Shapeways - Announces Restructuring Out of Bankruptcy

[Dutch]

Just heard from one of my regular 3D print vendors on Shapeways.com that SW has filed for bankruptcy.  He passed me his personal email so we can keep in touch. Wonder how this will play out for the hobby.

Kind regards,  

Dutch

Edited December 3, 2024 by Dutch

[southwestforests]

I had nice wish lists there, especially astronaut and pilot figures. Several people were offering very nice ones in 1/144, 1/72, and 1/48, scales.

Also had lists for desired sci-fi game ships, and model boat details.

And some model railway things.

Being low income I couldn't stimulate their economy as much as desired, but, hey, I did buy.

Browser bookmark for my Shapeways wishlist page now just gets stuck loading, looks like website has been deactivated.

[Dutch]

I can still go to my profile on SW. I can see past orders, but I seem to have lost my wishlist as well. 

[Da SWO]

My SW experience was hit or miss.

 

Searching rarely gave me what I wanted, I have a couple of vendors I'll still use, but I hope SW 2.0 will be better.

[southwestforests]

1 hour ago, Da SWO said:

Searching rarely gave me what I wanted

 

True, the search function did seem a bit, let's say, arcane.

But ...

It probably was heavily dependent on what words the creators employed to tag their stuff.

And I don't know what else it depended upon, but it certainly wasn't on the same wavelength my mind is.

 

Think searching Shapeways was a chore?

Try searching the user-created downloadable content, created in multiple languages, for the Trainz Railroad Simulator program ...

Want a factory to add to your railway route?  Hahaha! What is the word for factory in 5 languages? How many of those available are merely named with the creator's file number for the thing? ... the company name for the thing? ... the city the real one was in?

And that steam locomotive you like ... did the designer list it by wheel arrangement in the American notation style, the English notation style, or the continental European notation style? By class number? By class name? By road number? And ... the tenders are always separate items, how did the designer list its tender, does the listing info include the locomotive type in the same style as it itself is listed? Does the tender listing even include the locomotive type or does it just say such and such companys so many gallons tender?

[Ben Brown]

Bummer, I was just about to order a couple of 1/144 models from them. My admittedly limited with them was hit and miss, too. Three of the planes I got were pretty decent after some cleanup, but it took them three trys to send me another that wasn’t damaged or warped.
 

I’m lucky in that most of what I could have ordered from them I can download from Thingiverse or Cults3D and have my local hobby shop print them. Just no Beech 1900C.😒

 

Ben

[Dutch]

Ben,

I feel you!  My Wishlist loaded after a little pause, so I may try one last order for 1/144 airfield ground equipment and see what happens.  I received my latest order last week, so was totally unaware of the SW state of affairs.

K/r,

Dutch

[sigtau]

According to this article, they have ceased operations:

 

https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/07/3d-printing-firm-shapeways-files-for-bankruptcy/

 

I wouldn't risk a dime on trying to put in an order now.

[Dutch]

I just received this email today.

 

Subj: Shapeways is Coming Home to Trusted Management and Founding Visionaries

 

Shapeways is Coming Home

Dear ********,

 

I am delighted to announce that Shapeways is coming home.

 

Two original co-founders along with the highly-skilled leadership team from our Eindhoven factory have stepped in to steward the company into its next1 chapter. After Shapeways Inc. filed for bankruptcy in July, we knew we had to resurrect the company and preserve the digital manufacturing engine we all helped to build - a combination of dedicated, skilled people, cutting-edge machinery and sophisticated software. Moving forward, our focus is on rebuilding Shapeways and leveraging our digital manufacturing engine for our customers’ success.

 

We regret to inform you that our marketplace cannot be revived as it previously existed, as all marketplace accounts and accompanying data were deleted in the bankruptcy. We still believe in the Shapeways Shops concept and are actively pursuing new ways to replace this service for the Shapeways community. This exploration will take time and we ask for your patience on this journey. We hope to find a solution that allows you to access a similarly eclectic array of unique objects as you came to expect from the Shapeways marketplace. Stay tuned for details.

 

If you are a creator yourself you can upload and order your models here - we’d love to have you back.

 

In the meantime, you can learn more about the new Shapeways in our press release, here. We have compiled a FAQ around the bankruptcy and loss of the marketplace here. And you can learn a bit more about me, the new leadership team, and our vision for Shapeways here.

 

Warmly,

Marleen Vogelaar, CEO

[Sodasorb]

I just got the Email as well.  Welcome news!

[Michael A.]

Does this mean that I can expect them to fulfill a $60.00 order from about 6 months ago?

[Dutch]

Probably not.