Oerlikon Acquires citim

Oerlikon (Pfäffikon, Switzerland) recently announced that they have signed an agreement to acquire citim GmbH (Barleben, Germany), a leading company in additive manufacturing (AM) design and production of metal components. This acquisition expands the AM technology and service portfolio of Oerlikon with established 3D printing capabilities in Europe and the U.S.

Oerlikon is taking an important step to become a global powerhouse in surface solutions and advanced materials. Their knowledge in the engineering of industrial components, materials, and closely related technologies, such as thermal spray and thin-film coating, make them well positioned to take part in the industrialization of AM. This acquisition adds strong expertise in the area of AM production services and paves the way for them to become an independent service provider of AM components.

AM expands the design envelope for high-performance industrial components and offers cost reductions compared to traditionally manufactured parts in many custom and low-volume applications. As components are built layer by layer according to the digital design until the three-dimensional object is created, it allows complex forms not achievable with traditional methods to be fabricated. In addition, it opens up new possibilities for designs with enhanced performance or functionalities. It essentially also enables a more efficient use of materials and reduces material waste.

Oerlikon offers a leading portfolio of advanced metal-based materials and processing technologies applied across a wide range of industrial areas. Their materials portfolio of metal powders also includes materials fully qualified for AM. Combining the company’s R&D skills and knowledge in the design and engineering of industrial components, powder materials, surface technologies for post-production processing and in-house services for component production, they can now offer an integrated end-to-end service concept.

“The competencies and team from citim will serve to consolidate our position in the manufacturing business, marking the acquisition as an important move for us to drive the industrialization of AM and to become an independent service provider for the production of additively manufactured components. We will continue to make targeted investments in the AM market to solidify our value proposition,” stated Dr. Roland Fischer, the chief executive officer of Oerlikon.

The core expertise of citim lies in metal AM for small-series production and functional prototypes. The company operates production sites in Europe and in the U.S., serving high-tech industries such as aviation, automotive and energy. In 2015, they generated CHF 12 million in sales and profitability around the same level as the operating margin of the surface solutions segment. The company has around 120 employees. Both parties agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.

www.oerlikon.com, www.citim.de