UK additive manufacturing pioneer snapped up by US 3D printing giant

CRDM is describes itself as the UK's foremost provider of 3D printing, rapid prototyping and tooling services for industry, across sectors including automotive, aerospace, medical and defence, and it employees some 40 employees. It specialises in delivering high quality components for prototype, pre-production and full production requirements from a 22,250 sq ft facility, which it moved in to in 2007, backed by 18 years of experience in rapid prototyping and tooling industries. Originally, the company was a spin-out from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, now Buckingham New University. 3D Systems, which reported total revenues of more than $353.5 million for the year to 31 December 2012, says that it intends to immediately integrate CRDM into its global Quickparts Solutions custom parts and manufacturing services. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. "CRDM is a strategic and geographically important addition to our rapidly growing 3D content-to-print services portfolio," said Ziad Abou, vice president and general manager, Quickparts Solutions, 3D Systems. "With a proven track record in advanced manufacturing and rapid tooling, CRDM complements and expands our extensive range of custom parts services." And the company adds that CRDM "extends 3D Systems' offerings and its footprint in the UK, further positioning the company at the centre of the rapidly growing, direct manufacturing opportunity". Last November 3D Systems announced Quickparts' arrival in Europe, together with its Quickparts proprietary instant online quoting engine. Continuous demonstrations of Quickparts capabilities were displayed at EuroMold that month, held in Frankfurt, Germany. Quickparts provides a fast, custom manufacturing services for engineers and designers to create real plastic and metal parts fast for their prototyping and production needs. Using patented QuickQuote technology, Quickparts is able to provide product designers with a secure 'instant online quote' for the manufacturing of real parts, including 3D printed parts, CNC machined plastic parts, cast urethane parts, injection moulding (tooling and parts), sheet metal parts, and metal castings. 3D Systems has been on the acquisition/expansion trail of for some time, making several announcements just this year. Most recently, this month and prior to the CRDM announcement, it acquired California-headquartered TeamPlatform, a leading cloud-based, collaborative design and project management platform. In July, it concluded the acquisition of Phenix Systems, a leading global provider of direct metal selective laser sintering 3D printers, based in Riom, France. In May, it announced it has acquired Rapid Product Development Group, Inc, a US provider of on-demand additive and traditional manufacturing services. In February, it concluded the acquisition of US software company Geomagic, and in January it acquired COWEB, based in Paris, France, a start-up that creates consumer customised 3D printed products and collectibles.