Arc CEO Bryan Wisk said he and his partners see Desktop Metal in the same light as Bell Labs, AT&T’s research and development wing that drove massive communications technology advancements throughout the 20th century.
“AT&T’s position in long-distance telephony created a steady stream of real problems (“pull”), and a vertically integrated engine—from research to Western Electric manufacturing—turned answers into deployed infrastructure (“lab-through-production”),” Wisk said in a blog post. “Arc acquired Desktop Metal because we want to build the 21st-century idea factory—open to every company, not just one.”
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Arc officials say the reformed Desktop Metal will focus on defense, automotive and aerospace parts—combining binder-jet metal and ceramic printing, production-grade polymer platforms and AI-assisted materials development.
Nogueira said, “Our north star is simple: Put advanced, automated manufacturing back to work in domestic markets.”
While Desktop Metal returns to the market, its former parent may be heading in the other direction. Earlier this month, the company fired Ofir Baharav—who became CEO last December after an earlier shakeup—and replaced him with David S. Stehlin, a board member who joined Nano Dimension in February.
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As part of the change, Nano Dimension invoked the “strategic alternatives” language, a sign to Wall Street that the company is up for sale, restructuring or bankruptcy.
“I recognize that Nano Dimension has been going through a very challenging period, but we now have a strong understanding of the value we can unlock through a clear focus on fiscal responsibility and targeted growth opportunities,” Stehlin said when he took over as CEO.
