Thinktec Gmbh

What Thinktec Gmbh does

Thinktec GmbH is a German industrial 3D printing service provider headquartered in Grafenau, Bavaria, founded in 2016 and operating as a privately held GmbH with 11-50 employees. The company's core technology is additive manufacturing using HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) on Jet Fusion 5200 systems, complemented by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Inkjet processes, and supported by a Keyence VL-350 reverse engineering scanner with ±10 µm measurement accuracy. It offers a full value chain spanning design and topology optimization, series production, prototyping, surface finishing (varnishing, chemical smoothing, dyeing, texturing), reverse engineering, ISO 9001- and VDA-compliant quality assurance, and assembly services across materials including PA12, PA11, TPU, ABS, PLA, PC, PETG ESD, ASA, and specialty resins.

The company serves B2B industrial customers in mechanical engineering, automotive, medical technology, aviation, architecture, and research, with public case studies in E-Bike, automotive, special machine building, and electronic devices producing between 100 and 5,000 units per year. Revenue is generated on a quote-based, pay-as-you-go model where customers submit STL or STEP files and receive pricing based on material, quantity, and finish requirements. Go-to-market is direct, via website, phone, email, and trade show presence at 'all about automation' events in Friedrichshafen and Straubing, supplemented by the TEC Center experience facility co-developed with HP and KUKA. The firm is led by two managing directors, Marco Biebl (Consulting & Sales) and Roman Weber (Construction & Technology), holds ISO 9001 and Certified HP DP Partner credentials, and has no disclosed external funding or M&A activity.

Name

Thinktec Gmbh

Legal name

thinkTEC GmbH

Website

https://thinktec-bayern.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thinktec GmbH is a Bavarian industrial 3D printing service bureau using HP Multi Jet Fusion, FDM, and Inkjet technologies to deliver series production, prototyping, design, and finishing services to B2B customers in mechanical engineering, automotive, medical technology, and related industrial sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Additive Manufacturing Services

NAICS

Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Polymer 3D Printing Service Bureaus (FDM/FFF, SLA/DLP, SLS/MJF) (IMAAADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conferences, Workshops & Industry Events (AM Knowledge Sharing) (IMAAAJAL), Construction & Architecture (Additive End-Use Components) (IMAAAEAK)

Keywords

• Industrial 3D printing
• Additive manufacturing services
• Rapid prototyping
• Multi Jet Fusion production
• Custom 3D printed components

Headquarters

HQ city

Grafenau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing Services: Core revenue stream from manufacturing additively produced components for industrial applications. Services include series production, prototype manufacturing, with short delivery times and various post-processing options. Pricing based on material, quantity, and finish requirements.
2. Component Design and Engineering: New construction (grippers, housings, automation solutions) and optimization of existing parts and assemblies using additive manufacturing principles including topology optimization.
3. Post-Processing Services: Surface treatment services including varnishing (RAL colors, textured paint, EMC coating), chemical smoothing, dyeing, sanding (barrel finishing or manual grinding), and texturing. Also includes assembly services (joining, threaded assembly, component assembly, machining post-processing).
4. Sample Case and Workshop Sales: Sale of the 3D sample case (Musterkoffer) - world's first completely additively manufactured sample case - and 3D printing workshops for companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

thinkTEC GmbH provides industrial additive manufacturing (3D printing) services using HP Multi Jet Fusion, FDM, and Inkjet technologies, delivering series production and prototypes for industrial customers. The offering spans the full value chain from new construction and topology optimization through printing, surface treatment, reverse engineering, quality assurance, and final assembly. Customers in mechanical engineering, automotive, medical technology, aviation, architecture, and research submit STL or STEP files to receive quote-based manufactured components in materials such as PA12, PA11, TPU, ABS, PLA, PC, and PETG ESD.

Product overview

Thinktec GmbH is an additive manufacturing service provider offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on industrial 3D printing services using Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), FDM, and Inkjet technologies. The core product is the Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing Service for series production and prototypes. The offering is complemented by Development and Design Services for new constructions and optimization, Surface Treatment, Reverse Engineering with Keyence 3D scanning, Quality Assurance, and Assembly Services. Additional value-added services include the 3D Sample Case (Musterkoffer) as a tangible demonstration product, the TEC Center experience facility developed with HP and KUKA, and customized 3D Printing Workshops. The company also offers various materials including PA12, PA11, PA12 GB, TPU, ABS, PLA, PC, PETG ESD, ASA, and specialty resins (AR-M2, AR-H1, AR-G1L, AR-G1H) through different printing processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TEC Center: Experience center for additive manufacturing showcasing HP and Kuka robotic applications
• 3D Sample Case (3D Musterkoffer)
• 3D Printing Workshop

