We hope all our valued supporters and investors enjoyed a fantastic 2024 and a well-deserved holiday break. As we kick off the new year, we’re excited to share a quick recap of the milestones we achieved together. Let’s start with some highlights from the projects that launched or went public in 2024.
For more details on some of the projects featured here, make sure you're watching our social channels and be sure to follow us.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiteclouds
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiteclouds3d/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/whiteclouds
X: https://twitter.com/WhiteClouds
Although the project images should showcase the quality, quantity, and associated brands, here are a few extra bullet points that underscore our achievements from the past year...
Highlights
2024 marked another record-breaking year for WhiteClouds across various aspects. Our business cycle begins with web Traffic, which generates Leads that convert into Sales and ultimately drive Revenue when a project is delivered. Let’s explore each of these areas in detail.
TRAFFIC
- In 2023, we started a focus on creating unique, long-form, evergreen content on our website as a key component of our long-term Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. This effort resulted in a 46% increase in non-paid traffic compared to 2023. In 2024, we continued our content creation efforts publishing around 900 new articles. Overall traffic to the website grew 387% compared to 2023. In December 2024 alone, the website attracted 463,000 users, a dramatic increase from just 20,000 users in December 2023. Our content strategy has included a balanced mix of purchase-intent articles tailored to specific use cases and models for bottom-funnel visitors, alongside hundreds of top-funnel "Top 10" list articles. These top-funnel pieces have been instrumental in driving substantial traffic and, more importantly, generating dozens of new leads each month.
LEADS
- Leads have experienced a significant surge, with a 40% year-over-year (YoY) increase, including a remarkable 105% YoY growth in December alone. This spike is largely attributed to our ongoing efforts to publish website evergreen content. We’ve achieved a strong balance between highly specific, bottom-funnel purchase-intent content and top-funnel generic content, which also drives new leads and interest in what we do. Notably, approximately 30% of our leads now originate from this top-funnel evergreen content.
SALES (Closes)
- In 2024 we increased our sales team and made changes to its management. Sales saw a 19% YoY increase (around $900k) and custom orders increased 28% YoY.
- The average order size for 2024 was $11,402, down slightly from $12,368 in 2023. This decrease aligns with the increased volume of leads, particularly from top-funnel content, but remains significantly higher than pre-2023 levels.
REVENUE (Fabricated and Shipped)
- We had revenues of $5.224M in 2024 compared to $4.688M in 2023 with a Net Income of -$73,865 in 2024 vs $65,669 in 2023 (EBITDA of $38,037 in 2024 vs. $203,473 in 2023) with a gross margin of 81.72% in 2024 compared to 79.53% in 2023. The lower EBITDA in 2024 is mainly due to investments in employee infrastructure. We've expanded our teams, including sales, design, production, and project facilitation. Training new employees requires time from experienced staff, delaying productivity. Financial returns are also delayed, as revenue is often collected 6+ months after a sale when a project ships.
- Gross Profit in Q4 2024 alone saw a $263,624 increase compared to Q4 2023 and Net Income increased by $64k in Q4 2024 compared to Q4 2023.
Other Highlights
- Our long term debt has been reduced by $173k
- Our growth in Giant Metal Letters & Logos continues to accelerate, both in volume and scale. In 2023, we shipped 22 of these displays, up from 16 in 2022 and just 5 in 2021. In 2024, this number rose to 31, including our tallest and most complex project to date—an 11-foot-tall display featuring built-in LED recessed channel lighting.
- Our 3D-printed topographies have also seen remarkable growth through both custom sales and our eCommerce platform. In 2024, we shipped 60 custom 3D topo maps and dioramas, up from 42 in 2023. Additionally, eCommerce sales of 3D maps surged by an impressive 255%.
- In 2024, we introduced a new project type: 3D foam billboard props. The first project was a resounding success, with the finished prop enduring two hurricanes in Florida shortly after installation. We anticipate more of these projects in the future. Learn more about our 3D billboards on our website: https://www.whiteclouds.com/services/3d-billboards/.
- In addition to the project highlights we mentioned earlier, we also welcomed several other notable new customers and brands in 2024, including Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, Spalding, Mr. Beast, Funko, ArcelorMittal, Clear Channel, and many others.
Going in to 2025
- Facilities Consolidation: One of our primary goals for 2025 is to consolidate all three facilities into a single, much larger location. Currently, our production is limited by space constraints, and having employees spread across multiple locations hinders efficient communication and collaboration. Bringing everyone under one roof will significantly improve our operations and overall effectiveness.
- AI Expansion: In 2025, WhiteClouds will be integrating more AI technologies across the company to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences. From automating production processes to improving design capabilities and customer support, AI will play a key role in increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and driving innovation. By leveraging AI, we can offer faster turnaround times, more personalized services, and stay ahead in the competitive 3D printing market.
- Content Creation: WhiteClouds is expanding content creation to drive more traffic and engagement. By producing high-quality, informative content, we aim to showcase our 3D printing expertise, enhance brand visibility, and build customer loyalty. Through articles, blogs, videos, and social media, we’ll boost our online presence and reach.
When are we all going to see a return on our investment?
We’re in this journey together and are excited about what lies ahead. While some companies on Wefunder that we follow, as well as competitors in the 3D printing industry like Shapeways and Solid Terrains, have unfortunately closed their doors, we remain focused on strengthening our revenue, reputation, customer base, expertise, and market presence. We’ve made significant progress despite facing challenges such as inflation, rising shipping and material costs, and recruitment hurdles.
While we’re proud of how far we’ve come, there’s still important work ahead to reach consistent profitability and position ourselves for a successful exit.
We truly appreciate your patience and ongoing support. Please continue to refer anyone who could benefit from our services, follow and promote us on social media, and help spread the word about WhiteClouds. Your efforts are invaluable and make a real difference!