New research shows that 3D Printer Shipments are up 16 percent in Q1 2017 as mid-market starts to heat up.
The first three months of 2017 saw both worldwide shipments and revenues in the 3D Printer space increase, with activity ramping up in the mid-market, according to market research firm CONTEXT.
Shipments were up by 16 percent in Q1 2017, driven by gains in the Personal/Desktop* category, which saw unit volumes rise to over 88 thousand (+17 percent year-on-year). The news was less positive in the Industrial/Professional**sector, which saw 8 percent fewer shipments than a year ago.
Overall, global 3D printer revenues were up by 4 percent in the first quarter, thanks to stronger demand for high-priced metal-based industrial printers.
Although unit volumes in the Industrial/Professional category shrank, a rise in the weighted average price – from $111,241 (€97,000) to $128,549 (€112,000) – ensured revenue growth of 6 percent.
On the other hand, revenues in the Personal/Desktop category were down by one percent due to a year-on-year weighted average price drop from $1,142 (€996) to $970 (€846) in Q1 2017. This sector continues to be dominated by lower-priced printers, with 75 percent of shipments being of models priced at or below $1,000 (€872).
While the high and the low end of the 3D printer space are clearly defined, the market is currently seeing a lot of action in the grey middle ground.
“Since the desktop 3D printer market began to emerge as a new category a decade ago, the $5,000 barrier has been used as the general rule-of-thumb dividing point for categories,” said Chris Connery, vice-president of Global Market Research and Analysis, CONTEXT.