Essentium Announces Expansion, Promotions to Handle Demand for High-Speed 3D Printing

Essentium, Inc. has announced that it is aggressively expanding with a new set of executive promotions and a doubled headcount. The startup, most notable for its fast-printing High Speed Extrusion (HSE) Platform, now employs more than 100 people.

Essentium started in 2013 as a materials research startup, and now has a supply chain that stretches across the globe. On March 23rd, it announced new roles at the company to keep up with that supply chain, including key Vice Presidential roles in Research and Development, and a Chief Officer and Vice President in charge of the global supply chain.

In its press release, Essentium specifically mentioned that the expansion would help satisfy growing demand for their Essentium HSE platform across North America, Western Europe, and Asia. Launched in 2018, the HSE has earned a reputation for both speed and strength. The firm’s 180S model prints parts 5-15x faster than a standard FFF printer, due to its linear motor system and quick-heating nozzle. Its FlashFuse™ welding tech makes printed prototypes far stronger across the z-axis, solving for the common z-direction strength problem. 

Essentium’s High Speed Extrusion printer, developed in 2018, is responsible for driving the company’s expansion (Image via Essentium)

All of these strengths have been very enticing to large customers: Essentium has been receiving serious investment since 2019 because of the HSE’s promise. And last year, the company was awarded a four-year contract by the U.S. Air Force to drive 3D print solutions for tooling and repair. The contract will be completed with their HSE platform, as it has the strength to make airworthy parts and the speed to make them quickly.

“Developing safety-critical airplane parts is closer than ever before due to cutting edge technology like Essentium’s additive manufacturing solution,” said Nathan Parker, Deputy Program Executive Officer for the U.S. Air Force’s Rapid Sustainment Office. “Essentium demonstrated it has the expertise and capabilities to create parts with consistent replication using the Essentium HSE 3D Printing Platform.”

Now, it seems Essentium is expanding to live up to that promise, and to bulk up their global supply chain to deliver it to more customers.

“Essentium will continue to scale to meet the demands to accelerate an open additive ecosystem through product readiness, innovation, and customer success,” said Blake Teipel, CEO of Essentium. “Growing appetite and adoption across multiple sectors are proof that industrial-scale AM is ready for prime time. We are confident in furthering our vision to reshape the world of manufacturing into a leaner, more agile future enabled by AM.”