HardwareCambridge, United KingdomFounded 1990· One of 1757 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse
Manufactures piezo-based drop-on-demand inkjet printheads for industrial applications, enabling precise fluid deposition in 3D printing, coatings, and advanced manufacturing.
CEO / Founder
John Mills
Team Size
201-500
Stage
Public
Total Funding
Publicly Traded
Latest Round
Debt
Key Investors
Public Investors; HSBC
Technology & Products
Key Products
Xaar designs, manufactures, and sells piezo-based drop-on-demand inkjet printheads, including the Xaar 1003 AM family, Xaar Nitrox, and Xaar Irix. They also provide ink and ink systems, electronics, and fluid optimization services.
Technological Advantage
Proprietary piezo inkjet technology with verified performance in industrial environments; patents on printhead architecture and fluid handling; defensible through IP and long-term OEM partnerships.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Provides high-performance inkjet printheads with Ultra High Viscosity Technology, enabling 3D printing with extended material properties (up to 1000cP viscosity) and reliable production for cost-effective, on-demand manufacturing.
How They Differentiate
Specializes in piezo-based drop-on-demand inkjet with Ultra High Viscosity Technology, enabling 3D printing with high-viscosity materials (1000cP vs. typical <100cP), while competitors focus on broader inkjet markets with less AM specialization.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
OEMs, system integrators, and manufacturers in 3D printing, packaging, ceramics, textiles, and EV battery sectors
Industry Verticals
3D Printing; Packaging; Ceramics; Textiles; Automotive; Electronics; Medical
Revenue estimated at $78.5M; Printhead Division revenue grew 22% year-on-year in H2 2025.
Major Milestones
Founded in 1990; Listed on London Stock Exchange in 1997; Partnership with Stratasys for Xaar 3D in 2018; Stratasys acquired full ownership of Xaar 3D in 2021; Launch of Ultra High Viscosity Technology for 3D printing
Notable Customers
Xaar's customer base includes industrial manufacturers in sectors such as ceramics, EV battery coating, automotive, and textiles. They primarily serve printer OEMs through direct relationships and global distributors.
Xaar occupies a distinctive position in industrial inkjet as a specialist in piezo-based drop-on-demand printheads, differentiated by its Ultra High Viscosity Technology. While most inkjet printheads are limited to fluids below 100cP, Xaar's printheads can jet materials up to 1000cP, enabling additive manufacturing with a broader range of polymers and functional fluids. This capability targets applications where standard inkjet printheads cannot reliably deposit viscous materials, such as binder jetting of polymer powders and direct material jetting of engineering-grade resins.
The company's core product line includes the Xaar 1003 AM family, Xaar Nitrox, and Xaar Irix printheads, supported by proprietary TF Technology that maintains consistent ink flow and prevents nozzle blocking. Xaar also supplies ink systems, electronics, and fluid optimization services to OEMs and system integrators. Its technology is applied across polymer AM processes including binder jetting, material jetting, and Selective Absorption Fusion (SAF), the latter commercialized through a former joint venture with Stratasys.
Xaar serves OEMs and manufacturers in 3D printing, packaging, ceramics, textiles, automotive, electronics, and medical sectors. Notable end-market applications include ceramic tile decoration, EV battery electrode coating, and industrial 3D printing. The company's customer base is primarily printer OEMs reached through direct relationships and global distributors. Key partnerships include Stratasys (for SAF technology), M&R Printing Equipment, Flashforge, Sokan New Materials Group, Quantica, and Lincsolution.
Xaar faces strong competition from larger Japanese rivals such as Fujifilm Dimatix, Kyocera, Ricoh, Canon, and Epson, which dominate broader industrial inkjet markets. Xaar's differentiation lies in its AM-specific focus and high-viscosity capability, but its scale is smaller, with estimated revenue of $78.5M and a 22% year-on-year printhead division growth in H2 2025. The company's IP portfolio in printhead architecture and fluid handling provides a defensible moat, though the long-term risk is that larger competitors may develop similar high-viscosity capabilities.