Cripps advises on UK acquisition for US tech company Desktop Metal, Inc.

Cripps Pemberton Greenish’s corporate team has advised Desktop Metal Operating, Inc, a subsidiary of New York Stock Exchange listed Desktop Metal, Inc., on the acquisition of UK company Meta Additive Limited.

Based in Massachusetts, Desktop Metal, Inc. is accelerating the transformation of manufacturing with an expansive portfolio of 3D printing solutions, from rapid prototyping to mass production. Founded in 2015 by leaders in advanced manufacturing, metallurgy, and robotics, the company aims to address the unmet challenges of speed, cost, and quality to make additive manufacturing an essential tool for engineers and manufacturers around the world. 2021 has been a successful year for Desktop Metal so far and the company has already completed multiple major acquisitions of other pioneering and leading players in additive manufacturing.

UK company Meta Additive Limited was founded by the University of Liverpool in 2019, with an aim to approach the additive manufacturing industry from a scientific perspective as opposed to that of traditional engineering. The company has since developed a novel chemical approach to 3D printing which allows materials to be manipulated at the molecular level, unlocking boundless design potential as well as smarter, cheaper, and more sustainable manufacturing solutions.

Following the acquisition of Meta Additive, Desktop Metal Operating will be able to utilise and further develop this revolutionary manufacturing process.

The Cripps team advising Desktop Metal Operating was led by Helen Garner, supported by Beth Barns-Graham, Freddie Pawlik (all Corporate), Elliot Fry and Phil Bilney (Commercial), Lisa Steer (Real Estate) and Camilla Beamish (Employment).

Commenting on the legal support provided, Arjun Aggarwal, Chief Product Officer at Desktop Metal, Inc said, “Helen and the Cripps team were proactive and provided clear and commercial guidance throughout the transaction process. This was a complex transaction and when issues arose, they were resolved quickly and without fuss, ensuring the deal stayed on track. They were a pleasure to work with”.