NematX secures strategic investment from Japanese partner

ETH Zurich spin-off and industrial 3D printing company NEMATX AG has joined forces with POLYPLASTICS Co., a global leader in the development and production of high-performance engineering plastics. Their strategic partnership aims to accelerate industrial 3d printing of high-performance polymers.

Founded in 2020, Nematx aims to introduce the next generation of high-performance polymer 3D printing and liquid crystal polymer (LCP) materials. The company utilizes its proprietary material extrusion technology –"Nematic 3D Printing" – to produce turnkey additive manufacturing solutions for precision-engineered components with superior thermal and mechanical properties.

Its flagship product, NEX 01 is a Swiss precision 3D printing platform that combines manufacturing precision with part performance in an industrial 3D printing platform designed for high throughput production with maximum process control. As the first company to introduce LCP 3D printing in 2020, the turnkey solution facilitates the manufacturing of precision electrical and electronic components – from connector housings for printed circuit boards (PCBs) to thin-film components for printed electronic applications – as well as specialized end-use products for semiconductor, mobility or healthcare applications.

Since shipping its commercial product last year, the startup has onboarded over 30 customers, mainly large corporations in the electronics and semiconductor industry from Asia and the US, generating revenues that will soon hit the 1mCHF revenue mark. The company has also attracted a private business angel who invested CHF 1.3 million in the company, complementing non-dilutive funding and prize money in the range of CHF 0.8 million.

Nematx has now entered a strategic partnership with POLYPLASTICS, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese DAICEL Group, and a leading global supplier of engineering thermoplastics boasting over 60 years of experience in the development and manufacture of engineering plastics. This partnership combines POLYPLASTICS’ leading role in advanced polymer materials with NEMATX’s cutting-edge high-precision material extrusion technology. The partnership will further spawn novel high-performance polymer grades and tailored industrial 3D printing processes that meet the stringent quality requirements for end-use parts in highly demanding markets.

The Swiss-Japanese partnership will further facilitate the global dissemination of NEMATX’ high-precision material extrusion platform NEX 01 in specialized markets. Furthermore, the investment will support the development of eco-friendly materials and efficient production processes, reducing material waste and resource consumption in industrial manufacturing operations.

(Press release/RAN)