APAC 3D Printing Market Sees Major Funding and Product Developments

The additive manufacturing landscape in the Asia-Pacific region experienced a surge of activity in early June, with notable developments spanning consumer printing, industrial applications, and innovative materials. Creality, a consumer 3D printing firm, successfully listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, becoming the first of its kind to do so. The company's Initial Public Offering (IPO) raised approximately HK$1.272 billion in net proceeds and was significantly oversubscribed.

In parallel, Shenzhen-based Zongwei Liju, the company behind the Anycubic brand, secured a Series B funding round worth hundreds of millions of yuan. This capital infusion is earmarked for research and development and market expansion for its FDM and resin 3D printing product lines. Anycubic also introduced the P1 MAX, a large-format resin printer featuring an 18.3-liter build volume.

Further industrial advancements include Beijing-based Yuding Additive Manufacturing Research Institute, a metal AM specialist, progressing towards a listing on Shanghai's STAR Market after completing its IPO tutoring. The institute has secured significant funding across multiple rounds and focuses its metal AM expertise on aerospace and defense applications. Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) is developing ultra-thin 3D-printed dental veneers, leveraging its high-resolution projection micro-stereolithography process as a less-invasive alternative to traditional methods.

Other key developments include Shanghai UnionTech securing substantial orders for its SLA and metal LPBF printers and investing in a dedicated metal 3D printing facility. Tripo, an AI text-to-3D and image-to-3D software developer, raised nearly US$200 million in a new funding round and released updated software models with enhanced features for 3D printing preparation. Japan’s TDK Corporation has agreed to acquire metal AM startup Fabric8Labs, whose electrochemical additive manufacturing process operates at room temperature without the need for heat or vacuum, targeting components for AI data centers. Additionally, Hyogo-based Serendix announced its 3D-printed housing business has transitioned from R&D to mass production, having already delivered Japan's first 3D-printed home.