$10 million worth of metal 3D printing assets from Uniformity Labs, an engineering materials company, are up for sales in an online auction.
The assets being sold include ALD Vacuum Technologies’ Viga 35 Vacuum Gas Atomizer system priced at $3.5 million, SLM Solutions’ 280HL Dual 700W laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printer, an SLM 125M 3D printer, an EOS M290 LPBF system, a Desktop Metal P1 Production binder jet 3D printer, and a Desktop Metal Shop system.
Additional industrial 3D printing equipment such as mixers, vacuum dryers, Netzsch Classifiers, CNC machine shop equipment, furnaces, lab equipment, and metal 3D printing materials are also on offer.
Given the extent of these assets and the fact that the company hasn’t released any news updates since September 2023, the auction could suggest that Uniformity Labs has now ceased trading. However, this is yet to be confirmed.
3D Printing Industry has contacted Uniformity Labs for comment.
The timed online auction is being delivered by US auctioneers Tauber-Arons Inc. and Aaron Industrial Solutions. Bidding closes at 9am PST on 7 February 2024.
“We are excited to facilitate this groundbreaking auction, showcasing the latest advancements in Powdered Metals Processing and Printing Facilities,” stated Tony Arons, President of Tauber- Arons Inc. “These labs represent an unprecedented opportunity for businesses to enhance their capabilities with top-tier equipment.”
Uniformity Labs out of business?
Founded in 2014, Uniformity Labs develops feedstocks and 3D print processes that seek to deliver significant cost savings, speed, and quality improvements. The company’s proprietary materials and alloys are optimized for metal 3D printing processes such as powder bed fusion (PBF) and binder jetting.
In 2021, Uniformity raised $38.35 million in Series B funding which was expected to drive the expansion of its production capabilities and specialized material portfolio.
Uniformity Labs appointed former General Motors executive Alan Batey as an advisor to its senior management team in 2022 to help deliver plans to scale up the company.
The company’s scaling initiative seemed to have been progressing well. Just last year, the Uniformity Labs launched a new UniFuse IN625 Nickel Alloy and optimized parameters for LPBF 3D printing at 60µm layer thicknesses at RAPID + TCT 2023.
This followed the release of the UniFuse AlSi10Mg Aluminum powder, and parameters for 50µm and 90µm layer LPBF 3D printing. The company’s new UniJet SS17-4PH Performance stainless steel powder for Desktop Metals Production System 3D printer was also launched in 2023.
Additionally, a March 2023 partnership extension with Tekna, a leading provider of advanced materials to industry, suggested positive growth into the production of sustainable materials. Through the collaboration, Tekna supplied an AlSi10Mg aluminum-based alloy to Uniformity for the production of new metal 3D printing powder.
At the time, Uniformity Labs CEO Adam Hopkins stated that the partnership reaffirmed demand for the company’s offering, stating that its material quality “matches with a wide range of industry requirements.”
However, the company’s last news update came back in September 2023, with the announcement that Sigma Additive CEO Jacob Brunsberg had joined its board as a non-executive director.
The $10 million asset auction raises further questions about the company’s current financial position, suggesting that the Uniformity Labs may have ceased business activities.
3D printing assets for sale
The Uniformity Labs auction reflects a wider theme of asset sales within the 3D printing industry. In a recent survey on 3D printing trends, 3D printing experts highlighted that business consolidations and reductions in stocks and fixed assets have been driven by industry challenges.
It was recently announced that 3D printing service provider Shapeways is selling off $5 million of its hardware from Desktop Metal in an online auction hosted by Heritage Global Partners. The assets up for sale include P1 Production System 3D printers, Shop System binder jet 3D printers, BMD 3D printers, powder stations, powder blenders, sintering furnaces, and drying ovens.
The news of this auction follows the company’s poor financial performance since going public in a $605 million SPAC deal with Galileo Acquisition Corp (GLEO). At the time, Shapeways projected total revenue of $150 million in FY 2023. However, in its most recent financial results, the company is now only expecting to generate between $34.3 million and $35 million for the year. As a result, this latest asset sale forms part of the company’s ongoing review of “strategic alternatives” and cost cutting measures.
Elsewhere, Arevo recently announced a 3D printing asset auction which includes its ABB IRB 4600 Robots, 3D Printers, SuperStrata Urban Bikes, Chillers, and IPG Diode Laser Modules. Despite raising $70 million, the company has now ceased operations and delivered 96% of its crowdfunded 3D printed bike orders.
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Featured image shows the top View of an ALD Atomizer. Photo via Tauber-Arons Inc. and Aaron Industrial Solutions.
