General Electric announced on Tuesday plans to acquire two European 3D printing suppliers for the combined price of $1.4 billion.
The suppliers, Arcam and SLM Solutions, both provide 3D printing to customers in aerospace and healthcare industries. Arcam builds the metal-based 3D printing tech, while SLM Solutions develops the laser machines used for cutting metal 3D objects.
See Also: Is this pen your next 3D printer?
It is part of GE’s move back into the industrial market, as it looks to offload most of its struggling financial division, GE Capital.
GE will pay $33.26 per share for Acram, a 53 percent premium, according to The New York Times. It will pay $42.40 per share for SLM Solutions, a 36.7 percent premium.
Acram and SLM Solutions shareholders and board members have reacted warmly to GE bid. Both offers require approval from EU regulators, alongside regulators from Sweden and Germany, where the two companies are based, respectively.
While we know the price per share, we don’t know the exact amount GE is paying for each company. Filings sent to regulators will most likely reveal the true price for each company.
GE a lifeline to the 3D printing world?
3D printing is in an odd state, the consumer side struggles to win new customers, as seen by MakerBot layoffs, but the industrial side is seeing a wave of interest and development.
GE is in a unique position where it already supplies the healthcare, aerospace, and energy sectors. The adoption of 3D printing may allow the conglomerate to lower prices and integrate new materials into its manufacturing.
“Additive manufacturing is a key part of G.E.’s evolution into a digital industrial company,” said Jeffrey Immelt, GE chairman and CEO.
Aside from 3D printing, GE is also pushing the Internet of Things (IoT) and analytics into the industry. It recently launched a coal power IoT service, which provided enough of a performance boost to bring a dormant coal plants back online in Italy.
