A Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire 3D printing manufacturer, founded in 2017, that makes production parts and tooling for hypercars and other industries and designs its own printers.
Ryse 3D calls itself "a technology manufacturing business" rather than just a 3D printing company. It uses 3D printing to make real, working parts and the tools used to make other parts. About 80% of its work is production printing using methods such as MJF, SLS, SLA and FDM, and about 20% is tooling, such as moulds for carbon fibre, press forming and press braking. It has produced more than two million parts for cars on the road, and has worked on 23 hypercar programmes, including air-conditioning units, brake ducts and wing mirror parts. It also serves aerospace, medical, industrial and renewable energy customers.
Mitchell Barnes founded Ryse 3D in 2017. He began at university, when he needed models for a final-year project and could not afford to have them made, so he built a 3D printer in his mother's garage and sold printing to classmates. That led to consultancy work, including in Formula One, and then to Ryse. The company's goal is to become a leading UK producer of 3D printed parts and tooling and to bring more manufacturing back to the UK. Mr Barnes said, "We want to make the right things for the right reasons." Ryse won the King's Award for Enterprise in Innovation in December 2024 for its 3D printed production tooling.
Ryse 3D is based in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire. A Machinery article describes an 8,000 sq ft facility with 26 people; The Manufacturer later reported 27 staff, with a target of 50 to 60. TCT magazine said its hub runs more than 100 3D printers. In 2024 the company launched the LANDR 500, a large 500 mm cube FDM printer developed by a Ryse spin-out, and it is working on a bigger pellet-fed printer. It has also added large robotic printing for construction and marine uses. TCT reported sales growth of 58% in 2024.
On culture, Mr Barnes told The Manufacturer that Ryse recruits for attitude and process skills over formal qualifications, has hired people from hospitality and fast food, and now focuses more on former apprentices than graduates. His view is that "experience helps, but drive is everything". Those are the founder's own claims in a trade interview. The company also uses AI and machine learning to measure machine efficiency, and has stated it wants to put more investment into automation rather than only adding people.
Teams in a business like Ryse include machine operators and technicians, design engineers, tooling specialists, quality and inspection staff, software and automation engineers, and sales, finance and customer service. Engineering, design, materials, computing and business subjects all lead here. Its journey, from a garage to a King's Award winner, shows how a young UK manufacturer can grow quickly with a clear specialism.
Website: ryse3d.com
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