Thanks to the explosive rise of 3-D printing, there's a good chance 2014 will be another big year for advanced manufacturing stocks. After all, these breakthroughs are finally coming of age and giving everyday users unprecedented access to advanced manufacturing processes. The fact that anyone with an Internet connection, a vision, and a little know-how can become a full-scale manufacturer is simply amazing.
This puts 3D Systems (DDD -0.86%), Proto Labs (PRLB -0.47%), and General Electric (GE -2.11%) in interesting positions to benefit from what many are calling the third industrial revolution. In the following video, 3-D printing analyst Steve Heller gives his reasons for why these companies will likely be making big moves in the year ahead and why he likes them over the long term.
