May 15, 2026
Search
May 15, 2026
Manufactur3D Magazine is India’s Leading and Premier Online Magazine carved out for the 3D Printing Business community in India and globe.
Search
Contents
Subscribe

We will not spam you, receive latest news & product updates.

3D Prod Acquires Sculpteo to Lead European AM

French industrial 3D printing specialist 3D Prod acquires Sculpteo to create Europe’s leading additive manufacturing service provider with combined capacity of 100,000 parts monthly.
Quentin Kiener and Alexandre d'Orsetti standing in production facility after 3D Prod Acquires Sculpteo to create Europe's leading industrial additive manufacturing service provider
Leadership of France's newly merged industrial AM powerhouse: Quentin Kiener (Left) and Alexandre d'Orsetti (Right) / 3D Prod and Sculpteo
Key Takeaways
  • 3D Prod acquires Sculpteo to create a 100-employee industrial additive manufacturing group serving customers across 62 countries.
  • The merged company operates 78 industrial 3D printers and targets €20 million revenue by 2027 through European and North American expansion.
  • Combined additive manufacturing capabilities include 100,000-part monthly capacity and ISO-certified production for automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and industrial clients.

3D Prod acquires Sculpteo in a deal announced on 7 May 2026, creating a combined group of 100 employees and positioning the merged entity as Europe’s leading industrial additive manufacturing service provider. The French industrial 3D printing specialist, backed by injection moulding group Platex, gains access to Sculpteo’s established digital manufacturing platform and international customer portfolio in a transaction that returns the company (a pioneer in online digital manufacturing founded in 2009) to French ownership after its acquisition by BASF New Business GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF SE, in November 2019. Financial terms were not disclosed; the transaction was advised by French law firm Lasserre Avocats.

The merger brings together complementary strengths: 3D Prod’s industrial production capacity, finishing expertise, and access to Platex’s injection moulding knowledge base; and Sculpteo’s established digital ordering platform, design studio, and international customer portfolio. The new group operates two production sites, in Raon-l’Étape in the Vosges region and Villejuif in the Île-de-France region, with a combined presence spanning 62 countries.

Why 3D Prod Acquires Sculpteo

Sculpteo building exterior signage reading "A brand of BASF - We create chemistry" before 3D Prod Acquires Sculpteo and returns company to French ownership
The Villejuif facility bearing Sculpteo’s former BASF affiliation, now part of France’s largest AM service bureau / 3ds.com

The 3D Prod–Sculpteo merger is structured to integrate a proven digital manufacturing platform, expand the group’s range of additive manufacturing processes, and build a service provider capable of supporting customers across the full production spectrum, ranging from rapid prototyping and one-off parts through to large-scale series production. The acquisition also gives the group access to Sculpteo’s established international client base and its ISO 13485 certification for medical device quality management, alongside the group’s existing ISO 9001 accreditation.

The deal arrives against a backdrop of significant sector growth. According to the Wohlers Report 2026, global additive manufacturing industry revenue reached US $24.231 billion in 2025, up 10.9% year-on-year, with services growing fastest at 15.5%, outpacing hardware, software, and materials. The wider 3D printing market is projected to double in value within five years, a trajectory both companies have cited as the commercial rationale for scaling through consolidation.

Combined Fleet and AM Capabilities

Quentin Kiener and Alexandre d'Orsetti examining 3D printed metal lattice part after 3D Prod Acquires Sculpteo, demonstrating combined manufacturing capabilities
Kiener (Right) and d’Orsetti inspect a lattice-structured part from the merged group’s 78-printer industrial fleet / 3D Prod and Sculpteo

The merged operation runs 78 industrial 3D printers across more than 8,000 square metres of production space, with a stated capacity of up to 100,000 parts per month. More than 75 material references are available across polymer and metal processes, including Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition modelling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA and DLP), vacuum casting, and metal additive manufacturing in aluminium, titanium, and stainless steel 316L.

A particular point of competitive differentiation is the combined HP printer fleet. Both companies operate HP Multi Jet Fusion systems, and the merged entity says it will hold one of the largest HP 3D printer fleets in the world, positioning the group to pursue larger series production contracts while retaining the flexibility required for lower-volume and prototype work.

“Combining the offerings of both companies will give customers access to a broader portfolio of materials and services, delivering an even more comprehensive industrial 3D printing solution.”

— Alexandre d’Orsetti, CEO, Sculpteo

The group currently serves more than 7,000 corporate clients across the automotive, aerospace, healthcare, design, and industrial sectors, producing over 1.25 million parts annually.

Two-Phase Growth Strategy Towards 2027

The group’s growth plan is structured in two distinct phases. In the first phase, the priority is to optimise commercial and production synergies, merging customer portfolios, technology capabilities, and manufacturing operations across both French sites. Starting from combined revenue of €17 million, the group is targeting €20 million by 2027, with continued expansion in Europe and North America. Both companies will present jointly at the 3DPRINT Lyon trade show from 2 to 4 June at Eurexpo Lyon (stand D40).

From 2027, a second phase of investment is planned: equipment upgrades at both production facilities, recruitment of additional engineering and production staff, and an accelerated ramp-up of series production capacity, in line with projected market growth of over 10% per year.

“With this merger, we are giving ourselves the means to support the expansion of this sector by offering a complete range of services, from prototypes to large-scale production, to support French, European, and American manufacturers at every stage of their development.”

— Quentin Kiener, President, 3D Prod

The connection to Platex’s injection moulding expertise adds a further strategic dimension. As more manufacturers seek partners who can advise on the optimal production process, whether additive or conventional, rather than advocating a single technology, the group’s dual capability could prove a differentiating factor in competitive bids for industrial contracts.

With 3D Prod acquiring Sculpteo, the combined entity positions itself as a full-spectrum French manufacturing partner at a moment when supply chain proximity, certification depth, and production scalability have become priorities for industrial customers across Europe.


About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D Printing. Visit our Global News page for more updates on Global 3D Printing News. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Follow us on Google News.

Abhimanyu Chavan
Abhimanyu is the founder of Manufactur3D and has spent more than 7 years in the 3D printing industry. He has written over 2000 articles on the technology and industry and he continues to write and share content to promote the technology across the globe, and more so in India. You can follow him on social platforms.
Share this article
Related Articles