Wayland Additive raises £4.6M to boost their electron beam 3D printing production.
UK-based Wayland Additive Limited has successfully closed a £4.6M (US$5.7M) funding round to meet the demands of its growing global customer base.
A Leap Forward in Electron Beam 3D Printing
Wayland Additive is a one of the very few companies in the industry producing electron beam 3D printing technology. They have developed systems that surpass the speed and precision of traditional laser-based technologies, and competing EBM rivals.
The company manufactures and sells the Calibur3 metal additive manufacturing machine (seen at top), catering to end-users requiring high-precision, complex components in industries such as aerospace, mining, and medical.
The Neubeam Process and Calibur3 Machine
The Calibur3 machines feature the Neubeam process, delivering all the advantages of metal electron beam technology while overcoming several technical issues that have historically hindered broader adoption of EBM technology. Wayland’s customers include the RAF (UK) and Exergy Solutions (Canada), with the next shipments scheduled for May to North America, Europe, and beyond.
These machines enable customers to print highly specialized “super materials,” such as the world’s hardest steel or tungsten, remotely and on-demand. This eliminates downtime caused by spare part shortages and allows organizations to create precisely what they need, when they need it. These materials can be used in high-temperature and high-wear applications, opening up new possibilities for downstream technologies in various industries.
Leveraging Yorkshire’s Rich Metallurgy Heritage
Drawing upon Yorkshire’s robust long metallurgy heritage, Wayland provides a local supply base for its business and recruits from a talent pool already proficient in manufacturing engineering skills.
Future Plans with New Funding
Wayland plans to use the funding to increase in-house production capabilities, delivering more machines and materials to customers. The company aims to reduce order-to-delivery time by addressing supply chain issues and moving towards an off-the-shelf approach. The investment will also support hiring, including the recruitment of a COO, and further research and development.
Unlocking Customer Potential
Will Richardson, CEO of Wayland Additive, emphasized the company’s global demand and its role in streamlining customer operations. By providing bespoke additive manufacturing, Wayland can offer customers high-value components on-demand, thus unlocking their potential.
The latest funding round attracted backing from existing investors Longwall Ventures, Parkwalk Advisors, and ACF Investors, along with new strategic investor Metrea Discovery.
Investments of this magnitude are a signal that a company has provided sufficient confidence to investors that it will grow in the future, and that’s just what we’re expecting to see in Wayland in coming years.
Via Wayland Additive
