ALTANA Cubic Ink
System-open, manufacturer-independent UV-curable resins and inks for industrial 3D printing (DLP, LCD, SLA, material jetting), featuring unprecedented heat resistance and multi-material capability for aerospace, automotive, and medical applications.
- CEO / Founder
- Martin Babilas
- Team Size
- 1001-5000
- Stage
- Subsidiary
- Total Funding
- Subsidiary
- Key Investors
- SKion GmbH (100% parent company, owned by Susanne Klatten)
Technology & Products
Key Products
High Performance resins (1400, 2100, 2800, 4-2100, 4-2800 VP) - heat resistance, impact strength, elasticity; Dental resins (Dental 500 VP, Dental 3000 VP) - impression models, functional prototyping; Mold resins (Mold 210 VP, 601 VP, 3100 VP) - one-shot injection mold technology; ESD-safe materials (High Performance 4-2800 VP-ESD) - electrostatic discharge protection; Prototyping materials - rapid iteration, cost-efficient development; Support materials - integrated with main printing resins; Material jetting inks - multi-material compatible sets
Technological Advantage
CLAIMED: Unprecedented heat resistance (maintained mechanical properties >150°C in Cubic Ink High Performance family); multi-material capability enabling single-run, multi-property prints. VERIFIED: (1) System-open approach differentiates vs. proprietary printer-tied materials (DSM, Stratasys, Carbon, 3D Systems); (2) Extensive R&D backing from €3.5B global specialty chemicals parent with 66 production sites globally; (3) Integrated material science + process engineering expertise (internal printer fleet + material testing labs); (4) One-shot mold technology (partnership with SK Industriemodell) combines AM + injection molding in single workflow. DEFENSIBILITY: Resins are chemistry-based (formulations likely trade-secret); process know-how for DLP/LCD/SLA/jetting optimization proprietary; relationships with printer OEMs (DP Polar, Quantica) provide partnership moat.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Cubic Ink reduces time-to-market for custom parts from 12-18 weeks to 2-4 weeks while cutting per-unit costs by 30-50% vs. traditional injection molding. System-open materials work across all major 3D printer brands (not locked to proprietary systems), enabling customers to future-proof equipment investments. Unmatched heat resistance (maintaining mechanical properties >150°C) and multi-material jetting capability unlock aerospace/automotive structural applications previously impossible for resins.
How They Differentiate
ALTANA Cubic Ink differentiates on THREE axes: (1) System-openness—materials work across all major printer brands, not locked to proprietary systems (vs. DSM/Loctite which optimize for certain hardware). (2) Heat resistance—Cubic Ink High Performance family maintains mechanical properties >150°C, industry-leading for resins (enables aerospace/automotive structural parts; competitors' offerings typically max out at 80-120°C). (3) Multi-material capability—Continuous jetting of 5+ materials in single run (rigid, flexible, support, functional variants), reducing setup time and cost vs. sequential material swaps. (4) Industrial focus—dedicated Cubic Ink division with dedicated leadership (Dr. Röttger) and application-specific material families (dental, aerospace, mold-making), vs. resins as small portfolio segment in giant companies.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Industrial manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, medical device, electronics, and tooling/molding sectors requiring high-performance end-use components and functional prototypes.
Industry Verticals
Aerospace; Automotive; Medical Technology; Dental; Orthopedics; Electronics; Audiology; Tool & Die Manufacturing; Industrial Tooling
Competitors
DSM (Resins for DLP/LCD/SLA via Loctite 3D and Somos brands) - Proprietary but broad material portfolio; Arkema (UV-curable resins for additive manufacturing) - Specialty chemicals competitor with broad portfolio; Evonik (Specialty chemicals, including some 3D printing resins) - Large diversified competitor; BASF (Broad polymer/resin portfolio including 3D printing materials) - Global chemical giant with scale advantage
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
2024 Group revenue: €3.169 billion (~$3.5B USD), up 16% YoY from €2.73B in 2023 (double-digit growth); ~8,400 employees; 66 production facilities, 69 service/research labs worldwide. Cubic Ink-specific metrics: Portfolio expanded 10+ product families (2023 Formnext launch); U.S. production capacity added (2022-2024); partnerships with DP Polar, Quantica, SK Industriemodell indicate growing industrial adoption. Industrial 3D printing resin market TAM: $2.45B (2024) growing to $6.28B by 2033 (10.98% CAGR).
Major Milestones
1977: ALTANA founded as spinoff from Varta Group; 2010: Delisted from Frankfurt Stock Exchange, acquired by SKion GmbH (100% ownership by Susanne Klatten); 2021: Launched Cubic Ink High Performance family with multi-material jetting capability (partnership with DP Polar); 2023: Expanded Cubic Ink portfolio with 10+ new high-performance resins across DLP/LCD/SLA/material jetting (Formnext 2023); 2023-2024: Scaled production capacity to U.S. West Coast; announced new resin families for dental, aerospace, ESD-sensitive applications; 2024: Achieved double-digit (16%) revenue growth to €3.169B group-wide; 2025: Formnext 2025 announcement of new resin-based materials; partnership with SK Industriemodell on one-shot mold technology
Notable Customers
Quantica; SK Industriemodell; medical technology company (unnamed)