07-19-2018: Printrbot – the iconic manufacturer of low-cost FDM/FFF 3Dprinters, announced its closure due to bankruptcy
This marked the end of the American dream for the charismatic Brook Drumm
On July 19, 2018, Printrbot – one of the most well-known American companies producing hobbyist FDM/FFF 3D printers, unexpectedly announced its closure. This marked the end of the American dream for the charismatic Brook Drumm, who was to American hobbyists and amateurs what Josef Průša was to Europeans.
Printrbot's career began in 2011 with one of the most remarkable Kickstarter campaigns of that time. Brook Drumm – a former pastor and web developer, found himself at a professional crossroads and became interested in hobbyist 3D printers like RepRap, which were just starting to gain popularity worldwide. His goal was to create the simplest and cheapest 3D printer, which he achieved with Printrbot – a simple and rather primitive device, entirely based on an open wooden frame.
Drumm launched the project on Kickstarter, seeking $25,000 for further development. What happened next exceeded his wildest expectations – within 30 days, Printrbot raised $830,827 from 1808 backers. At the end of 2011, this was a record-breaking result on Kickstarter for new technologies, surpassed only a year later by Formlabs and their photopolymer 3D printer, The Form 1.
This event kickstarted the career of Drumm and his newly founded company in the emerging desktop 3D printers industry. Over the following years, Printrbot became, alongside MakerBot, Robo 3D, LulzBot, and Solidoodle, one of the ambassadors of the desktop craze for consumer 3D printers. At the same time, Drumm stood out among the leaders of various companies with his natural modesty and very direct approach to 3D printing and the use of 3D printers by beginners.
Unfortunately, the price pressure from Chinese companies, with which Printrbot had to compete on Amazon, proved too great. Additionally, Drumm himself later admitted in an interview with Joris Peels from 3DPrint.com that he had a rather lax approach to the company's finances and was surprised to find himself bankrupt.
After 2017, Brook Drumm made several attempts to return by presenting refreshed versions of his 3D printers, but so far without much success.