3-D printing adds new dimension to startups

The industry is expected to continue strong double-digit growth over the next few years. By 2017, Wohlers Associates believes that the sale of 3-D printing products and services will approach $6 billion worldwide. By 2021, the industry is forecast to reach $10.8 billion.

As a country with the biggest population and that manufactures the lion's share of the world's products, China may have the potential to become the world's top 3-D printing market, said Luo Jun, secretary-general of the China 3D Printing Industry Alliance.

The growth rate of China's 3-D printing sector is likely to be much higher than the global average and will probably hit 100 percent compound annualized growth in five years, said Luo.

The inspiring performance of the world's two leading 3-D printing companies - Stratasys and 3-D Systems - also has motivated Chinese participants. The two US-based companies both achieved an annual compound growth rate of more than 20 percent in recent years. As of June 2013, Stratasys reportedly had more than 8,000 customers globally and had shipped a total of 32,245 systems worldwide.

The promising prospects also have prompted mergers and acquisitions in the global 3-D printing sector. The Rock Hill, South Carolina-based 3D systems purchased 33 companies from August 2009 to May 2013, covering a wide range of industry offerings that includes materials, systems, software and digital content.

The world's 3-D printing market is expected to accelerate its expansion pace. It took the industry 20 years to reach $1 billion. After five more years, the industry generated its second $1 billion. And it is expected to double again, to $4 billion, in 2015, said the Wohlers Report.

Technology improvement has allowed 3-D printing players to explore more new fields. The jewelry industry makes some of the smallest, most precise metal castings on the basis of 3-D printing. And real estate companies have created property models to show customers and even expect to build residences based on 3-D printing.

With the exception of Japan, the growth of 3-D printing in Asia started much later than in the US and Europe. China began experimenting with the technology in the late 1990s and has made several breakthroughs in some areas.

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