When any new technology begins to creep its way into mainstream use, the free market seems to always accelerate the process. For instance, when Apple released the first iPhone back in 2007, sales were not amazing right off the bat, however, other companies like Google spawned the release of additional phones created by their Android partners. This, in effect, led to increased adoption, more companies entering the space and so on and so forth.
The same thing is just beginning to transpire within the 3D printing space, both for the actual printers themselves, as well as services rendered with these printers. Already there are several 3D printing shops, offering services, equipment and materials here in the United States. In fact, in New York City alone, there are already quite a few of these shops.
Today we got word that a company called MatterThings has just opened the doors to what they consider to be the very first 3D printer and 3D scanner storefront in Canada. Located at Faubourg de l’Île, 101 Cardinal-Léger Boulevard, Pincourt, Québec, the store operates both online and offline, and will be offering 3D printing and scanning services, materials, hardware, repairs and even workshops for kids.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Claudia, one of the owners of Matterthings, who along with her husband Jose, opened the store just two days ago. She stated that they are just getting set up, and will be offering 3D printers, filaments, and a variety of exciting services.
“The other main thing that will be a big attraction, is that we will be doing full body scans to print a miniature figurine of the person, like a mini-me,” Claudia told 3DPrint.com. “We will be scanning objects and replicating them. If someone has a broken part we can replicate it.”
The store’s Facebook page states that they are open 24 hours a day, however, Claudia clarified for us that there are actual store hours, however, they accept files for printing, via email, at all hours of the day. The actual store hours are:
- Monday-Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
There is no doubt in my mind that we will continue to see storefronts like this open, offering both hardware and materials, along with actual printing services. The only question remaining, is how fast will this happen, and will larger chains like Staples, UPS, and Office Depot eventually take over the market? Let us know if you have paid a visit to this new store location. Discuss in the MatterThings forum thread on 3DPB.com
You May Also Like
Push Button Metal: The Low-Cost Metal 3D Printing Evolution We’re Not Talking About
Metal 3D printing used to exclusively mean powder bed fusion (PBF), which is good at making accurate, high-value parts. Nowadays, a heady brew of hype and optimism has centered on...
Phillips Corporation Becomes Markforged 3D Printer Distributor
On the heels of the big news of its upcoming merger and IPO, Markforged has announced that Phillips Corporation will be adding the startup’s 3D printing technology to its portfolio...
Rocket 3D Printing Gets IPO Boost via Rocket Lab SPAC Merger
3D printing is becoming a hot commodity once more as numerous startups make their way to the stock market via mergers with special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). The latest is...
Digital Metal Introduces Pure Copper 3D Printing to Binder Jetting Portfolio
The bound metal printing (BMP) segment has experienced a great deal of renewed interest due to the activities of such companies as Desktop Metal, Markforged, and ExOne, but we can’t...
Services & Data
Printer & Scanner Price QuotesUpload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.