Wacker Chemie
Developed ACEO® technology, a patented drop-on-demand 3D printing method for creating objects from industrial-grade silicone materials.
- CEO / Founder
- Christian Hartel
- Team Size
- 16,376 (as of 2023)
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- Publicly Traded
- Latest Round
- Undisclosed
- Key Investors
- Institutional and private investors
Technology & Products
Key Products
["ACEO® Silicone Materials (various Shore A hardnesses and colors)","ACEO® Imagine Series K (Industrial 3D printer, previously offered)"]
Technological Advantage
The core advantage is the material itself. ACEO technology uses real, industrial-grade silicone, which provides superior thermal stability, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties compared to competing flexible materials. The process allows for high precision and design freedom, including multi-material printing with varying hardness or colors.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Enabling the additive manufacturing of complex, functional parts with genuine silicone rubber, offering properties like temperature and radiation resistance, biocompatibility, and flexibility that are not achievable with silicone-like resins.
How They Differentiate
Wacker differentiated itself by being a primary materials manufacturer that developed its own printing process (ACEO®) to work with pure silicones. While competitors like Carbon use resin-based approaches (DLS) and others like Elkem also provide silicone materials, Wacker's integrated approach as a technology pioneer was unique. However, since shutting down its printing service, its differentiation now lies primarily in its specialized silicone material formulations for AM.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Prototyping companies, medical device manufacturers, automotive suppliers, and industrial service providers requiring high-performance silicone parts.
Industry Verticals
["Medical","Automotive","Industrial Manufacturing","Soft Robotics","Electronics"]
Competitors
Elkem Silicones; Carbon; Spectroplast
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Group sales of €6.4 billion in 2023. The ACEO division's specific revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Major Milestones
["2016: Launched the ACEO® brand and the world's first industrial 3D printer for silicones.","2017: Opened the ACEO Open Print Lab in Burghausen, Germany.","2019: Launched the first U.S.-based ACEO Open Print Lab in Ann Arbor, Michigan.","2021: Discontinued the ACEO 3D printing service to focus on material sales."]
Notable Customers
While specific end-customer names are confidential, Wacker's ACEO technology has been used for applications in medical technology (e.g., anatomical models, surgical guides), automotive (e.g., seals, gaskets, light guides), and soft robotics.