership team. Almost one year ago, the company’s CEO and co-founder, Daan Kersten, stepped down from Additive Industries as the firm received a $14 million investment, and now his replacement has been announced. Ian C. Howe, the current Head of Business Line at Oerlikon Surface Solutions AG, will serve as the company’s new CEO, and experienced senior financial manager Carlien Siebelt, who worked in several leadership positions at Energyst CAT Rental Power, such as CFO and Group Controller, will be the new CFO.

Both Howe and Siebelt are bringing plenty of experience to the table in their respective new roles, and will help Additive Industries speed up its growth by continuing the company’s industrialization of metal 3D printing for series production in the automotive, energy, aerospace, oil and gas, and high-tech equipment market sectors.

“We are proud to welcome Carlien and Ian in the Additive Industries team. During a period of leadership change last year, I felt privileged to be part of the team again, albeit for only a short period. I’m glad we took the time to search extensively to find the right additional leaders for the future of Additive Industries,” said Co-Founder and current CEO of Additive Industries Jonas Wintermans, who temporarily took the reins when Kersten left last year. “Ian’s and Carlien’s extensive experience in various aspects of our business makes them perfectly suited to support our growth ambitions, together with our CTO Mark Vaes who has been with the company from the start. Looking ahead, 2021 will be another turning point for our company in accelerating our growth trajectory, whilst continuing the development of future solutions and continuing to work on expanding our existing products for our valued customers. As shareholders, we will stay closely connected to assure the long term success of Additive Industries.”

Howe has more than 25 years worth of experience in leading and providing business growth in the fast-moving technology business space. At his various management positions serving the automotive, aerospace, energy, high-tech, and general industrial verticals while working at Oerlikon, Höganäs AB of Sweden, and GKN Group UK, he worked to create and carry out important growth strategies meant to help with market and customer needs. Howe has a master’s degree in Engineering (Materials) and an MBA in Finance, Strategy and Marketing, both from The Open University, and is well-versed in building and leading teams on their way towards a common business goal.

Ian C. Howe

“The metal additive manufacturing industry is a billion-dollar market, projected to grow in excess of 25 percent CAGR. This market is driven by OEM´s within key market verticals, including aerospace, energy, oil & gas, high-tech and automotive. These parties are adopting these new technologies due to a wealth of benefits that include weight saving, unique design features and lower part costs. Additionally, additive manufacturing supports currents trends such as Industry 4.0 and Digitalization,” Howe said. “Additive Industries is at the forefront of this innovation with best-in-class productivity levels achieved in printing metals. I’m excited to join the talented and passionate team at Additive Industries and look forward to contributing to its success.”

Siebelt, a registered accountant (CPA) with a master’s degree from Nyenrode Business University, has roughly 20 years of experience in the finance industry, and is a highly experienced senior financial manager. She spent 13 years working in audit and assurance with large, international trading and production company clients at various Big Four audit firms, and also spent seven years as a manager at a multinational’s finance department.

Carlien Siebelt

“I’m very excited to join the ambitious and talented team at Additive Industries that is backed by a long-term commitment from its main investor Highlands Beheer, who up to now have invested and committed a total of 55 million dollars in the company,” Siebelt stated. “This underlines the strong commitment to make Additive Industries a success.”

Additive Industries, which recently joined the “laser wars” with its new ten 1kw laser 600 x 600 X 1000 mm MetalFAB-600 3D printer, specifically targets the demanding, high-end industrial markets, and is a major player in the large-format metal AM game. So experienced management leaders, like Howe and Siebelt, will definitely help the company stay on track.

(Source/Images: Additive Industries)