Forward AM by BASF and Prismlab Further Strengthen Partnership in 3D Printing
- Forward AM broadens portfolio by integrating selected Prismlab photopolymer products in Ultracur3D® range
- Prismlab to distribute Forward AM Ultracur3D® materials alongside Prismlab 3D printers in Asia
- Partnership consolidates both partners’ market reach and further expands offering accelerating industrialization of Additive Manufacturing
Forward AM and Prismlab, a leading provider of photopolymer 3D printing solutions, have signed a partnership agreement in Shanghai, China, where Prismlab is headquartered.
This agreement enables Forward AM to integrate selected Prismlab’s 3D printing photopolymer products in the company’s Ultracur3D® photopolymer portfolio. This fits the Forward AM strategy of offering a comprehensive portfolio comprising all major technologies available on the Additive Manufacturing market. Through this partnership Forward AM strengthens its position within the Asian market and is now best placed to drive large-scale 3D printing solutions globally across the full spectrum of manufacturing industries.
Under the agreement, Prismlab becomes an official distributor of Forward AM’s high performance Ultracur3D® photopolymer products from Asia to global step by step, offering the material within a dedicated portfolio, “Ultracur3D® for Prismlab”, in combination with Prismlab’s own advanced 3D printers.
“Through adding selected photopolymer products from Prismlab to our portfolio, we are broadening our product offering to the rapidly developing Asian market. We are currently setting up local production, logistics and technical services in Asia to reinforce our presence in the region. We are convinced this partnership strengthens our market position, especially in the orthodontic industry, and will enable us to engage deeper with downstream customers”, explains François Minec, Managing Director BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH.
The two companies have signed this agreement to achieve a win-win on the global 3D printing market by combining Forward AM’s unique chemicals expertise and industry access with Prismlab’s innovative 3D printers and production expertise.
“With this deepened collaboration, we will be able to leverage synergies with BASF in the 3D printing industry. The partnership with Forward AM complements our current material offering. It enables us to further explore and enhance innovative applications, including functional prototyping requiring tailor-made material solutions with improved toughness, heat resistance and long-term stability. At the same time we can better address the needs of our customers and partners, for example in the footwear and dental industry”, confirms Hou Feng, Founder and Chairman of Prismlab.
The collaboration further strengthens the ties between Forward AM and Prismlab and their joint commitment to provide customers with best-in-class industrialized Additive Manufacturing solutions.
The two companies launched their partnership in 2018, when BASF Venture Capital invested in Prismlab’s innovative technology. This was born in 2013 when Prismlab developed and patented its own 3D printing process, Pixel Resolution Enhanced Technology, based on stereolithography (SLA). The patented Prismlab technology can be used in various key customer applications, including invisible braces as well as anatomical models for medical, educational and training purposes. Alongside this patented process, Prismlab also markets its own advanced 3D printers and further related services.
About 3D Printing Solutions
BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, is a 100% subsidiary of BASF New Business GmbH. It focuses on establishing and expanding the business under the Forward AM brand with advanced materials, system solutions, components and services in the field of 3D printing. BASF 3D Printing Solutions is organized into startup-like structures to serve customers in the dynamic 3D printing market. It cooperates closely with the global research platforms and application technologies of various departments at BASF as well as with research institutes, universities, startups and industrial partners. Potential customers are primarily companies that intend to use 3D printing for industrial manufacturing. Typical industries include automotive, aerospace and consumer goods. For further information please visit: www.forward-am.com.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
About Prismlab
Prismlab is China's leading provider of 3D printing products and solutions. In 2013, it successfully developed Pixel Resolution Enhanced Technology (PRET). The company’s vision is to be the leading industrial service provider for 3D Printing. Prismlab has firstly developed industrial-scale automated 3D printing equipment and process in China, which has got commercial success in China market with the advantage of cost and efficiency. Based on its patent technologies, Prismlab received funding from the National Key R&D Program of China. It is also the leading company of Additive Manufacturing Process and Equipment of Nanostructure project. Further information at www.prismlab.com.
