Industrial 3D Printer Shipments Set to Rebound in 2025

Shipments of industrial ($100,000+) 3D printers are set to recover by the latter half of 2025, according to recent data from CONTEXT, the global market intelligence company. In the first half of 2024, sales of consumer-centric entry-level printers (under $2500) soared, with shipments up 41% on a trailing 12 months basis, while those of industrial systems dropped −15%.

“Interest rates are beginning to fall, and the declining cost of capital has the high-end of the additive manufacturing industry poised for a rebound,” says Chris Connery, VP of Global Analysis at CONTEXT. “We’re seeing cautious optimism from system manufacturers which continue to report strong interest and engagement from buyers, ready to purchase once financing becomes more attractive.”

Although there is a new wild card to contend with in the form of potential tariffs, if downward adjustments to interest rates continue, and pricing remains stable, printer system sales are on track to recover by the second half of 2025. Forecasts show shipments of industrial systems are set to rise 15% in 2025 driven by demand for metals printers (particularly powder bed fusion models) with continued growth in China leading the way. This would bring sales in this segment of the market back to levels last seen in 2021.

Despite the current challenges, AM is increasingly being adopted for high-volume production, particularly in the aerospace, automotive and healthcare sectors. CONTEXT's five-year projection for industrial 3D printer shipments remains favorable, with an expected compound annual growth rate of 19%.