The Most Influential Personalities in Additive Manufacturing in 2021

This year 2021 was marked by many upheavals in additive manufacturing, including the gradual recovery of the market following the health crisis, the return of physical events in the industry and multiple investments made by the players in the sector. Behind all these evolutions are personalities, profiles that work for the development of additive manufacturing in the world. Engineers, chemists, sales people, technicians: whatever their background, their experience, their skills, they have marked this year by their various projects and contributed to the growth of the market. It’s time to look back at some of the major additive manufacturing personalities of 2021. This year, we chose 10, from all countries and horizons. Let us know what you think of the list!

Sherry Handel, Executive Director, AMGTA

For those who have been following the market, it is hard to miss the issue of sustainability in additive manufacturing. It has become a concern for many players in the industry who are striving to find solutions to reduce our environmental impact. One of these players is the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA), of which Sherry Handel is the Executive Director. She is the first person to hold this position. One of Sherry’s goals is to demonstrate and promote the environmental benefits of 3D printing through research projects conducted by AMGTA. She is the former co-founder and COO of Energy Harvesters LLC, a cleantech startup. With this professional experience and her sensitivity to environmental issues, she has been with the association since February 2020. The association currently has 38 members.

Sherry Handel

Ric Fulop, Founder and CEO, Desktop Metal

Our next choice for one of the additive manufacturing personalities of the year is someone you have certainly heard of before. 2021 was a year to remember for Desktop Metal, as it grew substantially and acquired a number of other countries. After buying EnvisionTec at the beginning of the year, the American manufacturer more recently acquired ExOne for $575 million, gradually expanding its portfolio of technologies and materials. So it was hard for us not to include Ric Fulop in this year’s list of personalities who have made their mark on the 3D printing market. He founded Desktop Metal in 2015, building on his 15 years of entrepreneurship – he founded A123Systems, among others. Since then, the company has become one of the leading manufacturers in additive manufacturing.