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US-based industrial technology investor Anzu Partners’ affiliate has received court approval to acquire ExOne GmbH in Germany and ExOne KK in Japan.
The ruling was issued without objection and is not expected to face any appeals. For customers, suppliers, and employees, this means daily operations are expected to continue without interruption. The approval coincides with a similar ruling for the affiliate’s acquisition of EnvisionTEC GmbH, another subsidiary of Desktop Metal.
All three companies had been operating under Desktop Metal, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. With the court approvals now in place, ownership of these businesses is transferring to Anzu as part of the bankruptcy process.
Anzu has confirmed that its priority is “to ensure stability, honor existing commitments.” Thus, at ExOne, Eric Bader will remain as managing director in Germany, while Ken Yokoyama will continue to lead the Japanese arm.
Adding to that, EnvisionTEC customers and distributors have been given the same assurances, with existing service agreements and points of contact left unchanged. Orders for products, spare parts, and consumables will continue through the usual channels, with ExOne support available at [email protected] and EnvisionTEC at [email protected].
“Since 1995, ExOne has been on a mission to deliver powerful industrial 3D printing solutions for castings and beyond – solutions that enable innovations,” said Eric Bader, ExOne GmbH’s Managing Director. “Our industrial binder jet sand 3D printers are the world’s most trusted systems that drive customer loyalty worldwide. We are excited to continue building on that foundation and driving the future of digital casting.”
Desktop Metal sells assets after bankruptcy
The transfer of ExOne and EnvisionTEC comes in the wider context of the Massachusetts-based company’s bankruptcy filing. On July 29, Desktop Metal filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas.
Its independent Board of Directors (BoD) said the decision was necessary to safeguard the business while it works to sell remaining assets. As part of this process, Desktop Metal agreed to sell ExOne GmbH, ExOne KK, EnvisionTEC, and Italian hydraulics manufacturer AIDRO to an affiliate of Anzu Partners.
The bankruptcy followed Nano Dimension’s $179.3 million acquisition of Desktop Metal earlier this year. At the time of the deal, Nano disclosed that Desktop Metal was already reviewing strategic options in response to liabilities and liquidity pressures. That review ended with the bankruptcy decision, which is now being managed by legal counsel Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP, financial advisor FTI Consulting, and investment banker Piper Sandler & Co.
Desktop Metal has said it will communicate directly with employees, customers, vendors, and partners regarding next steps in the process. Commenting on the company’s position, Nano Dimension CEO Ofir Baharav stated, “We are safeguarding our financial strength and preserving our position as the best capitalized company in our ecosystem. This is what enables the Company to pursue strategic opportunities from a position of maximum strength, and that is exactly what the Company’s shareholders should expect from us.”
With the court’s approval secured, Anzu Partners has taken ownership of ExOne and EnvisionTEC, keeping leadership and customer relationships in place to ensure stability as their former parent undergoes bankruptcy.
Consolidation efforts across AM sector
Away from Anzu, acquisition news was also announced by investment firm Quantum who recently acquired all assets of 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D, less than three months after the company entered voluntary bankruptcy. The deal has secured BCN3D’s headquarters, its new European production facility, and its line of industrial FFF printers, including the Omega I60 IDEX and Epsilon Series.
All employees will be retained, with operations continuing under a leaner structure. Despite years of losses and stagnant revenues, Quantum plans to build on BCN3D’s infrastructure and technology to strengthen its role in the light industrial market.
US chip design software provider Synopsys concluded its acquisition of Ansys, bringing together its expertise in semiconductor design and IP with Ansys’ well-established simulation and analysis tools. Announced last year, the deal is intended to speed up the development of AI-driven systems and support complex designs such as multi-die packaging and automotive virtualization.
Ansys’ former CEO Ajei Gopal and board member Ravi Vijayaraghavan have joined the Synopsys board, as the combined company prepares to roll out its first integrated solutions in 2026. Synopsys expects the merger to deliver stronger margins, higher cash flow, and faster deleveraging, while Ansys stock has been delisted from NASDAQ.
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Featured image shows ExOne’s Metal 3D Printing Adoption Centre in Germany. Photo via ExOne.
