Materialise NV

Materialise NV is a Belgian additive-manufacturing company headquartered in Leuven. Established in June 1990 by Wilfried Vancraen and Hilde Ingelaere, it began as a rapid-prototyping service bureau after acquiring a single stereolithography machine. The company was an early participant in the Benelux 3D-printing market and gradually expanded from contract production into software, medical imaging, surgical planning, industrial manufacturing, and consumer-oriented 3D-printing services. A central feature of Materialise's development has been the combination of physical production with software engineering. In the early 1990s, the company began converting CT data into three-dimensional anatomical models. This work led to Mimics, a medical image-processing and segmentation platform. In parallel, Materialise developed Magics for preparing, editing, and managing files used in additive manufacturing. Both products became important parts of the company's commercial software portfolio and helped it serve customers beyond its own production facilities. Materialise also pursued applications in healthcare. It produced multicolour anatomical models in the mid-1990s to help distinguish structures such as blood vessels, nerves, and tumors. In 1996, it created a customized 3D-printed surgical guide for dental surgery, contributing to the development of patient-specific surgical planning. The company subsequently commercialized SimPlant, which enables virtual planning of dental implant procedures. Its medical activities later broadened into orthopaedic planning, anatomical modelling, cranio-maxillofacial implants, and software for clinical workflows. In industrial additive manufacturing, Materialise developed tools for file repair, build preparation, support generation, production control, and traceability. Products such as 3-matic, e-Stage, Streamics, and build processors addressed different stages of the process, from editing polygonal data to preparing builds and monitoring production. The company also built or operated production capabilities for stereolithography, polymer processes, metal additive manufacturing, and other technologies. Its Mammoth stereolithography systems were designed to produce unusually large single-piece models, while later facilities and acquisitions expanded its ability to produce complex low-volume metal parts. Materialise has also participated in specialized and consumer-facing applications. Its work with Phonak on Rapid Shell Modeling helped automate the design of customized hearing-aid shells, an early example of additive manufacturing being used for high-volume, patient-specific end-use products. The company launched the .MGX design label and later i.materialise, an online service through which customers could submit digital designs for professional 3D printing. It has also supplied software and services to customers in sectors including healthcare, aerospace, automotive, industrial manufacturing, consumer products, and research. The company became publicly traded on Nasdaq on June 25, 2014, using the listing to support expansion of its software and services activities. It acquired or established operations in several markets, including the United States, China, and Germany. Acquisitions such as Columbia Scientific, OrthoView, OBL, and ACTech strengthened its dental, orthopaedic, implant, and metal-production capabilities. Materialise remains an active international additive-manufacturing business whose proposition combines specialized software, medical expertise, engineering services, and production infrastructure.

