Page 34 - MTW NOVEMBER 2021 - Digital Magazine_Neat

INDUSTRY FOCUS

Survey Shows

Increase of CNC

Users Making a

Profit Through UK

Lockdown

3DTEK surveyed their customers to gain an insight
into the growing CNC hobby market

DTEK recently surveyed their customers to gain
an insight into the growing CNC hobby market
3which saw big growth during lockdown. The survey
correlates this growth, showing that 70.7% of those
surveyed had been enjoying CNC milling as a hobby for less
than a year, and 67.5% said they discovered CNC milling
when actively searching for a new hobby.
These statistics are supported by growth in other hobby
sectors, identified in an article published by The Guardian
in August 2020 which reported that Hobbycraft saw 200%
growth during the early parts of the first lockdown.
One of the most surprising results from the survey
conducted by 3DTEK shows the entrepreneurial flair of
CNC hobbyists, with 61% claiming to make a profit from
their creations. The most popular of which, according to
the survey includes ornaments (31%), tools (15.8%), and
instruments (13.2%).
Continuing the entrepreneurial theme, the survey tells
us that 39% of the projects that participants work on were
professional commissions, mostly using oak (57.7%) and
birch wood (25%).
Statistics from a survey commissioned by GoDaddy last
year, show that one in five workers used their time at home
through lockdown to start up news businesses as furlough
and employment fears drove many to start a new side
hustle.
Finally, when asked about future plans, 39% said they’d
look to upgrade their kit and 43.9% said they’d be happy to
continue with their current setup.

28 MACHINE TOOLS WORLD NOVEMBER 2021 www.mtwmag.com