Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi discuss KKR’s strategic investment in Precipart and how it signifies a transformative shift for the company.
An October 2023 press release announced that KKR was investing in Precipart, a long-standing Long Island, New York industrial products manufacturer. This surprise investment signals significant changes that many outside observers haven’t noticed at the storied manufacturer.
Founded in 1950, Precipart was traditionally a manufacturer of small, precision-machined parts. It operated as what the manufacturing industry calls a “Swiss shop,” named after the numerous Swiss screw machines it historically utilized. These mechanical marvels can produce high volumes of tiny, machined metal components like screws, nuts and bolts. While Precipart maintains strong CNC machining capability and expertise in gears and motion control, its capabilities have greatly expanded.
As a sophisticated investor, KKR likely took notice of Precipart’s evolving expertise in applying 3D printing to prototype design for life science applications like hearing aids, drug delivery devices and non-invasive surgical tools.
“We have deep admiration and respect for the business that Oliver, his family, and the management team have built and are excited to be their chosen strategic partner to support the Company going forward,” said Anuv Ratan, a KKR Director.
Precipart now utilizes a wide range of advanced materials, including:
- Titanium alloys
- Stainless steel alloys
- Aluminum alloys
- Technical ceramics
Additionally, Precipart has honed unique capabilities in 3D printing and micro manufacturing. Its website describes these capabilities:
“The impact of 3D printing on accelerating innovation for minimally invasive devices and surgical robotics can’t be overstated. It opens up a world of possibilities to engineers, who now have the freedom to design lightweight, complex geometries that would otherwise be impossible to machine.”
For more information visit the Precipart product source here: Precipart
Other admirable aspects of Precipart’s 3D printing abilities include:
- Accuracy within ± 5 μm for up to 10 mm
- Laser spot size of 18 μm
- Wall thicknesses greater than 20 μm
- Small hole sizes less than 100 μm
- Surface coarseness: Ra 0.7 μm; Rz 2.7 μm
The Research & Development Tax Credit
Companies involved in the development of new or improved products, processes or software can now indefinitely benefit from the Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credit.
3D printing has the potential to substantially enhance a company’s R&D Tax Credits. Wages paid to technical employees engaged in the creation, testing, and refinement of 3D printed prototypes may be accounted for as a percentage of the eligible time for the R&D Tax Credit. Likewise, when 3D printing is employed to enhance a process, the time dedicated to integrating 3D printing hardware and software is considered an eligible activity. Ultimately, the costs of filaments used throughout the development process could also be reclaimed when 3D printing is deployed for modeling and preproduction purposes.
3D printing, whether used for the creation and testing of prototypes or for final production, is a strong indicator that activities eligible for R&D Credit are in progress. Companies using this technology at any stage should consider exploiting R&D Tax Credits.
Conclusion
Integrating nearly 75 years of traditional precision manufacturing expertise with advanced life sciences 3D printing technologies forms a potent combination. Observing the outcomes of KKR’s investment in Precipart’s mixed capabilities in both traditional and additive manufacturing could prove insightful for the medical device industry.
“Why did the 3D printer go to therapy? Because it had too many layers of unresolved issues!”
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