- Concept Laser is a leading global supplier of additive
manufacturing equipment
- Agreement represents a key step in GE’s commitment to the
additive revolution
- GE to enhance Concept Laser’s product offerings
GE (NYSE: GE), the world’s leading digital industrial company,
has reached an agreement to acquire a 75% stake in Concept Laser
GmbH for $599 million (€549 million). The agreement allows for GE
to take full ownership in a number of years.
Privately-held Concept Laser has more than 200 employees and is
headquartered in Lichtenfels, Germany, with significant operations
in the United States (Grapevine, Texas), China, and a global
network of more than 35 distributors and agents. Concept Laser is a
pioneer in the field of metal additive manufacturing.
Concept Laser designs and manufacturers powder bed-based laser
additive manufacturing machines. Its customer base is focused on
the aerospace, medical and dental industries, with a meaningful
presence in automotive and jewelry. Concept Laser’s machine range
incorporates both the largest and smallest build envelopes
currently available on the market and are capable of processing
various powder materials including titanium, nickel-base,
cobalt-chromium and precious metal alloys, as well as hot-work and
high-grade steels and aluminum.
“Concept Laser founder Frank Herzog and his team are true
pioneers in metal laser melting technology,” said David Joyce, GE
Vice Chairman and President & CEO of GE Aviation. “We are
committed to enhancing Concept Laser’s technologies and product
offerings across a well-established customer base.”
Herzog commented, “GE shares our vision regarding the potential
for additive manufacturing to lead the digital transformation of
industrial production. We are delighted that together we will be
able to accelerate development of the technology to the benefit of
our customers. We have some exciting new product offerings due to
come to market, including our innovative AM Factory of Tomorrow
modular concepts, and with GE’s support we will be at the center of
Industrie 4.0.”
Herzog will continue as CEO of Concept Laser and will also
assume a senior leadership position within GE.
In order to support the growth potential of the business, GE has
committed to invest significantly into Lichtenfels, which will
continue to be Concept Laser’s headquarters and will become a new
German center for GE. GE will retain Concept Laser’s management and
employees. In addition, the close partnership that exists between
Concept Laser and Hofmann Tool Manufacturing will continue.
Concept Laser sets the stage for GE to sell additive
manufacturing equipment across several industries. Mr. and Mrs.
Herzog founded Concept Laser in 2000 and commercialized the first
metal additive manufacturing machine in 2001. Over the past 16
years, Concept Laser has industrialized the technology with its
patented LaserCUSING® process and remains at the forefront of
the industry.
Concept Laser has a comprehensive product offering ranging from
small machines up to the machine with the world’s largest build
envelope. The company’s machines with multi-laser technology are
among the fastest and highest-quality laser melting machines in the
world. Concept Laser has won multiple awards for innovation
excellence in recent years and continues to invest heavily in
customer centric technologies, including real time monitoring of
the process through its QMmeltpool offering. At the forthcoming
Formnext trade fair, Concept Laser will announce the sales launch
of the new machine concept with fully modular machine technology
along with the series production offering of the AM Factory of
Tomorrow.
“Concept Laser machines are being used by leading manufacturers
of medical, aerospace and dental components in series production as
well as for prototyping and design. We are hitting an inflection
point in demand as customers increasingly understand the
possibilities that additive manufacturing presents and the
technology advances to be able to turn these possibilities into
reality. With GE’s broader investment into additive manufacturing,
we believe that this process will only accelerate,” said
Herzog.
Additive manufacturing (also called 3D printing) involves taking
digital designs from computer aided design (CAD) software, and
laying horizontal cross-sections to manufacture the part. Additive
components are typically lighter and more durable than traditional
forged parts because they require less welding and machining.
Because additive parts are essentially “grown” from the ground up,
they generate far less scrap material. Freed of traditional
manufacturing restrictions, additive manufacturing dramatically
expands the design possibilities for engineers.
GE is a leading end user and innovator in the additive
manufacturing space. GE has invested approximately $1.5 billion in
manufacturing and additive technologies at GE’s Global Research
Center (GRC), developed additive applications across six GE
businesses and are pioneering services applications across the
company.
GE Aviation introduced into airline service this year its first
additive jet engine component – complex fuel nozzle interiors –
with the LEAP jet engine. The LEAP engine is the new, best-selling
engine from CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of GE and
Safran Aircraft Engines of France. More than 11,000 LEAP engines
are on order with 20 fuel nozzles in every engine, thus setting the
stage for sustainably high and long-term additive production at GE
Aviation’s Auburn, Alabama, manufacturing plant. Production will
ramp up to more than 40,000 fuel nozzles using additive by
2020.
GE Aviation is also using additive manufacturing to produce
components in its most advanced military engines. In the general
aviation world, GE is developing the Advanced Turboprop Engine
(ATP) for a new Cessna aircraft with a significant portion of the
entire engine produced using additive manufacturing.
The deal is subject to customary regulatory reviews.
Concept Laser is being advised by PJT Partners, Lacore, Allen
& Overy and Ernst & Young.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company,
transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions
that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized
around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through
which each business shares and accesses the same technology,
markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels
innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With
people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes
for customers by speaking the language of
industry. www.ge.com
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE, is a world-leading
provider of jet engines, components and integrated systems for
commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service
network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us
at www.geaviation.com.
About Concept Laser
Concept Laser GmbH, which was founded in 2000 by Frank and
Kerstin Herzog, is one of the world’s leading providers of
technology to support the 3D printing of metal components. The
patented LaserCUSING® process – powder-bed-based laser melting of
metals – frees designers and engineers from the constraints of more
traditional manufacturing methods, allowing tool-free manufacturing
of highly complex parts. The company’s customers come from many
different sectors, including the aerospace, medical, dental,
automotive and jewelry industries.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161026007070/en/
GE AviationMedia Contact:Rick
Kennedy+1.513.607.0609rick.l.kennedy@ge.comorInvestor
Contact:Matt Cribbins+1.617.443.3003m.cribbins@ge.comorConcept
Laser GmbHMedia Contact:Daniel
HundD.Hund@concept-laser.de
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