3D printer shipments to double by 2016

According to research company Gartner, shipments of3D printers are expected to exceed 490,000 units in 2016, doubling the estimated 244,000 units in 2015. In addition, the company forecasts a rapidly accelerating growth curve, with shipments expected to grow to 5.6 million by 2019. This represents annual growth of 121.3 percent through the next 5 years.

Gartner sees the sub-$1,000 segment to significantly outgrow the rest of the market. This led the research company to the conclusion that while shipments will expand at a CAGR of 121.3 percent through 2019, sales will jump by 72.8 percent over the same period. This indicates expansion from about $1.6 billion in 2015 to $14.6 billion in 2019.

Despite a number of hiccups in the industry, it appears as though Gartner is pointing to 2016 as the year the 3D printer industry will finally hit its growth spurt. The industry is expected to explode not only because of price decreases but also due to better performance and the fact that educational institutions and businesses will have a better understanding of how to use them.

According to Pete Basiliere, research vice president at Gartner, "rapid quality and performance innovations across all 3D printer technologies are driving both enterprise and consumer demand."

See a comparison table of selected 3D printer suppliers from GlobalSources.com