Materialise was founded in June 1990 in Belgium by Wilfried Vancraen and Hilde Ingelaere. It started as a rapid-prototyping service bureau and acquired a stereolithography machine, becoming an early 3D-printing service provider in the Benelux region. The company's initial business centered on producing physical prototypes, but it soon invested in software and specialized applications that could make additive manufacturing more useful and scalable. In 1992, Materialise began reconstructing human anatomy in three dimensions from sliced CT data. This work formed the basis of Mimics, its medical image-processing software. At the same time, it developed Magics, an industrial platform for preparing and managing data for 3D printing. These two software families helped shift Materialise from being solely a service bureau toward a technology company with products that could be used by hospitals, medical-device organizations, manufacturers, and other service providers. The company explored medical visualization and patient-specific applications throughout the 1990s. In 1995, it produced multicolour stereolithography anatomical models that differentiated complex structures for surgical planning. In 1996, it produced a customized 3D-printed surgical guide for a dental procedure. This experience contributed to SimPlant, a software system for virtual dental-implant planning. In 1997, Materialise introduced an online ordering service known as Materialise NextDay, later called Materialise OnSite, allowing customers to submit digital files for rapid production and delivery. It also developed Mammoth stereolithography systems for producing large single-piece models. During the 2000s, Materialise broadened its healthcare and industrial activities. In 2000, it worked with hearing-aid specialist Phonak on Rapid Shell Modeling, which automated the design of customized hearing-aid shells for additive production. In 2001, it acquired Columbia Scientific Inc., whose products included Sim/Plant and ImageMaster, strengthening its United States dental business. In 2003, it launched .MGX by Materialise, an early consumer-oriented 3D-printed product brand, and added fused-deposition modelling equipment for industrial use. Software development continued with the introduction of 3-matic in 2004. The product enabled direct editing of STL data, reducing the need to return to a conventional computer-aided-design system for every geometry change. In 2006, Materialise introduced RapidFit, a 3D-printed approach to customized jigs and fixtures intended to protect large components during shipping. The company also developed titanium cranio-maxillofacial implants with porous structures designed to support complex patient-specific applications after acquiring OBL, a specialist in this field. In 2008, Materialise launched e-Stage, an automated support-generation solution for stereolithography, and i.materialise, an online service for customers seeking professional 3D printing. It also developed build processors to connect software workflows with different printing processes. In 2012, Streamics was introduced to support traceability and quality control for industrial users producing end-use components, including customers operating in regulated environments. Materialise listed its shares publicly on June 25, 2014. That year it acquired OrthoView, a provider of orthopaedic digital pre-operative planning software, and established a Chinese office focused on software and research and development. In 2016, it opened a dedicated metal production facility in Bremen, Germany. It began testing HP's Multi Jet Fusion process at its Leuven headquarters and started production using that process in 2017. The company later acquired ACTech in Germany as its metal additive-manufacturing activities expanded. ACTech added expertise in producing highly complex metal components in low volumes and supported the improvement of Materialise's metal-printing software. Across its history, Materialise has therefore developed through a combination of organic software development, medical innovation, online services, production-facility investment, and acquisitions. Its business remains centered on additive manufacturing, with activities spanning industrial software, healthcare software, engineering, and contract production.

1. 2017Multi Jet Fusion production begins

   Following testing at Leuven, Materialise begins production using HP's Multi Jet Fusion process.

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2. 2016Bremen metal facility opens

   A dedicated German facility expands the company's metal additive-manufacturing capacity.

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3. 2014Public listing and OrthoView acquisition

   Materialise becomes publicly traded and acquires OrthoView to expand its orthopaedic planning software business.

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4. 2012Streamics is introduced

   Materialise launches production-management software focused on traceability and quality control.

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5. 2008e-Stage and i.materialise launch

   The company introduces automated support generation for stereolithography and an online consumer printing service.

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6. 2006RapidFit and titanium cranio-maxillofacial implants

   Materialise develops RapidFit shipping fixtures and produces customized titanium skull implants.

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7. 20043-matic is introduced

   The company launches software for editing STL-format geometry directly.

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8. 2003.MGX by Materialise launches

   Materialise introduces a consumer-facing label for 3D-printed end-use products and prototypes.

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9. 2001Columbia Scientific acquisition

   The acquisition strengthens Materialise's US dental software operations.

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10. 2000Rapid Shell Modeling collaboration

    Materialise works with Phonak on software for automated design of customized hearing-aid shells.

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11. 1997Materialise NextDay launches

    An early online 3D-printing ordering service is launched and later becomes Materialise OnSite.

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12. 1996Customized dental surgical guide

    The company produces a customized 3D-printed guide for dental surgery, contributing to its patient-specific surgical-planning activities.

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13. 1995Multicolour anatomical models

    Materialise produces multicolour stereolithography models to distinguish complex anatomical structures for clinical planning.

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14. 1992Development of medical and industrial software begins

    The company starts reconstructing anatomy from CT data, leading to Mimics, while developing the industrial Magics platform.

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15. 1990Materialise is founded

    Wilfried Vancraen and Hilde Ingelaere establish Materialise as a Belgian rapid-prototyping service bureau.

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An integrated additive-manufacturing partner combining 3D-printing software, production services, and healthcare-specific applications.

