Align Technology, Inc., a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® system of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, announced today the completion of its acquisition of privately-held Cubicure GmbH, a pioneer in direct 3D printing solutions for polymer additive manufacturing that develops, produces, and distributes innovative material, equipment, and processes for novel 3D printing solutions.
Cubicure’s acquisition will support and scale Align’s strategic innovation roadmap, as well as strengthen the Align Digital Platform™.
Acquisition of Cubicure Direct 3D Printing Solutions provider
Cubicure will also expand and scale Align’s 3D printed product portfolio, which now includes the Invisalign® Palatal Expander system, Align’s first direct 3D printed orthodontic device and a safe, comfortable, and clinically effective* alternative to traditional palatal expanders.
Cubicure’s patented Hot Lithography technology employs a unique heating and coating mechanism that allows the processing of highly viscous resins to yield exceptionally tough and temperature-resistant polymers. This high precision 3D printing process enables the unprecedented additive manufacturing of resilient components with unprecedented material quality performance.
“The acquisition of Cubicure brings a talented team and unique cutting-edge technology into Align and will enable us to scale our 3D printing operations to eventually direct print millions of custom appliances per day. Direct 3D printing enables Align to create 3D printed solutions without the added step of first creating a mold, making 3D printing more sustainable and efficient. I am excited to take this important step in our relationship with Cubicure, which began several years ago as a joint development program.”
– Joe Hogan, President and CEO, Align Technology
According to Srini Kaza, Align senior vice president, product research & development, “Align has invested billions of dollars on innovation over the past 27 years, including next-generation 3D printing technologies to process high-performance polymers. We’ve been working with Cubicure for years and I am thrilled that they are now officially employees of Align and members of our R&D organization. We’re at the beginning of this next wave of direct 3D printing additive manufacturing and I believe we’re poised to transform the orthodontic industry again with our unprecedented ability to direct print devices.”
The transaction was completed on January 2, 2024, for approximately €79 million, subject to final closing adjustments and adjustments for Align’s existing ownership of Cubicure’s capital stock.
*Based on a survey of ten Invisalign trained orthodontists in Canada who participated in the Invisalign Palatal Expander System Technical Design Assessment and treated at least one patient aged 6-11 years with IPE in August 2023. Align Technology, Inc. data as of October 30, 2023.
About Align Technology: Align Technology creates the world-leading Invisalign® system, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software. These technology building blocks upgrade digital orthodontic and restorative workflows for 252,000 doctor customers, improving patient outcomes and practice efficiency and unlocking Align’s 600 million consumer market opportunity.
