Makerbot announces restructuring and layoffs
Staff
Additive Manufacturing 3D printing MakerBot restructuringThe desktop 3D printing company will be cutting 30% of its workforce in an effort to reorganize into small groups around specific product offerings.
Makerbot’s new CEO Nadav Goshen announced a significant restructuring of the company in order to meet with growing challenges in the desktop 3D printing market.
The Stratasys subsidiary will be cutting 30% of its workforce in an effort to reorganize the staff into small groups around specific product offerings.
“I believe that this is the right path forward for MakerBot,” explains Goshen, in a blog post. “However, we have to make additional changes to lower costs and to support our long-term goals. The leadership team and I have been working on a new organizational structure, and as part of this new plan we will reduce staff at MakerBot by 30%. Greater focus on long-term goals is key to our success, and we must reduce the pressure and distraction of chasing short-term market trends. As part of Stratasys, we believe in the long-term opportunities in desktop 3D printing.”
The company will also consolidate hardware and software products under one team. The VP of Engineering, Dave Veisz, will now oversee all hardware and software R&D, and Makerbot is promoting current Director of Digital Products, Lucas Levin, to VP of Product, leading product management across hardware and software.
The company has announced that it will provide severance pay and will be offering career services to parting staff. It is unclear how many employees this will affect.
This is not the first time Makerbot has cut its staff. In 2015, the New York-based company shrank its workforce due to product and service revenue declines.
The company also noted Stratasys’ commitment to supporting the products and services of the 3D printing subsidiary. Stratasys acquired the startup MakerBot in 2013 for more than $400 million.