• MagicsAdditive-manufacturing software

  Magics is Materialise's industrial software platform for preparing and managing data for additive manufacturing. It supports work such as checking and repairing files, arranging parts, and preparing production builds. The product represents one of the company's core industrial software offerings.

• MimicsMedical imaging software1992

  Mimics originated from Materialise's work converting CT image slices into three-dimensional anatomical representations. It is used for medical image processing and the creation of patient-specific anatomical models, supporting clinical, research, and medical-device workflows.

• SimPlantDental planning software

  SimPlant is associated with Materialise's dental activities and enables virtual planning of dental implant procedures. Its development followed the company's early work on customized surgical guides and patient-specific anatomical visualization.

• 3-matic3D geometry-editing software2004

  Introduced in 2004, 3-matic allows users to modify three-dimensional files directly in STL format. It addresses the practical need to edit polygonal models without repeatedly returning to a separate computer-aided-design system and reconverting the complete file.

• StreamicsProduction-management software2012

  Streamics was introduced to help industrial additive-manufacturing users manage traceability and quality control. Its intended use includes production of end-use parts, particularly in environments where process documentation and oversight are important.

• Materialise OnSite3D-printing service1997

  Materialise OnSite is the later name of the company's early online ordering service, Materialise NextDay. The service lets customers submit digital designs for production and receive printed parts, linking online ordering with Materialise's professional manufacturing infrastructure.

• i.materialiseConsumer 3D-printing service2008

  i.materialise was launched as an online consumer service that enabled individuals to submit ideas or digital designs for production using professional 3D-printing equipment. It extended Materialise's service model beyond industrial and medical customers.

• .MGX by MaterialiseConsumer product brand2003

  .MGX by Materialise was introduced as a design-oriented label for 3D-printed end-use products as well as prototypes. It was one of the company's early efforts to demonstrate additive manufacturing directly through consumer products.

• 2016Expansion of metal productionStrategy

  Growing demand for metal additive manufacturing created a need for dedicated production capacity.

  What changed. Materialise opened a dedicated metal production facility in Bremen, Germany.

  Aftermath. The facility strengthened the company's ability to provide metal additive-manufacturing services.

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• 2014Public-market expansionStrategy

  Materialise sought resources to expand its software development and additive-manufacturing services.

  What changed. The company completed a public listing on June 25, 2014.

  Aftermath. The listing gave Materialise access to public capital markets as it continued international expansion.

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• 2008Launch of e-Stage and i.materialiseProduct launch

  Additive-manufacturing users needed more automated build preparation, while consumers were seeking access to professional printing equipment.

  What changed. Materialise introduced automated stereolithography support-generation software and launched the i.materialise online service.

  Aftermath. The initiatives broadened the company's software portfolio and exposed its production services to consumer users.

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• 1997Move into online 3D-printing orderingStrategy

  Customers needed a faster way to submit digital files and obtain physical prototypes.

  What changed. Materialise launched Materialise NextDay, later renamed Materialise OnSite.

  Aftermath. The service extended the company's production capabilities into an online ordering workflow.

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• Acquisition of ACTechM&A

  Materialise wanted to expand its capabilities in complex, low-volume metal components.

  What changed. The company acquired German metal-manufacturing specialist ACTech.

  Aftermath. The transaction added metal-production expertise and supported further development of software for metal 3D printing.

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• 2016Materialise opens a dedicated metal production facility in Bremen

  A dedicated German facility expanded Materialise's metal additive-manufacturing production capabilities.

  Other
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• 2014Materialise becomes a publicly traded company

  Materialise completed its public listing on June 25, 2014, providing capital-market access for the expansion of its software and additive-manufacturing services.

  Other
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• 2014Materialise acquires OrthoView

  The company acquired OrthoView, a provider of digital pre-operative planning software for orthopaedics, strengthening its healthcare software portfolio.

  M&A
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• Materialise acquires ACTech

  The acquisition of German company ACTech expanded Materialise's metal-manufacturing capabilities, particularly for complex, low-volume components, and supported further development of metal-printing software.

  M&A
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1. Materialise NV
2. Materialise corporate website