What Forward AM does

Forward AM is the industrial 3D printing materials and services brand of AM Marketplace GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF headquartered in Rheinmünster, Germany. The company operates along the full additive manufacturing value chain, offering the broadest commercially available portfolio of materials in the industry, organized under three proprietary brands: Ultrasint® powders for Powder Bed Fusion (TPU, PA11, PP lines), Ultrafuse® filaments and pellets for Fused Filament Fabrication (standard, engineering, reinforced, flexible, support, metal, and high-speed grades), and Ultracur3D® photopolymers for VAT polymerization (rigid, tough, flexible, dental, and supplementary lines). Materials are validated against 23+ machine manufacturer platforms including HP, Stratasys, Ultimaker, and Zortrax, and are distributed through a global network of machine manufacturer partners, service bureaus, and distributors, with the recent addition of the iAM Marketplace ecosystem launched in November 2025. Named enterprise customers include Liebherr, Lufthansa, Daimler, and Hymer across industrial manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and recreational vehicle verticals, alongside exposure to medical, dental, consumer goods, construction, and energy segments.

Beyond materials, Forward AM monetizes through Ultrasim® 3D engineering services (lattice design, FEA simulation, testing for AM, sustainability and cost analysis), Ultrasim® 3D software (NextMold, Lattice Library integrated into partner platforms such as Lutracad), and post-processing services including vapor chemical smoothing (delivered with partners AMT and DyeMansion), coatings (Ultracur3D® Coat F+), and debinding/sintering for metal filament workflows. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time materials sales supplemented by professional services and an emerging software/recurring component; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified by TÜV Rheinland and positions sustainability (biobased and recycled grades such as rPETG pellets and PA11 rCF) as a material commercial differentiator.

Name

Forward AM

Legal name

AM Marketplace GmbH

Website

https://forward-am.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Forward AM is a BASF-owned industrial 3D printing materials and services company offering the world's largest portfolio of powders, filaments, photopolymers, and pellets validated across 24+ printer platforms, serving automotive, aerospace, medical, and industrial manufacturing customers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

3D Printing Materials

NAICS

Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)

akta.pro primary industry

Materials R&D & Characterization (Powder/Resin Development, Testing) (IMAAAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Polymer Powders (SLS/MJF) (IMAAABAB), Electronics & Industrial Component 3D Printing Services (enclosures, fixtures, functional parts) (IMAAADAL)

Keywords

• 3D printing materials
• Additive manufacturing powders
• Photopolymer resins
• Metal filaments
• AM engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 3D Printing Materials Sales: Sale of proprietary materials including powders, filaments, and photopolymers under Ultrasint®, Ultrafuse®, and Ultracur3D® brands through distributors and iAM Marketplace
2. Additive Manufacturing Services: Engineering simulation services, consulting, and post-processing services including chemical smoothing, coatings, and debinding/sintering
3. Software Solutions: Digital solutions including Ultrasim® 3D Lattice Library and NextMold application solutions

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forward AM develops, manufactures, and sells proprietary 3D printing materials — Ultrasint® powders for Powder Bed Fusion, Ultrafuse® filaments and pellets for FFF/FDM, and Ultracur3D® photopolymers for VAT photopolymerization — targeting industrial additive manufacturing. The company complements its materials with Ultrasim® 3D engineering services (lattice design, FEA simulation, testing, sustainability and cost analysis), Ultrasim® 3D digital software tools, and post-processing services such as chemical smoothing and coatings.

