When it comes to desktop Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers, their is one company who is leading the pack by leaps and bounds. That company is Somerville, Massachusetts-based Formlabs. A major Kickstarter success back in 2012, the company has quickly grown despite allegations of patent infringement by the company which invented Stereolithography, 3D Systems. After working out an agreement over those allegations earlier this year, things seem to be smooth sailing for Formlabs now.
In order to continue this torrid pace of growth, the company realizes that they need to spread their wings and expand on a global scale, and today they’ve done just that. Formlabs has officially 
announced the opening of a new office in Berlin, Germany, as well as a distribution partnership with iGo3D, which will expand distribution of the Form 1+ 3D printer within the German market.
The new office is located in the heart of Berlin, enabling Formlabs to offer additional support and services to their community in the EU. This also is the first office for the company which is outside the United States, representing a major step forward in their current growth initiatives. Germany has a relatively large demand for 3D printers in both the consumer and industrial markets, making this step an obvious one for the young company.
The new distribution partnership signed with iGo3D also is a major achievement by Formlabs. iGo3D is currently the leading distributor of desktop 3D printers in Germany, with a retail presence in Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Oldenburg, Hamburg, and soon, Hannover. Through this partnership Formlabs’ 3D printers will be on display within all of these retail locations for potential customers to experience the machines first hand.
“We are pleased to offer our customers the best high resolution desktop SLA 3D printer on the market. The Form 1+ brings amazing capabilities at an affordable price for German engineers and designers,” said iGo3D Co-Founder and CEO Michael Sorkin.
There’s a reason why the Form 1+ is such a tremendous seller here in the U.S. and that’s because it is an incredibly accurate, fast and reliable printer, one which can be used by both hobbyists and small and mid-sized businesses alike.
“The Form 1+ is an excellent tool for engineers and designers, and Germany is known for world-class engineering and design. We’re excited to open our European office in Germany and we’re excited to work with iGo3D to better serve our German customers.” says Luke Winston, Formlabs Operations Lead.
For those of you who will be in the Hannover, Germany area this week, March 16-20, both Formlabs and iGo3D will be present at CeBIT, demonstrating the Form 1+ 3D printer for those in attendance. Let us know your thoughts on this news, and the continued expansion of Formlabs. Discuss in the ‘Formlabs Headed to Germany’ forum thread on 3DPB.com.
