3D Printing Industry in Mexico
The Mexican edition of The 3D Printing World Guide was published on 2025-02-18. It featured five companies representing three segments of Mexico 3D printing market.
Hardware Manufacturers:
AM Service Providers:
Distributors:
Mexico 3D printing industry
“Additive Manufacturing in Mexico it’s a complex history.”
This was how Mario Martínez—the co- founder of Grupo XDS, one of the most prominent and longest-running companies in this market—summed up our conversation about this edition of The 3D Printing World Guide.
This issue is different from all previous ones. We are presenting only five companies, which at first glance might seem like a weak result. However, thanks to Mario Martínez, we have managed to create a truly unique edition that holds value in its own right.
Because, honestly—how much do you really know about the Mexican 3D printing market?
In North America, it is overshadowed by the U.S. market, which is the cradle of Additive Manufacturing and, alongside China, one of the two largest in the world. On top of that, there is also the Canadian market, home to many well-known companies.
Meanwhile, the Mexican AM market is not only significant but has a history stretching back to 1996—essentially the dawn of the 3D printing industry. At that time, Stratasys, EOS, and Materialise were still small, local businesses that had existed for only six or seven years, and Objet Geometries had yet to be founded.
Mexico also carries the stigma of organized crime, reinforced by numerous films and TV series (from Traffic to Narcos: Mexico). This has led to the country being perceived less seriously by the rest of the world. Yet, it remains one of the world’s largest economies, and its potential is highly underrated.
In this edition of The 3D Printing World Guide, we delve into all of this. We explore some aspects of Mexico’s economy but primarily focus on the early days of the AM industry in the country, its current state, and its unique characteristics.
And once again, a huge acknowledgment to Mario Martínez, who provided many of the invaluable insights below and is the spiritual co-author of this edition!
Mexican Economy
Mexico’s economy is one of the largest and most diverse in Latin America and the world. In 2023, Mexico ranked 15th in terms of nominal GDP, which stood at approximately $1.7 trillion. Forecasts for 2024 predict GDP growth of around 2-3%, a moderate pace considering global economic challenges.
Mexico is the second-largest economy in Latin America, behind only Brazil, and the fourth-largest in the Americas, following the U.S., Brazil, and Canada.
Key industries in Mexico include the automotive, oil and gas, electronics and technology, agriculture, and tourism sectors.
The automotive industry is one of the most important, with Mexico being among the world’s largest car exporters. Production is concentrated in regions such as Aguascalientes and Guanajuato, and collaboration with global corporations like General Motors and Volkswagen generates a significant share of GDP.
The oil and gas industry, dominated by the state-owned company PEMEX, also plays a crucial role, though it faces challenges related to underinvestment and declining production. The electronics and technology sector is another vital industry, with Mexico serving as a major electronics manufacturing hub for companies like Intel and Foxconn.
Agriculture, though less modernized, remains significant, with Mexico being one of the largest exporters of avocados, tomatoes, and other agricultural products. Tourism also plays a major role, with destinations such as Cancún, the Riviera Maya, and Mexico City attracting millions of visitors annually.
When comparing Mexico to other economies, it is essential to note its strong economic ties with the U.S., as it is one of its main trading partners, largely due to the USMCA agreement. However, Mexico’s GDP per capita is significantly lower than that of the U.S., standing at around $10,000 compared to $70,000 in the U.S. in 2023.
Compared to Brazil, Mexico stands out with a more diversified industrial base and stronger connections to the U.S. market. In contrast to Canada, Mexico has a lower GDP per capita but surpasses it in population and market potential.
Mexico, however, faces several economic challenges.
Social inequality is one of its biggest issues, with the country having one of the highest income inequality rates in the world, which limits domestic market development. Organized crime is another major problem, hindering business growth.
Additionally, Mexico’s high dependence on the U.S. means that economic fluctuations in the United States have a direct impact on the Mexican economy.