Product overview

Forward AM is a comprehensive 3D printing materials and services company offering the world's largest selection of industrial additive manufacturing materials and solutions. The portfolio centers on three material brands: Ultrasint® Powders (TPU, PA11, PP for Powder Bed Fusion), Ultrafuse® Filaments (standard, engineering, reinforced, flexible, metal, support filaments and pellets for FFF/FDM), and Ultracur3D® Photopolymers (rigid, tough, flexible, dental resins for VAT polymerization). Beyond materials, Forward AM provides integrated services including Ultrasim® 3D (simulation, lattice design, testing, sustainability/cost analysis), Ultrasim® 3D Software (NextMold, Lattice Library), and post-processing solutions (chemical smoothing, Ultracur3D® Coat F+, depowdering, debinding/sintering). Materials are validated across 24+ machine manufacturer platforms including HP, Stratasys, Ultimaker, Zortrax, and voxeljet. Distribution occurs through distributors globally and via iAM Marketplace. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications from TÜV Rheinland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ultrasint® Powders Proprietary polymer powders for Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) 3D printing, including TPU Line (TPU01, TPU 88A, TPU 88A black), PA11 Line (PA11, PA11 Black, PA11 ESD, PA11 Black CF, PA11 rCF) with biobased/recycled options, and PP Line (HP 3D High Reusability PP, PP 1400 Black, Stratasys SAF™ PP) for industrial customers.
• Ultrafuse® Filaments Comprehensive FFF/FDM 3D printing filament portfolio for industrial and professional users, including Standard Line (PLA, PET, ABS, PP), Engineering Line (PLA Tough, PLA PRO1, ABS Fusion+, ASA, PC/ABS FR), Flexible Line TPU (TPU 85A, TPU 64D, TPU 95A), Reinforced Line (PP GF30, PET CF15, PAHT CF15, PA6 GF30), Support Line (BVOH, HiPS), Metal Filaments (316L, 17-4 PH, Support Layer), and high-speed solutions.
• Ultrafuse® Pellets Large-format 3D printing pellets including rPETG (recycled PETG), PP GF30 (30% glass fiber reinforced polypropylene), and PC GF30 (30% glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate) for sustainable and cost-effective production of large components.
• Ultracur3D® Photopolymers Reactive urethane photopolymers for VAT photopolymerization 3D printing, including Rigid Line (RG 35, RG 1100, RG 3280, xMOLD, RG 9400 B FR), Tough Line (ST 45, ST 7500 G), Flexible/Elastomeric Line (EL 4000), Dental Line (DM 2505, DM 4505 N), and Supplementary Line (Cleaner, Coat F+, Color Kit CK).
• Ultrasim® 3D Services Engineering and consulting services for additive manufacturing, including Lattice Design, Simulation (FEA), Testing for AM (TfAM), Sustainability Analysis (LCA), Cost Analysis (TCO), Virtual Engineering, and NextMold application solutions.
• Ultracur3D® Coat F+ Waterborne polyurethane coating for elastic 3D printed materials requiring exceptional flexibility and high surface finish quality, sold under the Ultracur3D® Supplementary Line.
• Chemical Smoothing Service Vapor smoothing post-processing service that enhances aesthetics, durability, surface roughness, and overall quality of 3D printed parts through controlled solvent exposure.
• Ultimaker Metal Expansion Kit Complete Metal Expansion Kit for Ultimaker S5 enabling metal 3D printing on desktop FDM platforms with Ultrafuse® 316L and 17-4 PH filaments, jointly launched with Ultimaker.
• Ultracur3D® DM 4505 N Water-washable dental photopolymer resin with high pigment stability, no need for frequent mixing, free from TPO and TMPTA, designed for dental professionals.
• Ultrafuse® PC GF30 30% glass fiber filled polycarbonate filament for FFF printing with UL94 V0 flame retardancy rating, designed for transportation industry applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Materials available via iAM Marketplace since November 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ZortraxcoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-term strategic partnership for comprehensive FDM and UV LCD solutions. Zortrax is a globally-recognized manufacturer of desktop and industrial 3D printers. Joint forces include Full Metal Packages with Ultrafuse 316L, 17-4 PH, and Support Layer for metal 3D printing.
• UltimakercoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing partnership delivering open platform for professional 3D printing. Forward AM materials are validated with Ultimaker S2+, S3, and S5 printers. Joint Metal Expansion Kit including Ultrafuse 17-4 PH and Support Layer. Material profiles available on Ultimaker Marketplace.
• StratasyscoreTechnology or IntegrationMachine manufacturer partner offering Forward AM materials including Stratasys SAF PP. Products available via iAM Marketplace since November 2025.
• HPcoreTechnology or IntegrationHP 3D High Reusability PP enabled by Forward AM, validated for HP Multi Jet Fusion printers.
• BASFcoreOthersForward AM is the brand of AM Marketplace GmbH, previously associated with BASF. Materials are based on BASF's Elastollan TPU and other BASF chemical technologies. The company leverages BASF's chemical industry expertise.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• 3D Systems: 3D Systems produces SLA, SLS, and MJP printers along with proprietary materials and on-demand manufacturing services. Comparable because it overlaps with Forward AM across multiple AM technologies and offers both materials and services.
• Stratasys: Stratasys is a major AM hardware OEM that sells SAF and FDM printers and proprietary materials. Comparable because Stratasys both partners with Forward AM (SAF PP) and competes for polymer powder and filament revenue.
• HP (HP 3D Printing): HP sells Multi Jet Fusion printers and competes in materials as a captive supplier; HP also partners with Forward AM on the High Reusability PP material. Directly comparable because HP and Forward AM are both active in industrial polymer powder materials for PBF.

Direct peers

• Formlabs: Formlabs designs and sells SLA/LFS 3D printers and a captive catalog of photopolymer resins, including dental and engineering materials. Comparable as a competing developer and supplier of photopolymer resins for VAT photopolymerization.
• EOS: EOS is a leading supplier of industrial SLS and DMLS systems and develops its own polymer powder materials (e.g., polyamide 12, TPU). Directly comparable because EOS competes head-to-head with Forward AM's Ultrasint® polymer powder portfolio in the SLS/PBF segment.
• Evonik (INFINAM): Evonik's INFINAM division produces specialty 3D printing polymer powders and photopolymer resins (PA12, PA613, elastomers). Directly comparable as a competing specialty chemical company selling industrial AM materials with a similar go-to-market model.
• Arkema (Sartomer): Arkema supplies N3xtDimension® UV-curable photopolymer resins for 3D printing via its Sartomer business. Directly comparable because Arkema competes with Forward AM's Ultracur3D® photopolymer portfolio in the VAT photopolymerization segment.

Emerging players

• Photocentric: Photocentric manufactures LCD-based 3D printers and a broad catalog of photopolymer resins for industrial, dental, and consumer use. Comparable as a competing photopolymer resin developer partnered with major printer OEMs.
• Materialise: Materialise operates a large 3D printing service bureau and develops its own Magics software and industrial AM software solutions. Comparable because it represents an adjacent service-bureau and software model alongside materials, with overlapping industrial customers.
• Carbon (Carbon Inc.): Carbon produces CLIP DLS printers and proprietary dual-cure resins for production applications such as footwear and dental. Comparable because Carbon competes with Forward AM in high-performance photopolymer resins targeting industrial end-use parts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/basf-forwardam

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forward AM