3D printing service provider Shapeways has acquired a majority stake in the 3D file-sharing platform Thangs, taking the reins from the site’s developer Physna, Inc. This acquisition represents the second phase of Shapeways’ management team’s strategy to revive the company after its Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in July 2024.
Following Shapeways’ bankruptcy, the firm’s Eindhoven-based team and two co-founders acquired its defunct assets and restarted operations in Europe as Manuevo BV. Earlier this month, it was revealed that Manuevo purchased the Shapeways brand, website, and Eindhoven production facility, tailoring operations to professional and industrial applications.
However, Shapeways’ bankruptcy resulted in the loss of marketplace and user data, as trustees could not transfer user-owned intellectual property. The Thangs acquisition seeks to resolve this gap in the firm’s infrastructure, offering a new solution the company believes “exceeds Shapeways’ prior capabilities.”
“The team behind Thangs really love their creators and community — and they take good care of them: which is exactly in line with the original spirit of Shapeways,” commented Shapeways CEO, Marleen Vogelaar. “Equally importantly their 3D search technology powered by Physna protects the IP of their creators which is incredibly important to me and the rest of the management team.”
Shapeways acquires Thangs
Through the acquisition, Thangs will be renamed Thangs 3D Inc. and become a subsidiary of Shapeways. Featuring Physna’s IP protection technology, the new combination will reportedly create “a seamless ecosystem that spans the full 3D creation value chain.”
Hosting over 24 million 3D printable models, Thangs features a range of membership options that enable users to monetize their designs. By leveraging Shapeways’ digital manufacturing engine, designers can now sell physical products directly to customers through a new print-on-demand approach. Shapeways claims this will introduce new revenue streams to the global Thangs community. According to Vogelaar, the company is working to create the ‘Print to Shapeways’ button for Thangs, expanding possibilities for those in the 3D design marketplace.
Post-acquisition, Thangs will serve as the consumer-facing brand for creators and makers, while Shapeways continues to prioritize business customers. Shapeways’ digital manufacturing engine will power both brands.
Paul Powers, CEO and Co-founder of Physna, notes “The synergy between Shapeways and Thangs was clear from the start.” He stated that, while focusing primarily on its B2B and government products, Physna remains invested in Thangs and will continue to support the design community and Shapeways. “I believe the strong synergies between the two will drive growth and create value for both communities,” Powers added.
Dan Pham, Head of Community Relations at Thangs, called the acquisition a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to empower our community of designers to grow their thriving businesses.” He called additive manufacturing space an “incredibly exciting frontier,” with Thangs posed to “provide designers with even more tools to help them succeed.”
3D printing software acquisitions
Earlier this month, US-based 3D printer manufacturer 3D Systems agreed to sell its Geomagic reverse-engineering software portfolio to Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Division.
Worth $123 million, the deal forms part of 3D Systems’ strategic review to prioritize software it deems central to accelerate the adoption of its 3D printing technologies. The firm will now concentrate resources on its 3D Sprint, 3DXpert, and the Oqton Industrial Manufacturing Operating System, with Oqton said to be central to 3D Systems’ software strategy. 3D Systems called Hexagon, a Stockholm-based firm specializing in metrology, simulation, and design, “an ideal strategic owner” for Geomagic. It expects Hexagon to build “a more complete scan-to-CAD workflow” with its new asset.
Elsewhere, industrial manufacturing firm Siemens agreed to acquire 3D design and simulation software developer Altair Engineering Inc. for approximately $10 billion. Siemens’ CEO Roland Busch stated that combining Altair’s computational and artificial intelligence technology with Siemens’ Xcelerator platform will create the “world’s most complete AI-powered design and simulation portfolio.”
In a similar move, US-based chip design software provider Synopsys sealed a $35 billion deal for engineering simulation software developer Ansys in January 2024. Synopsys hopes this acquisition will expand its customer base and market position through the “silicone-to-system” product sets. Ansys’ process simulation technology is used throughout industrial additive manufacturing to optimize 3D printing designs. Previously, 3D printing software developer Materialise integrated these process simulation capabilities with its Magics build preparation tool.
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Featured image shows a Shapeways sign from inside its New York warehouse. Photo via Gizmodo.
