The oracle has spoken. No interpreter required.
Yet, one section of Arno Held‘s remarks at Additive Manufacturing Strategies was particularly intriguing:
“AM is not a platform game. It’s an application monopoly game.
You have to own a niche application.”
Using the word monopoly so explicitly — almost a taboo in many contexts — is a bold choice, in my opinion.
In “Zero to One”, a book I recommend, Peter Thiel argues that monopolies, when built through true innovation, are not destructive but value-creating. Example: before Facebook existed, there was nothing. Then there was something. We went from zero to one. For a time, it was the only social network of its kind — effectively a monopoly — and that uniqueness created value for consumers.
Back to Advanced Manufacturing: there are applications where LPBF, DED can offer a unique value propositions and surpass Legacy Manufacturing. When you narrow the lens to total cost of ownership and functional performance, certain geometries and use cases become a territory that AM can monopolize.
The message was clear: go claim those applications, or face irrelevance.
Good news: those moving in that direction are expanding capacity today. One visible example is Conflux – a company AM Ventures works with.
When complimented on his compelling slides, Arno immediately responded:
“That’s Alexander Schmoeckel. He made them. He’s fantastic.”
Beside intellectual honesty, such a public recognition is a sign of strong leadership.
We’re lucky to have Arno Held in our Industry. He’s an enlightening presence – and always ready to share a laugh in good company.
Back to Advanced Manufacturing: there are applications where LPBF, DED can offer a unique value propositions and surpass Legacy Manufacturing. When you narrow the lens to total cost of ownership and functional performance, certain geometries and use cases become a territory that AM can monopolize.
The message was clear: go claim those applications, or face irrelevance.
Good news: those moving in that direction are expanding capacity today. One visible example is Conflux – a company AM Ventures works with.
When complimented on his compelling slides, Arno immediately responded:
“That’s Alexander Schmoeckel. He made them. He’s fantastic.”
Beside intellectual honesty, such a public recognition is a sign of strong leadership.
We’re lucky to have Arno Held in our Industry. He’s an enlightening presence – and always ready to share a laugh in good company.
VP Sales and Marketing
VALIMET, inc.