Agreement Strengthens i.materialiseTM 3D Printing Platform in South East Asia
Last Thursday marked the signing of a franchise agreement between Materialise (NASDAQ:MTLS) and UCT (NASDAQ: UCTT), which will enable UCT to bring the i.materialise 3D Printing platform to South East Asia and further expand the reach of 3D printing into traditional manufacturing markets. The agreement was signed in the presence of Her Royal Highness, Princess Astrid, Representative of His Majesty, the King of Belgium, on the occasion of an economic mission in the region.
The franchise agreement links Materialise, a leading provider of Additive Manufacturing software and of sophisticated 3D Printing solutions in the medical, industrial and consumer markets to UCT a global, vertically integrated contract manufacturing provider of high quality, broad-based manufacturing capabilities. The partnership enables both companies to expand the reach of 3D printing into the traditional outsource manufacturing sector.
The collaboration with UCT catapults the growth of the already successful i.materialise 3D Printing platform into South East Asia. UCT will use their Additive Manufacturing Center in Singapore to bring production closer to users in the region. The service will be available in Q1, 2015.
"i.materialise is dedicated to helping people to materialise their ideas, and in a way that's what this franchise agreement is doing — giving even more creative individuals the possibility to turn their dreams into 3D reality," Wim Michiels, Executive Vice President, Materialise says. "Additive Manufacturing has the potential to revolutionize how things are designed, made and distributed, and can truly contribute to the realization of a better and healthier world. I see this collaboration with UCT as a great opportunity to bring quality 3D printing, and the benefits it enables, closer to home in South East Asia."
Lavi Lev, Senior Vice President, UCT Asia stated "UCT strives to bring the newest manufacturing solutions to our broad base of customers. We believe offering the i.materialise 3D Printing Platform through our new and expanded Additive Manufacturing Center in Singapore will offer our customers manufacturing choices previously unavailable to them. Our customers can confidently entrust their product to two companies who offer over 50 years of combined excellence and innovation. Furthermore, we are grateful to do this in a region that offers a stable business environment, a rich pool of talent and a government that enthusiastically supports advanced manufacturing technologies."
Worldwide, people are discovering the wonder of 3D printing, as well as the unique challenges and needs that come with the territory. To help these people get the most out of 3D printing, the i.materialise online platform offers an entire range of solutions and services that go beyond just the 3D printing of designs. Designers, students, inventors and everyday consumers who want to create something unique can utilize the online service to produce their own products and, if they desire, share their products with and even offer them for sale to others through the platform.
www.materialise.com
