GE Additive (West Chester, OH), Concept Laser (Lichtenfels, Germany), and Arcam (Mölndal, Sweden) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GKN (Redditch, Worcestershire, England) to collaborate on additive manufacturing. The agreement includes the provision of additive manufacturing machines and services to GKN, allowing them to be a GE Additive Production Partner. GKN also becomes a non-exclusive preferred additive manufacturing powder supplier to GE Additive and its affiliated companies.

As part of the agreement, some of the activities include:

• GE Additive and its affiliated companies will become non-exclusive preferred suppliers of additive manufacturing machines to GKN and its affiliates; 
• GKN will become a GE Additive development and production partner for a range of powder-bed and freeform deposition technologies;
• GKN will collaborate with GE Additive on part development projects on powder bed machines to enable new market opportunities;
• GKN will become a non-exclusive preferred supplier of powder to GE Additive and GE's industrial businesses; and
• GE Additive’s Engineering Consulting Team (known as AddWorks) will assist GKN and its affiliates with the acceleration and industrialization of additive manufacturing machines.

In addition to the $1.4 billion investment in Concept Laser and Arcam, GE has also invested approximately $1.5 billion in manufacturing and additive technologies over the past 10 years, developed additive applications across six GE businesses, created new services applications across the company, and earned 346 patents in material science. In 2016, the company established GE Additive to supply additive technology, materials, and services for industries and businesses worldwide.