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3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
Over the five years through 2025-26, the UK 3D printing and rapid prototyping services industry has grown steadily as companies look for faster and more flexible ways to design and test products. Government support, particularly permanent full expensing for plant and machinery, has encouraged businesses to press ahead with investment and outsource to external providers rather than buy costly equipment in-house. Industry revenue is projected to rise at a compound annual rate of 6.7% over five years through 2025-26, with growth of 12.5% in 2025-26 alone, reaching £738.4 million. Profitability has been volatile, squeezed in 2022-23 by soaring energy and material prices, but profit margins have since improved as input costs fell and relief schemes helped stabilise overheads. Compared with the wider professional services sector, profit margins remain stronger as this industry relies more on specialist expertise than outside purchases, allowing companies to charge premium rates.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released September 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code SP0.006. Companies in this industry offer 3D printing and rapid prototyping, which is the automatic construction of physical objects using additive manufacturing technology. Techniques include melting or softening material to produce layers, laying liquid material thermosets that are cured, cutting thin layers to shape and joining materials together. This industry does not include the sale of 3D printers and supplies. Related terms covered in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom include computer-aided manufacturing (cam), rapid prototyping, stereolithography and additive manufacturing (am).
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom include Stereolithography, Fused Deposition Modelling and Selective Laser Sintering.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom include Renishaw plc and Proto Labs Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom is £738.4m in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 263 businesses in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 9.0 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom?
The 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom?
The 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 6.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom are Renishaw plc and Proto Labs Ltd
What does the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom include?
Stereolithography and Fused Deposition Modelling are part of the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom is Renishaw plc.
How competitive is the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Services industry in the United Kingdom.
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