Nikon Confirms Acquisition of Metal 3D Printing Giant SLM Solutions

Last September, the Japanese group Nikon confirmed its intention to acquire the industrial 3D printer manufacturer SLM Solutions. Four months later, this acquisition has officially been finalized: Nikon announced recently that more than 21,000,000 shares and more than 42,000 convertible bonds have been tendered. SLM Solutions and its subsidiaries have thus officially become the consolidated subsidiaries of the Japanese group. And it is is safe to say that the next few months should certainly be interesting to follow for market players.

2022 was the year of consolidation, marked by numerous mergers between different companies, whether or not they specialize in 3D printing. We have observed synergies that were sometimes unsuspected, a sign of a healthier additive manufacturing market. That was the case last September when Nikon secured a 61.10 percent majority stake in the entire share capital of SLM Solutions. Based in Lübeck, Germany, the company is one of the pioneers of laser powder bed fusion technology and has years of experience in metal 3D printing.

SLM Solutions is one of the pioneers of DMLS technology (photo credits: SLM Solutions)

Discussing the acquisition, Sam O’Leary, CEO of SLM, commented, “With its deep expertise in developing cutting-edge opto-electronic technology and precision equipment, Nikon is the perfect partner for SLM. Together with Nikon, we will further strengthen our leading position in integrated metal additive manufacturing through consistently raising the bar in this innovation-centric environment. We have demonstrated the relevance of our technology to every major industry, and with Nikon we are confident we will expand our customer base even further.”