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Xerox Elem Additive Solutions

Division

HardwareNorwalk, CT, USAFounded 1906· One of 1733 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

Develops and commercializes the ElemX liquid metal 3D printer for on-demand manufacturing, targeting supply chain resiliency in aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors.

CEO / Founder
Louie Pastor
Team Size
10000+
Stage
Public
Total Funding
Undisclosed

Technology & Products

Key Products

ElemX liquid metal 3D printer

Technological Advantage

Proprietary LMP process eliminates powder handling, reducing safety risks and operational complexity; enables first metal 3D printer deployed at sea (U.S. Navy USS Essex), demonstrating ruggedness and supply chain agility.

Patent position

Molten metal deposition rose from 40% to 76% of its process mix. AMPulse analysis

Filing momentum
39 families filed 2022–2024, 135 in 2019–2021
Process mix, 2019–2021 → 2022–2024
Molten metal deposition 40% → 76%
Focus, 2019–2021 → 2022–2024
Materials 85% → 94%Equipment 69% → 72%
Filed in
CN 29%US 26%EP 26%JP 16%WO 4%
Named competitors, AM patent families
ADDiTEC 23Desktop Metal 83Markforged 83

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

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces supply chain vulnerabilities by enabling local, on-demand metal part production with a safer, simpler liquid metal printing process that eliminates powder handling and reduces lead times.

How They Differentiate

ElemX uses liquid metal printing (molten aluminum wire) vs. competitors' powder-based LPBF or binder jetting, offering 3x safer operation with no powder hazards, simpler maintenance, and faster deployment for on-site applications like naval ships.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Manufacturers in transportation, aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors seeking on-demand, decentralized production.

Industry Verticals

Aerospace; Defense; Industrial Manufacturing; Transportation

Competitors

ADDiTEC; Vader Systems (acquired by Xerox); Other metal AM hardware providers (e.g., Desktop Metal, Markforged)

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Xerox acquired Lexmark and Itsavvy, serving over 200,000 clients in 170+ countries with 125 manufacturing and distribution facilities in 16 countries; targeted $240 million in transaction-related cost synergies from Lexmark acquisition by end of year two; rolled out 'Reinvention' operating-model overhaul early 2024

Major Milestones

2019: Commercialization of Elem Additive technology; 2021: Deployment of ElemX printer on USS Essex (first metal 3D printer at sea); 2023: Sale of Elem Additive Solutions to ADDiTEC

Notable Customers

U.S. Navy (USS Essex); Vertex Manufacturing; Siemens

https://www.xerox.com/en-us/innovation/insights/additive-manufacturing-3d-printing

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
261
Granted
80
Families
248

Leading domains: process (261), material (178), equipment (176)

Filings by year: 2023: 9 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 82 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 9

  1. Metal droplet ejection three-dimensional (3D) object printer with increased material deposition rate114713856 · CN
  2. Three phase immiscible polymer-metal blends for high conductivity composites11545278 · US
  3. SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MULTI-NOZZLE EXTRUDER DURING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING03882004 · EP
  4. POLYMER FILAMENTS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING HAVING REDUCED EMISSIONS04098443 · EP
  5. LIQUID METAL DROP MASS MEASUREMENT AND METHODS THEREOF20230076563 · US

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

Xerox entered the additive manufacturing market with the ElemX liquid metal 3D printer, a system that uses molten aluminum wire instead of metal powder. This approach eliminates powder handling hazards and simplifies the workflow, making it suited for decentralized, on-site production environments where safety and ease of use are critical.

The ElemX printer was deployed on the USS Essex, becoming the first metal 3D printer operated at sea. This deployment demonstrated the system's ruggedness and ability to produce parts on demand in remote locations, directly supporting supply chain resiliency goals for the U.S. Navy and other defense customers.

Xerox's target customers include manufacturers in aerospace, defense, transportation, and industrial sectors seeking local, on-demand metal part production. Notable partners include the U.S. Navy, Vertex Manufacturing, and Siemens. The company also collaborated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Rochester Institute of Technology on development.

Xerox sold its Elem Additive Solutions business to ADDiTEC in 2023, shifting its additive strategy. The company's broader industrial footprint includes over 200,000 clients across 170 countries, with 125 manufacturing and distribution facilities. Competitors in liquid metal printing include ADDiTEC and Vader Systems, which Xerox had previously acquired.