An dispute has emerged over one of the oldest names in large-scale 3D printing.
Enrico Dini, the Italian engineer who invented the D-Shape particle bed 3D printing process more than two decades ago, has issued a public statement distancing himself from D-Shape Limited, a Hong Kong company previously established to commercialize his technology in Asia.
In a LinkedIn statement, Dini explains that Monolite UK Limited, the original holder of the D-Shape trademark, had licensed the name and associated technology to the Hong Kong business.
According to Dini, that licence has now been revoked.
He further alleges that the Hong Kong company has refused to change its name despite receiving formal notice. Dini warns customers, investors and institutions that the Hong Kong operation no longer represents him or his current Italian business, D-Shape S.r.l.s.
That’s a pretty dramatic development for a technology with such a long history.
Dini was one of the earliest pioneers of large-scale additive manufacturing. His process uses binder jetting to selectively consolidate mineral particles into large structures, originally intended for architectural construction.
Over the years, that tech shifted toward applications including artificial reefs and marine infrastructure. Fabbaloo has followed these developments for many years, most recently reporting on the installation of five 3D printed reef structures off the Italian coast.
But the Hong Kong operation has its own interesting history.
A Business With Its Own Identity
According to Hong Kong’s government-backed StartmeupHK programme, D-Shape Limited was co-founded by Dini and Mario Nuzzolese, who became its chief executive. Nuzzolese had connected with Dini in 2018, eventually helping establish the Asian operation.
The Hong Kong company was incorporated in 2022 and then did its own commercial activities, including work on marine restoration technology.
It also pursued intellectual-property protection under its own name.
Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department records show that D-Shape Limited filed trademark application 306264054 in 2023 for the stylized d.shape identity. The application, accepted for registration, covers 3D printers, artificial reefs and engineering services.
Another application, 306792292, was accepted in 2025 for Vitareef – A D-Shape Initiative, a separate brand associated with marine applications.
The company also appears in Hong Kong records as the owner of registered artificial reef designs.
These records suggest that the Hong Kong operation was building its own separate business identity and intellectual-property portfolio while developing Dini’s original technology.
That makes their disagreement a bit complicated.
A trademark application or registration doesn’t confirm ownership of the underlying printing tech. Also, revoking a technology licence doesn’t automatically determine the status of their separately registered trademarks or designs.
The actual rights would, of course, depend on the contractual agreements between the parties, applicable intellectual-property law and potentially decisions by the courts. We don’t know what they are.
What Happens To The Technology?
The obvious question is what happens to the Hong Kong operation now.
Its activities have included promoting large-format printing equipment, artificial reef designs and marine restoration solutions. Hong Kong Polytechnic University also reported collaborating with D-Shape on an artificial reef demonstration in 2024.
If the original technology licence has been validly terminated, what rights does the Hong Kong business retain to manufacture equipment, develop new products or support existing customers?
It’s conceivable that the company has developed independent improvements or acquired additional rights through its activities. However, any public information we can find does not show if any such rights exist.
There’s also the question of why the relationship fell apart.
Dini’s statement doesn’t explain the reason for revoking the licence, and I couldn’t locate any response from the Hong Kong company about the allegations.
At this stage, the termination and refusal to change the company’s name are Dini’s public claims, and may or may not be legally binding.
We’ve seen many 3D printing inventions move from an individual inventor into partnerships, licensed manufacturing operations and international businesses. Those deals can provide the resources needed to build out and truly commercialize a 3D printing technology, but they also separate the original inventor from commercial activity.
D-Shape now appears to be facing precisely that problem.
It is totally unclear how this will play out, since there are multiple jurisdictions, contracts, trademarks and more involved.
Via LinkedIn, Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department and StartmeupHK
