Case Study: Guhring UK opens new revenue streams and slashes lead times with Markforged 3D printing

Opening Up New Revenue Streams with Additive Manufacturing

Guhring UK, a Birmingham‑based precision cutting tool manufacturer, faced long design and production lead times—up to eight weeks—for bespoke special tools, making small‑volume orders uneconomical. To open new revenue streams and reduce turnaround, Guhring evaluated additive manufacturing and, with local partner Mark3D UK, chose Markforged systems (a Metal X metal 3D printer and a continuous‑fiber 3D printer) to prototype in Onyx and produce functional tooling in H13 tool steel.

Using Markforged printers, Guhring rapidly moved from design to part: Onyx prototypes in a day and sintered metal cutters in about five days, enabling one‑off production in less than one‑third the previous time. The Markforged solution delivered measurable benefits—about 66% time saved in production, 75% lower low‑volume tooling costs, and 60% lighter tools—freeing CNC capacity, allowing service to smaller customers, and enabling further innovation like printed coolant pathways.

Guhring

Alan Pearce

PCD Production Supervisor