Fwd: [New post] More Layoffs at MakerBot

[Morgan Miransky]

Fyi

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Hackaday" <commen...@wordpress.com>
Date: Feb 16, 2017 1:32 PM
Subject: [New post] More Layoffs at MakerBot
To: <directorofpu...@archreactor.org>
Cc:

Brian Benchoff posted: "MakerBot CEO [Nadav Goshen] announced that changes are needed to ensure product innovation and support long-term goals in a blog post published yesterday. To that end, MakerBot will reduce its staff by 30%. This follows a series of layoffs over a year ago" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Hackaday More Layoffs at MakerBot by Brian Benchoff MakerBot CEO [Nadav Goshen] announced that changes are needed to ensure product innovation and support long-term goals in a blog post published yesterday. To that end, MakerBot will reduce its staff by 30%. This follows a series of layoffs over a year ago that reduced the MakerBot workforce by 36%. With this latest series of layoffs, MakerBot has cut its workforce by over 50% in the span of two years. In addition to these layoffs, the hardware and software teams will be combined. Interestingly, the current Director of Digital Products, [Lucas Levin], will be promoted to VP of Product. Many in the 3D printer community have speculated MakerBot is pivoting from a hardware company to a software company. [Levin]'s promotion could be the first sign of this transition. When discussing MakerBot, many will cite the documentary Print the Legend. While it is a good introduction to the beginnings of the desktop 3D printer industry, it is by no means complete. The documentary came out too early, it really doesn't mention the un-open sourceness of MakerBot, the lawsuit with Form Labs wasn't covered, and there wasn't a word on how literally every other 3D printer manufacturer is selling more printers than MakerBot right now. Is this the end of MakerBot? No, but SYSS is back to the pre-3D-printer-hype levels. Stratasys' yearly financial report should be out in a month or so. Last year, that report was the inspiration for the MakerBot obituary. It's still relevant, and proving to be more and more correct, at least from where MakerBot's Hardware business stands. Brian Benchoff | February 16, 2017 at 11:31 am | Tags: 3d printer, layoff, makerbot, Nadav Goshen, stratasys, SYSS | Categories: 3d Printer hacks, news | URL: http://wp.me/pk3lN-11Eg Comment    See all comments Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Hackaday. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://hackaday.com/2017/02/16/more-layoffs-at-makerbot/ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

[Raymond Lulling]

Lots of competition in the market, and cheep products, slow adoption, very little gotta have it new features. Means 3D printers are like Desktop PCs. I watched that market tank. It's still tanking but more stable now that it was a few years ago. Likely to see many 3D printer groups die or merge to survive.

What 3D printing needs are some new features that are not rehashing or small tweaks. I can think of many features that we need that are scattered over the entire market but no two are in the same place. No one will buy everything to get them all, nor would that be feasible.

If maker bot wants to survive it will need to evolve, and simply offing a cheaper product, wont save their butts.