BASF invests $25m in 3D printing firm, Materialise

Posted on 19 Jul 2018 by Jonny Williamson
One of the big applications of additive manufacturing is the production of jigs, fixtures and fittings, and yet it's an area not many people are aware of – image courtesy of Materialise.

The world’s largest chemical producer, BASF, has announced a major investment in the Belgian-headquartered supplier of 3D printing technologies.

One of the big applications of additive manufacturing is the production of jigs, fixtures and fittings, and yet it's an area not many people are aware of – image courtesy of Materialise.
One of the big applications of 3D printing is the production of jigs, fixtures and fittings, and yet it’s an area not many people are aware of – image courtesy of Materialise.

The US$25m investment builds on an existing relationship between BASF and Materialise, with the two partners already working together to develop, improve and commercialise materials and software related to 3D printing.

Reportedly, the pair are specifically focusing on applications in the consumer goods sector and in the automotive and aerospace industries.

According to the official statement, the agreement allows for “systematic, wider scale testing and further optimisation by BASF of its materials on the machines and within the infrastructure of Materialise”.

Materialise CEO, Fried Vancraen commented: “To increase the adoption of 3D printing as a complementary manufacturing technology for final products, our industrial customers increasingly demand more control, more choice and ultimately lower cost.”

Volker Hammes, managing director of BASF 3D Printing Solutions, hopes that the strengthened cooperation will help to “accelerate the adoption of 3D printing in existing vertical markets”, alongside the creation of “business opportunities in new markets”.

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