Los Gatos, CA – November 17th, 2022 – Continuum, the leader in sustainable metal recycling and supply and a leading producer of high-quality additive manufacturing material, today announced it has raised a total of $36 million in funding led by Ara Partners (“Ara”). The investment will fund accelerated expansion of 100% recycled commercial metal powder production to meet growing customer demand for sustainable materials. Ara’s partnership will also support the international growth of the Company and continued research into adjacent technologies and customer applications. Continuum is advancing the world of additive manufacturing and metallurgy industries by providing the highest quality ISO/AS certified metal alloy powders using its proprietary process.
“The additive manufacturing powder market is expected to more than triple over the next five years as the 3D printing industry hits a commercial inflection point. Ara’s investment allows us to supply the industry’s growth with a sustainable solution” said Phil Ward of Continuum. “Ara has demonstrated experience scaling businesses that support the transition to a circular economy, and we look forward to working with them as a strategic and financial partner.”
Continuum, the newly minted commercial arm of MolyWorks Materials Corporation, emphasizes the critical role the Company plays in accelerating the adoption of circular manufacturing. Continuum addresses the missing link in the circular metal supply chain through its unique ability to produce high-quality materials for engineered parts through 100% recycled and responsibly sourced materials.
“Creating a circular metals economy is critical to meeting the world’s sustainability goals. Titanium, stainless steel, and Inconel alone account for tens of millions of tons of scrap metal each year that will need to be repurposed in the new sustainable economy” said Cory Steffek, Partner at Ara. “We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to help Continuum scale and address these enormous hurdles.”
Continuum’s Optipowder has complete traceability and maximum purity, is ISO/AS certified and engineered for multiple applications including Additive Manufacturing, Metal Injection Molding, Cold Spray, and more. To date, more than 30 different alloys and thousands of variations have been produced. Continuum is headquartered in Los Gatos, California.
About Ara Partners
Ara Partners is a private equity firm specializing in industrial decarbonization investments. Ara Partners invests in the industrial and manufacturing, chemicals and materials, energy efficiency, green fuels, and food and agriculture sectors, seeking to build businesses that provide significant decarbonization impact. It operates from offices in: Houston, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; and Dublin, Ireland. For more information on Ara Partners, visit www.arapartners.com.
