Not to pile on .....but I will...
Charlie, you might recall a post from you (I believe it was you) that had a link to a recorded video presentation that had three individuals explaining the difference between laser and EBM. There were two technical people (I believe from an aerospace company), and there was a marketing type guy from GE/Arcam.
The GE guy did not impress me. With respect to explaining the benefits of metal 3D printing generally and in terms of explaining the advantages/disadvantages of laser vs. ebm ... I felt his elevator pitch had a lot to be desired. For this promotional piece where he had an opportunity to prepare, he should have had a concise and compelling story to tell. In my opinion, he did not. And, I recall him deferring to the tech people on questions I think he should have had the answers to.
I was going to post something about this but never got around to it.
I also recall going to Arcam's special meeting in the Boston area. This event took place before GE acquired Arcam. Rene Magnus (sp?) and a couple of other presenters made a joke about their lack of marketing material. And, at the same time we heard from Arcam that sales in their Service Bureau Division (forget the Division name) were slowing and the reason given was the slowing in demand for things made using traditional metal fabricating technologies - technologies employed by Arcam's service bureau. Ironically, the metal fabricating technologies that they were referring to are the same technologies that EBM is supposed to be supplanting. Arcam did not seem to see the irony in offering this as a reason for declining sales.
I always felt that Arcam should have been able to use their Service Bureau as the tip of the spear to advance usage of EBM. Never happened.
Before GE came along, Arcam struck me as a technology company .... and less a marketing/sales company. I was hoping that GE was going to help with this. Have not seen it yet. We see examples of poor marketing such as no press releases and internet links that are problematic. And, I witnessed what I considered to be an Arcam marketing person who did not have an compelling elevator pitch during a pre-planned marketing type event. Maybe GE's larger problem is that they are also a technology company first and foremost.
There is not excuse to not have a powerful message out about 3D and the value add of EBM vs. Laser.
Maybe I am a technology investor. I give too much attention to the technology my investments are selling, when I should be paying more attention to the whole company.
