The immediate priorities under new ownership are the installation of two additional EBM machines and the facility’s shift to larger premises.
Zenith Tecnica Limited (Zenith), a New Zealand-based contract manufacturer specializing in Electron Beam Melting (EBM) titanium additive manufacturing (AM) announces its acquisition by Andrew Burgess and Blair Jordan.
The new owners bring experience spanning aerospace manufacturing, such as Boeing and Amazon’s low-earth orbit satellite programs, as well as highly regulated food and dairy production environments, such as infant formula, where quality control and operational reliability are critical.
The acquisition is made along with the launch of an immediate program to expand production capacity.
For context, over the past twelve months, demand from new and existing customers has sharpened and grown to the point where Zenith’s available machine allocation is fully committed. Founded in 2014, what was, up until recently, a five-EBM-machine operation has since grown to six systems, yet demand continues to exceed available capacity. As a result, the company is immediately expanding to eight systems as part of its next phase of growth, cementing its place as one of the largest EBM manufacturing providers in the world.
Heather Grace, the company’s outgoing owner, has led Zenith through a period of sustained growth, including a 490% increase in annual revenue since FY2020, states:
“When I took ownership of Zenith after my tenure as General Manager, my goal was always to strengthen the business, continue to nurture and build our capable team, and ultimately transition it into the hands of owners who could drive its next stage of growth. I couldn’t be happier with where the company stands today and the opportunities that lie ahead.”
As a move to support the new leadership, and ensure a seamless transition, Heather Grace will remain as Interim General Manager through August 2026, after which she will begin to step back towards retirement.
The programs behind the growth.
Zenith Tecnica’s evolution has been driven by a range of demanding programs across aerospace, orthopedic, high-performance marine and other advanced manufacturing sectors. Through a decade-long partnership with Lanteris Space Systems, a U.S.-based satellite manufacturer now part of Intuitive Machines, Zenith has supplied critical structural components for a range of satellite and spaceflight programs.
These include NASA’s Psyche mission, currently en route to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche, and the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 Tracking Layer constellation program. The ongoing relationship has established Zenith as one of Lanteris’ longest-standing additive manufacturing partners.
In the medical sector, Zenith produces patient-matched orthopaedic implants, surgical guides, and other critical medical instruments through partnerships with local and international medical device design and manufacturing companies.
Unlike conventional implants, patient-matched solutions are designed around each individual’s anatomy, helping surgeons address complex bone loss and traumatic injury cases on a case-by-case basis. Manufactured in titanium using Electron Beam Melting (EBM) additive manufacturing, these components enable complex geometries to be produced with the reliability and speed required for high-pressure clinical scenarios, while maintaining the material integrity and consistency required for medical applications.
“The rapid expansion of demand we are seeing has only been possible after years of relationship building and developing the technical prowess to become a name that is trusted time and time again, no matter the industry. For us, it’s not just about being the best at understanding the technology, but it’s about understanding the customer; their projects, their timeline, and what they need out of us as a manufacturing partner,” continues Heather Grace, Interim General Manager, Zenith Tecnica.
Looking ahead, the addition of new EBM systems, larger facilities, and expanded manufacturing capabilities will strengthen the company’s position as one of the world’s largest and most capable EBM manufacturing partners, while enabling it to support increasingly ambitious programs for customers around the globe.
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