Fcubic, based in Gothenburg, Sweden, consists mainly of a number of patents and will be rebranded as Digital Metal®, a new business area of Höganäs . The acquisition is expected to close at the beginning of November.
“In line with Höganäs' vision, Digital Metal will further grow the market for metal powders as it can become a critical component and system manufacturing technology,” said Alrik Danielson, CEO of Höganäs. “It will add tremendous value to customers demanding minimal development time and mass customization. With this deal, Höganäs acquires the best available technology within the field.”
According to Höganäs, additive manufacturing offers improved detail resolution, precision and tolerance control, as well as surface quality. Höganäs will use its know-how within powder metallurgy to expand the use of additive manufacturing for components production. A large number of complex components – weighing up to 1kg – within fields such as industrial, dental, medical, and aerospace applications can be converted to metal powder. Another business area is design and jewellery, customized for individual consumers.
“With this acquisition, Höganäs takes the first step into shaping the future market for additive manufacturing,” the company said in a press release. “The market potential is currently estimated at US$1 billion, mainly within the fields of consumer design, medical, dental, aerospace and industrial. However, this industry is still at a very early stage in its life cycle, consequently making it difficult to quantify the true potential."
