As 3D printing hype was boosting industry stocks to obscene levels last year, among those cited as potentially worthy investments by analysts was German rapid prototyping company Alphaform AG. In fact, it is one of only a handful of 3D printing stocks that one can invest in. Unfortunately, it seems as though the post-hype bubble market has had a negative effect on the Germany firm as Alphaform has begun bankruptcy proceedings on the grounds of impending insolvency.
Alphaform was established in 1996 near Munich, where the company performs rapid prototyping and 3D printing services, including series production. In addition to providing stereolithography, selective laser sintering, and PolyJet, the company also employs vacuum casting, injection molding, laminating, and post-processing of manufactured parts. As with most service bureaus, the Alphaform caters to the auto, mechanical, energy, aerospace, tool making, and medical industries. The company even launched its Artshapes platform, dedicated to printing artwork.
And, while all of this business will continue as normal, according to recent court filings, the court has appointed an administrator to oversee the restructuring of the firm. Chairman of the Board at Alphaform, Dr. Hanns-Dieter Aberle, said of the events, “Alphaform has stood for high-quality and punctual manufacturing for years now. The current situation will not change this in any way whatsoever. Our customers can continue to rely on us as they have always done.”
Naturally, the news has sent the companies stock, which previously traded at values of less than $5 a share, down dramatically to around $0.50 at the time of this writing. With subsidiaries in Germany, Finland, Sweden and the UK, and earning record revenues of €29 million last year, it’s difficult to understand why Alphaform has filed for bankruptcy, but I’ve emailed them to ask for a comment and, hopefully, more details will emerge.