Despite these challenges, Mexico remains a key player in the global economy, particularly due to its geographic location and strong trade ties with the U.S. Industrial diversification and market potential provide opportunities for further growth, provided that major economic issues are addressed.
History of Mexican AM Industry
The origins of the AM industry in Mexico date back to 1996 when Juan Gonzales Luna founded Tecnologías Computarizadas para Manufactura (TCM). This was the first company in Mexico to officially sell 3D printers. From the beginning, they partnered with Stratasys and continue to work closely with the brand to this day.
For over a decade, only a few companies were present in the market. One of the most significant was TECSOL, located in Monterrey—they were the first to bring Z Corporation 3D printers to Mexico and were one of the oldest (probably the oldest?) 3D Systems resellers in the country.
In these early years, Grupo Hi-Tec and Cimco were also notable as companies selling 3D printers, specifically Objet Geometries and related hardware. Unfortunately, among them, only TECSOL and TCM remain active in the AM market today, while Hi-Tec made a return last year, offering Eplus3D metal systems.
Mario Martínez met the founder of TCM back in 2005 at the TECMA fair—once the largest and sole trade show for industrial machinery in Mexico. TCM was promoting the Uprint for $12,000 USD. He picked up some promotional materials and realized that having a machine capable of producing plastic parts was a game-changer at the time.
He decided he wanted to run a company using 3D printing and achieved his goal four years later. Founded in 2009 by four engineering students, Grupo XDS became one of Mexico’s longest-running service providers in the market. The company quickly distinguished itself through its technical expertise and commitment to innovation.
By 2012, the first MakerBot 3D printers started appearing, and the market began moving more rapidly. However, at $2,500 USD, they were still not cheap for many.
By that time, some new companies emerged, investing in AM technology. One of them was Satori 3D, equipped with two MakerBot printers and later a Projet 660. They led the way in offering these services in Mexico City for a while.
It was in 2013-2014 when things truly unraveled. At least a dozen companies appeared on the scene—all of them claiming to be pioneers in the field.
And then, the names started popping up:
Rockit Print from Mexico City (Maria Senosian), Century 3D from Mexico City (Horacio Ruiz), Sitres Latam, TridiMX from Queretaro, Ideaz 3D from Sonora, Proyectil from Mexico City, Ideas Disruptivas from Mexico City (Lino Romero), Makermex from Guanajuato, 3D Factory from Monterrey (Ricardo Zablah & Erick Ramirez), Satori 3D, 3Dlabfab&café from Mexico City (Rodrigo Perez Weiss), Colibri 3D, Mexbot, Minifab 3D (Fabien Legay), Prototipadora (Luis Cordoba), 3D Smartlabs, 3D Market, Cadsurfer, Ingenia, Mediprint, Concepto 3D, Monavax, Ing3nia.
And at least 20 more…
But by 2018, most of them had vanished.
After that, the AM market in Mexico began to mature. Shift 3D started operations by bringing HP MJF technology. TridiMX expanded and featured Stratasys Fortus 450 and 900 cm systems. Unfortunately, by 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and in 2021, TridiMX started facing financial problems. By mid-2022, they ceased operations, sold the Stratasys machines to Intelligy, and disappeared.
This shift in the market led to a second wave of companies and makers who, during the pandemic, bought machines as a means of survival due to job losses or as a business opportunity. They started selling COVID-19-related products, from ear savers to respirator adapters, filters, and similar items—all made in PLA.
Today, most major Mexican companies are distributors and resellers of machines rather than service bureaus or experienced AM-integrated shops.
The most important ones (according to Martínez) are: Century 3D, 3D Market, Shift 3D, TCM, Solidservicios, CAD AVSHMEIP, Ortodigital (focused on dental AM applications), 3D Manufacturing, and Intelligy.
There are also probably 20 or more resellers of brands such as 3D Systems, Stratasys, Meltio, Massivit, and others.