Shapeways Restarts with a Renewed Focus on Creating a Stable, Customer-centric Company

Shapeways, a pioneering force in digital manufacturing, is returning to the global market with a new management team, a sustainable business model and a renewed customer-centered approach.

Originally launched in 2008, Shapeways underwent significant structural and business model changes under the previous leadership, ultimately leading to bankruptcy in July 2024. But, the management team of the profitable Eindhoven factory has joined forces with two of the original Shapeways founders — both of whom have been out of the business for over a decade — to reset the company’s trajectory.

The new management team has completed the purchase of all available assets from both the Dutch and American trustees handling the bankruptcy of Shapeways Inc., and Shapeways BV, and now owns the Shapeways name, website and original Eindhoven production facility. Shapeways will leverage its software, hardware, design and engineering capabilities to be a digital manufacturing engine for its customers.

New Shapeways CEO, Marleen Vogelaar, explains: “When I helped to launch Shapeways in 2008 it was at the forefront of democratizing access to digital manufacturing. The new management team believes there is a ‘next chapter’ to be written in the Shapeways story, one that includes learning from the past and building a pragmatic, financially sustainable and operationally stable company that continues to provide exceptional service to our users.”

Shapeways currently operates from its original home town, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, with an international team and will continue to deploy and expand its resources and footprint to be a digital manufacturing engine for its global customer base. 

Shapeways will continue to offer a wide range of 3D printing technologies and a large suite of materials and post-processing options, with standard and custom quality control options.

Shapeways offers 12 additive manufacturing technologies and a large suite of materials and finishes to a wide range of customers, from engineers to large enterprises in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, architecture, medical technology, and semiconductors. The company operates according to ISO:9001, IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 standards.