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Xaar

HardwareCambridge, United KingdomFounded 1990· One of 1636 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

Piezo drop-on-demand inkjet printheads (Xaar 1003 AM family, Nitrox, Irix, Aquinox aqueous); Versatex Printbar for inline digital embellishment; Megnajet ink supply systems; EPS product-decoration print systems; electronics, fluids and integration services.

Technical position · AMPulse analysis

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.

Patent position

Xaar filed 0 patent families in 2022–2024, down 100% from 12 in 2019–2021, while tracked AM filings in the same patent offices fell 10%. AMPulse analysis

Filing momentum
0 families filed 2022–2024, 12 in 2019–2021 (-100%); all tracked AM filings in the same offices -10%
Filed in
WO 43%EP 22%CN 22%US 13%
Named competitors, AM patent families
Kyocera 19Ricoh 6HP 16Xerox Elem Additive Solutions 248

23 AM patent families in total. Recent years are still being published, so read a filing change against the same-office figure.

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

Competitors

Fujifilm Dimatix, Kyocera, Ricoh, Canon, HP, Xerox, Epson

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

FY2025 revenue £60.1m (up 12% YoY continuing ops); Printhead revenue £43.0m (up 22% YoY); ~352 employees; adjusted PBT £0.8m; net cash £4.9m

Major Milestones

Founded 1990; LSE IPO 1997; Stratasys/Xaar 3D partnership 2018, full Stratasys ownership 2021; Ultra High Viscosity Technology for 3D; Ben Stocks appointed Chairman Oct 2025; Dongguan ink-delivery facility opened 2025; commercial breakthrough in jewellery wax 3D printing 2025; 35th anniversary Jul 2025

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.

https://www.xaar.com

Recent coverage of Xaar

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
25
Granted
6
Families
23

Leading domains: process (25), equipment (23), material (11)

Filings by year: 2020: 2 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6

  1. DROPLET DEPOSITION HEAD ALIGNMENT SYSTEM03680108 · EP
  2. DROPLET DEPOSITION HEAD ALIGNMENT SYSTEM03445591 · EP
  3. Nozzle arrangements for droplet ejection devices12076993 · US
  4. DROPLET DEPOSITION HEAD ALIGNMENT SYSTEM109070609 · CN
  5. NOZZLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR DROPLET EJECTION DEVICES04010196 · EP

Funding rounds

  • Debt Financing$12,700,0002026-03Source: Xaar FY2025 Final Results RNS - 24 Mar 2026
  • Debt Financing$6,300,0002023-06Source: Xaar Annual Report - June 2023
  • IPO$19,100,0001997-10Source: Xaar Timeline - October 1997

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

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.