With 45% Revenue Growth & a New 3D Printer, BigRep Returns to Private Ownership

BigRep GmbH has been on a bit of a roller coaster recently, but with this latest news, I’m hoping that means the ride has stopped. Reporting approximately 45% revenue growth in the past year, the industrial large-format FFF 3D printing company is officially returning to private ownership two years after going public.

In late 2023, BigRep signed a deal with blank check company SMG Technology Acceleration SE to become publicly traded on the German exchange. The SPAC deal culminated in 2024 with an official listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker B1GR. At the time, then-CEO Dr. Sven Thate said that the company saw “great growth and synergy opportunities by expanding inorganically” in this buy-and-build strategy.

The company did make some positive moves, but also reported annual losses. After attempting a reorganization last year, BigRep’s management and supervisory boards decided to sell and delist BigRep this summer, and liquidate its holding company. The decision followed significant financial difficulties. BigRep’s operating subsidiary was sold to existing investors for €1.05 million, with the transaction also involving a shareholder loan of roughly €7.6 million. Now, it’s returning to private ownership.

“Our initial public offering two years ago was based on the expectation of rapid market acceleration in additive manufacturing, an assumption that proved more optimistic than the market ultimately allowed. Returning to private ownership allows us to refocus our resources on product development and growth,” explained BigRep CEO Thomas Janics-Jakomini.

BigRep has a new ownership structure after shareholders approved “a corresponding simplification,” according to a press release. Major established investors Koehler Invest GmbH, DeKrassny GmbH, and Hage Holding GmbH are now majority owners of BigRep. These are family-owned companies that have long supported BigRep, and that support hasn’t waned. With this change, the company will now refocus its sights on long-term growth and product development.

Janics-Jakomini has been CEO for nearly two years and, in that time, has worked hard to grow BigRep’s product portfolio and technology initiatives. In the past few months, the company has announced strategic technology partnerships with two AM companies. The first was with Massive Dimension, a Vermont-based manufacturer of pellet head extruders. The second was with deep-tech company Endless Industries, for continuous fiber reinforcement.

At this year’s RAPID+TCT, BigRep also launched the ONE.5X, which is a much more automated version of the ONE.5 and can process more materials than its predecessor. The massive ONE.5X is also a great complement to some of the company’s other industrial systems, like the VIIO 250 with high automation and continuous printing capability, and the high-performance IPSO 105 and ALTRA 280 for critical sectors like defense and automotive.

Speaking of new printers, BigRep is now introducing the ALTRA 670, with dual DSX extruders that reach temperatures up to 450°C for processing demanding engineering polymers, like high-grade polycarbonate. Building on the ALTRA 280 platform, the new ALTRA 670 also features an industrial control system, servo motors, and ball screw drive, but has a larger 1200 × 700 × 800 mm build volume.

The new ALTRA 670 is meant for applications that require reliable production and large-format parts in technical polymers. This includes functional prototypes for product development, durable tooling for manufacturing, and aerospace-grade parts. The print bed and build chamber both reach 140°C, which, paired with the high-temperature dual extruders, makes for strong layer bonding and dimensional accuracy. An automatic Relay Mode enables continuous printing by switching to a second extruder when the filament runs out, and there’s also a fully automated quick start.

First-series units of the BigRep ALTRA 670 are already in production, and orders are now open. The first customer deliveries are expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

Another change that Janics-Jakomini spearheaded was a strategic realignment, with the company’s operational processes undergoing a restructuring. As part of this, BigRep says all its printers are manufactured at the company’s facility in Austria, which enables more production and delivery flexibility, as well as full control over the supply chain. BigRep wants to make sure its products, software, and service offerings are secure for its customers, which is why it only uses control systems manufactured in the West. The company also says it complies with the cybersecurity standards of the EU’s new Machinery Directive.

Alongside its restructuring, BigRep is working to grow its global presence. It’s welcomed some new resellers in the last several months, including 3DXTECH in the U.S., Alfex CNC in Australia, and Phillips Corporation in Malaysia. Additionally, BigRep is using “targeted measures” to strengthen its offices in the U.S. and Singapore.

As previously mentioned, the realignment has resulted in 45% revenue growth for BigRep. Its IPO was short-lived, but I’m hopeful that the company isn’t too worse for wear as it goes back to private life.