Metal recycler Continuum raises $36M in funding

Metal recycler and additive manufacturing material producer Continuum, Los Gatos, California, announced it has raised a total of $36 million in funding, led by Houston-based Ara Partners.

Continuum says the investment will fund accelerated expansion of 100-percent-recycled commercial metal powder production to meet growing customer demand for sustainable materials. The company says that Ara’s partnership will also support its international growth and continued research into adjacent technologies and customer applications.

“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,” Continuum CEO Phil Ward says. “Ara’s investment allows us to supply the industry’s growth with a sustainable solution. 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.”

The company says its 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, the company says 30 different alloys and thousands of variations have been produced.

“Creating a circular metals economy is critical to meeting the world’s sustainability goals,” Ara Partner Cory Steffek says. “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. We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to help Continuum scale and address these enormous hurdles.”