XJet Sells Metal 3D Printer to Mold Maker, Deepens Partnership with Youngstown Business Incubator

Back in 2017, XJet, the Israel-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of metal and ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) systems, sold its first machine in the North American market, a Carmel 1400C (ceramic printer) purchased by a startup accelerator and strategic partner of America Makes, Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI). Nearly a decade later, XJet has leveraged that deal into the sale of another machine, a Carmel 1400M (metal printer).

Moreover, XJet has established a formal strategic partnership with YBI and Humtown Products, a manufacturer of sand and core molds based in Columbiana, Ohio, in the Youngstown area. The Carmel 1400M that XJet sold to YBI will be housed at Humtown, which is also a partner of America Makes.

Humtown leverages sand 3D printing extensively in its workflow, suggesting the company is likely familiar with XJet’s ceramic system, given the overlap between sand and ceramic 3D printing. In addition to easing the adoption process for XJet’s proprietary NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) technology, the trilateral relationship between XJet, YBI, and Humtown will also serve to open up Humtown’s AM production capacity to customers looking for more flexible access to XJet’s technology.

In a press release about XJet’s sale of a Carmel 1400M to YBI, and the establishment of a strategic partnership between XJet, YBI, and Humtown, the CEO of XJet, Guy Zimmerman, said, “This expanded collaboration with YBI validates the exceptional value our AM technology delivers and reflects strong market confidence in our North American growth potential. With YBI’s market leadership and expertise in application support, we have the perfect partner to join us as we expand in the North American market.”

The CEO of YBI, Barb Ewing, said, “After seeing the value and impact of XJet’s ceramic AM system, we’re excited to add the metal solution to our offering. Thanks to its immensely valuable properties, metal only grows in popularity as a production material and is becoming increasingly important for many of our clients. XJet’s unmatched quality and resolution will enable us to deliver superior manufacturing services.”

This deal marks a major milestone for XJet, and someday the company may look back on the Carmel 1400C it sold to YBI back in 2017 as the most important sale it ever made. It’s a win for both YBI and America Makes, as well, given how much attention the latter organization pays to technologies that can bolster the U.S.’s casting and forging supply chains.

Humtown is obviously the key to the deal, though: the growth potential that the partnership represents for XJet depends on the opportunities available for Humtown to expand the metal AM user base. But if those opportunities exist, an operation like Humtown — which has a lengthy track record in conventional manufacturing and has also proven itself to be an effective adopter of digital manufacturing technologies — is an ideal partner for capitalizing on this opportunity.

All in all, the deal illustrates public-private partnerships working as they should and demonstrates how crucial it is to play the long game in the manufacturing sector. If, over the next few months, we start to see the sort of rise in domestic demand for metal 3D printed parts that one would reasonably expect to see based on the nature of the new tariff regime, this is the type of deal that could undoubtedly lead to additional sales down the line for XJet.

Images courtesy of XJet