Products and services

• Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing Service Industrial 3D printing service providing series production and prototype manufacturing with short delivery times using Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and Inkjet technologies across materials such as PA12, PA11, TPU, ABS, PLA, PC, and PETG ESD. Targeted at industrial customers in mechanical engineering, automotive, medical technology, aviation, and architecture.
• Development and Design Services Design and engineering service delivering new construction of grippers, housings, and automation solutions, plus adaptation and optimization of existing parts and assemblies using topology optimization techniques. Targeted at industrial customers seeking functional integration and weight or cost savings through additive design.
• Surface Treatment Surface finishing service offering varnishing in RAL colors with EMC coatings, chemical smoothing, dyeing, sanding via barrel finishing or manual grinding, and texturing. Targeted at industrial customers requiring finished surfaces on 3D printed parts.
• Reverse Engineering Reverse engineering service using the Keyence VL-350 scanner with guaranteed measurement accuracy of ±10 µm and repeatability of 2 µm, including STL file creation and target/actual comparison reports. Targeted at manufacturers needing digital replicas of physical parts.
• Quality Assurance Quality assurance service offering dimensional tolerance checking, tensile tests for mechanical properties, initial sample test reports, VDA-compliant testing, and in-house endurance tests. Targeted at customers in regulated industries requiring documented manufacturing quality.
• Assembly Services Post-processing assembly service including joining, threaded assembly, component assembly, machining post-processing, plastic welding, and threaded bushing installation. Targeted at industrial customers seeking turnkey additively manufactured sub-assemblies.
• 3D Sample Case (Musterkoffer) World's first completely additively manufactured sample case containing 25 Multi Jet Fusion components plus multi-material parts with functional elements like springs, locking mechanisms, and chains; dimensions approx. 310x176x106 mm and total weight approx. 1.5 kg. Available as a demonstration and sales product showcasing additive manufacturing capability to prospective industrial customers.
• 3D Printing Workshop Customized workshop service for companies covering additive manufacturing in series production, design thinking, production processes, and applications; includes workshop documents, facility tours, and sample case demonstrations. Targeted at industrial buyers seeking internal upskilling and exploration of additive manufacturing use cases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Measurement accuracy of ±10 µm and repeatability of 2 µm with Keyence VL-350 scanner
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HP (Hewlett-Packard)coreTechnology or IntegrationCertified HP Direct Part Production (DP) Partner and Partner-First-3D-Printing-Specialist. The partnership involves use of HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology, specifically HP Jet Fusion 5200 3D Printing systems. The collaboration extends to the TEC Center showroom where HP technology is showcased alongside Kuka robotics.
• KUKAcoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic collaboration for the TEC Center experience facility. Two KUKA robots are installed for direct testing and experimentation with End of Arm Tools and automation solutions, demonstrating additive manufacturing integration with robotics.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Materialise: Global industrial 3D printing service bureau offering polymer and metal AM, software, and end-use part production. Closest large-scale analogue to thinkTEC's MJF-based series and prototype services, though at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Protolabs: Digital manufacturing services platform with on-demand 3D printing (including MJF/FDM/SLS) alongside CNC, injection molding, and sheet metal. Competes directly with thinkTEC for industrial prototype-to-series orders across DACH.
• Stratasys Direct Manufacturing: Service bureau arm of Stratasys offering FDM, PolyJet, and other polymer AM for prototypes and end-use parts. Directly comparable model — outsourced AM services for industrial customers — with broader geographic coverage.
• FIT Production: German-based additive manufacturing service provider offering industrial 3D printing, prototyping, and series production. Closest regional head-to-head peer for thinkTEC across DACH mechanical engineering and automotive customers.

Broad incumbents

• voxeljet: German-headquartered industrial 3D printing company offering binder jetting and related services for metal and sand molds. Comparable as a German AM service and equipment provider, though focused on different process technologies.
• HP (Hewlett-Packard): Technology partner and equipment OEM behind thinkTEC's MJF 5200 systems. Also operates its own MJF service network, making HP both an enabler and a broad incumbent competing for end-customer relationships.
• EOS GmbH: German-headquartered global leader in industrial AM with strong metal SLS/DMLS offering and polymer systems. Competes for the same industrial customers as thinkTEC but with a broader technology portfolio and global footprint.
• 3D Systems: Diversified 3D printing vendor offering printers, materials, software, and on-demand manufacturing services. Competes in the industrial polymer AM services space that thinkTEC addresses, with deeper materials IP and global reach.

Emerging players

• SLM Solutions Group: German metal AM specialist (selective laser melting). Adjacent rather than direct — competes for the same industrial customers in aerospace and automotive but addresses metal parts that thinkTEC's polymer-only stack does not.

Regional players

• Alphaform AG: German provider of additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping services for industrial customers. Comparable regional service-bureau model focused on the DACH market, including automotive and medical technology verticals.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thinktec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thinktecgmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Thinktec Gmbh