Atum Systems raises €1 million for game-changer in plastic 3D printing

With this combination, Atum Systems sets a new standard for the application of additive manufacturing technology in the plastics industry, a market worth hundreds of billions. At the same time, the company has raised €1 million in growth capital through a successful funding round and strengthened its management team with the appointment of CEO Marcel Koolen. This positions the company optimally to capture the international market.

Rapid growth of the industrial 3D printing market

Driven in part by the increasing adoption of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in industrial production processes, the 3D printing market, currently valued at around €17 billion, is expected to grow by at least 15% annually. The technology is shifting from a prototyping tool to a fully-fledged production technology, with applications ranging from patient-specific medical implants and lightweight aircraft components to 3D-printed concrete houses. Within this market, Atum Systems focuses on the two largest segments: industrial 3D printers and professional print services. The company specifically targets the production of high-quality plastic products and components.

A new standard in industrial plastics production

According to Roeland Brugman, former founder of AMSYSTEMS and now CCO of Atum Systems, the merger enables the company to respond directly to specific customer needs. He explains: ‘By joining forces, we are establishing a strategic market position with a fully proprietary technological foundation that simplifies the global adoption of industrial 3D printing.’

Tristram Budel, founder of Atum3D and CTO of Atum Systems, adds: ‘Together, we truly are the game changer. There is a growing demand for large, high-quality products. Currently, these can only be produced with high upfront investments. We are now able to produce at any scale, cost-effectively and without compromising on detail, resolution, or productivity.’

International interest and opportunities

The new Atum Systems platform offers unique opportunities for industrial companies that produce or use plastic components. MLP-based 3D printers make it possible to print large-scale, high-quality products or parts quickly and at lower cost. Production volumes can be scaled up easily, while retaining all the known flexibility and sustainability benefits of additive manufacturing technologies. This combination is already attracting strong interest: several manufacturing and service companies in the Netherlands and abroad have come forward. CEO Marcel Koolen is ready for the next step: ‘Thanks to the merger and investment, nothing stands in our way to accelerate. Together, we will ensure that our customers can soon benefit from MLP.’

The Netherlands as an AM innovation leader

Atum Systems contributes directly to the government’s ambition to position the Netherlands as an international innovation hub. Product development and manufacturing take place at the new company location in Alphen aan den Rijn. The MLP team remains based at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, close to several global market leaders that can benefit from the company’s products.

Funding round enables commercial rollout

The original investors in Atum3D (Percival Participations) and AMSYSTEMS (TNO Ventures and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM)) jointly made this new €1 million round possible. Hans Boumans, director of TNO Ventures, welcomes the step: ‘TNO’s ambition is to help build leading tech companies in the Netherlands. This merger between TNO spin-off AMSYSTEMS and an established 3D printer builder with market experience and an existing customer base accelerates that process.’

Henk van Groen, fund director at Percival Participations, agrees: ‘In recent years, under our wing, Atum3D has grown into a leading technology player in 3D printing. Our contribution to this strategic step, initiating the merger, recruiting CEO Marcel Koolen, and organizing funding, fits perfectly within our philosophy. The result is a highly powerful combination of a unique product portfolio and an experienced team capable of independently disrupting the global market.’