EPlus3D

Michelin & Fives Team to Enter 3D Metal Printing Space in a Big Way Via Joint Venture

Formnext Germany

Share this Article

m1Over that past year or two we have seen a handful of large companies decide to enter the 3D printing/additive manufacturing space in one way or another. Typically these companies have already dabbled in the space, whether from a product or services perspective, and were publicly recognized as a possible contender by the competition within the space. This week, however, a new joint venture partnership has been announced to manufacture metal 3D printers, and one of the companies involved, Michelin (yep, the tire company), isn’t necessarily one you’d expect to have such ambitions.

The Clermont-Ferrand-based company, which got its start way back in 1889 and is one of the top three tire manufacturers on the planet, has announced this new joint venture agreement with industrial engineering group Fives, which has been in business themselves for over two centuries.

The new company that will spawn from the JV will be called Fives Michelin Additive Solutions, and both Fives and Michelin will be equal 50% partners in the venture. The two m3companies hope that the new venture will play an integral part in the rapidly expanding metal 3D printing space, which may not be too difficult to accomplish considering that the new company will be funded with approximately $28 million over the next three years.

The new company, which will be located near Michelin’s headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, France, will concentrate on manufacturing and marketing industrial machines on a global scale, and while the exact technology used within these new metal printers has not yet been revealed, they intend to cater to a variety of industries. The automobile industry may be key for the company as Michelin has already been developing an expertise in the additive manufacturing space over the last several years when it comes to developing tires with exceptional performance and unique geometries for both cars and trucks.

m2

Fives, on the other hand, will bring a long history of expertise within the industrial equipment space, as well as a long list of clients, some which they have been working with for multiple decades. Their experience when it comes to automation, industrial process control, and mechanical engineering should go a long way in solidifying this new joint venture.

A total of thirty employees from both Fives and Michelin will be assigned to the new company, while addition expertise will be brought in from outside the companies to complement them.

It will be interesting to see what eventually comes from this partnership as we stay tuned for further details on timing, possible technologies involved, and possible additional partnerships. Let us know your thoughts on this new partnership in the Fives Michelin Additive Solutions forum thread on 3DPB.com.

 

Share this Article


Recent News

3D Printing News Briefs, September 23, 2023: Research Awards, Dental Veneers, Gaming, & More

Norwegian Oil Leader 3D Prints Critical Subsea Part



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

Shell Certifies 3D Printed Valve from Bonney Forge

The international classification society DNV has issued CE certification to Shell and US-based manufacturer of fittings and valves, Bonney Forge, for a 3D printed gate valve. Shell and Bonney Forge...

Australia’s 3D Printing Market is Starting to Hit its Stride

Three announcements that have become typical for Australia’s small but increasingly significant 3D printing market all happened within a few days of each other. First, Titomic, a manufacturer of cold...

3D Printing News Briefs, August 26, 2023: Materials, Electroplating, Consumer Goods, & More

It’s all materials, all the time in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, starting with AddUp adding an aluminum alloy by Constellium to its materials portfolio. igus introduced an online service...

Lockheed Orders Titanium Plate from 3D Printing Materials Company IperionX

IperionX, a Charlotte, NC-based metals supplier specializing in titanium powders for additive manufacturing (AM), announced that the company has received an order for titanium plate components from defense giant Lockheed...