MakerBot and Ultimaker have announced plans to combine forces in an effort to “accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing.” The new company will be focused on professional level desktop 3D printers, software and materials.
No name has been announced for the new combo, though some
Twitter users are hoping for Ultimakerbot.
The joint company will be
fueled with an investment of $62.4 million to develop new hardware, materials and software. NPM Capital, which backs Ultimaker, will invest $15.4 million and own 54.4% of the combined company. MakerBot’s backer Stratasys will provide the rest of the cash yet only own 45.6% of the enterprise.
The
press release hints the new company is aimed primarily at industrial level 3D printing, despite each company’s huge influence over individual makers and 3D printer enthusiasts.
MakerBot is well known for its MakerBot Replicator, a CoreXY machine widely used in educational settings. For many people, their first experience with a 3D printer was a classroom MakerBot.
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