Airtech and Kimya: A perfect pairing

Airtech Advanced Materials Group, a leading developer of materials for [previously] LFAM applications, has accelerated its presence in high-performance 3D printing with its recent acquisition of Kimya’s full filament portfolio, intellectual property, equipment and production assets. It’s a bold move, but one that makes strategic sense and further establishes Airtech as a serious player in the filament space.

At this year’s Rapid + TCT event in Detroit, we sat down with Gregory Haye, Director of Additive Manufacturing at Airtech, to unpack how this came about and what it means for the company, its customers and the broader AM industry.

The opportunity

The Kimya deal wasn’t something Airtech had been planning for years. In fact, as Haye put it, “We didn’t go in looking to acquire a company. We were shopping for more manufacturing hardware,” said Gregory. This changed quickly at Formnext, when word spread that Kimya was shutting down. “Initially, I thought maybe they have equipment we could buy. But once I started talking to them, I realized there was a lot more on the table than just machines.”

A much bigger opportunity then came to light, one that included a product portfolio of over 30 filament formulations, a seasoned technical team and a reputation for quality and customer service that strongly mirrored Airtech’s values.

Kimya, a former subsidiary of ARMOR Group, was exiting the AM market to refocus its investments. While timing may have been unfortunate for them, it proved ideal for Airtech. “There was a solid foundation there, not just in products, but in processes, people and values. We saw synergy immediately,” said Haye.

What stood out to Airtech wasn’t just the product line, which complements Airtech’s Dahltram filament materials without duplication, but also the validation lab, the quality assurance infrastructure and a pipeline of loyal distributors and industrial customers. The integration of these two companies allows for a feedback loop between filament and pellet development.

With years of experience developing advanced filaments, including carbon fiber-reinforced grades and high-temperature materials, Kimya brings a complementary R&D pipeline. Airtech, with its robust supply chains and extrusion knowledge, now serves as the bridge between traditional filament users and industrial pellet adopters.

The strategic POV

Production of the filaments is being relocated to Airtech’s European HQ in Luxembourg, where the company is rebuilding the entire operation from the ground up. Equipment has already been transferred, teams are being trained, and production is slated to restart in early May. “We’re moving fast, but not cutting corners. The priority is making sure we can supply Kimya’s existing customer base with the same quality and reliability they’ve come to expect.”

With Airtech’s global footprint and established customer relationships—particularly in aerospace and industrial sectors—the plan is to make Kimya filaments more globally accessible than ever before. “A lot of our customers already have filament printers on-site. They’re just waiting for a product they can trust. We now have that,” said Haye.

Rather than folding everything under the Airtech brand, the company is preserving the Kimya name—at least for now. With over 80% of Kimya’s existing materials already qualified by major OEMs, and the ability to now leverage Airtech’s global salesforce, the growth ceiling is high.

Playing the long game

Generally speaking, Airtech is in a good position: supported by a healthy parent company that allows it to focus on the bigger picture, rather than having to cash out for short-term, less sustainable opportunities. Amidst market volatility and supplier consolidation, Airtech aims to be a steady hand.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in AM right now. We want to be the consistent, reliable supplier that our customers can count on,” said Haye. This consistency also extends to supply chain reliability. “We manufacture close to market where possible, and we’re not dependent on one geography. That gives us insulation against trade disruptions, tariffs and other surprises.”

With the integration underway, a seasoned team in place, and production lines spinning up in Europe, Airtech’s entry into filament is looking less like a footnote and more like a major new chapter. As Gregory sees it: “We now have more opportunities than time to chase them all. We’re reinvesting, being selective, deliberate and focused on executing well. That’s always been the Airtech way.”