Not quite yet, but apparently soon – HP will be selling not only 2D printers, but 3D printers, too. Today it was announced that Stratasys will “manufacture an HP-branded 3D printer” after the two parties signed a “definitive agreement”.
The new line of printers (suggesting there will be more than one model) will be “exclusive” to HP. They’re planning on a “phased rollout” to mechanical designers in selected countries later this year.
This is massive news for our industry. Consider what’s going on: one of the premiere 3D printer manufacturers has hooked up with one of the major IT suppliers to the world. HP provides a massive marketing and distribution capability, far beyond anything Stratasys could ever hope to muster itself. HP gets a completely new product line – one that their usual competitors do not have.
This changes the picture of the industry tremendously. First we suspect that a great many more 3D printers will be sold, benefiting Stratasys tremendously. Second, HP’s marketing will significantly raise awareness of the technology to areas who’ve never heard of it.
Most ominously, one can imagine HP’s competitors, say IBM, for example, may begin to shop for their own 3D printer partnership (or even an acquisition). And then the competition really begins.
It’s a good day for 3D printing.
Via Press Release and Webcast
