Nexeo Solutions has begun marketing a line of 3D printer filament, marking the first venture into 3D printing by the global chemical distributor.
Who is Nexeo Solutions? They are a global chemicals and plastic distributor, providing access to a startling 23,000 products from 1,300 vendors worldwide to almost 30,000 clients. Their products are used in almost every industry.
Now they’ve opened up a portal dedicated to 3D print filament, although I could see them adding other types of 3D print materials, such as powders or resins in the future.
For now, they offer two types of filament:
NOVAMID, a type of nylon material (specifically polyamide PA6) that is offered in 500g spools in black, white or translucent colors. It’s priced at €45 (USD$50).
ARNITEL, a co-polyester that’s slightly flexible that apparently has UV and chemical resistance advantages. It’s sold in 500g spools as well, at a price of €40 (USD$45) each.
It’s not a very large selection, but I find this development quite interesting. For a large player such as Nexeo Solutions to pick up on 3D printing, they must recognize a market.
If this venture is successful, we might see them greatly expand their product line. It would be relatively easy for them as they have so many connections to plastics manufacturers. In addition, it seems they are focused on very high quality products, which is also good news for 3D printer operators who have for so long suffered with inconsistent quality filament from many shady providers.
Via Nexeo 3D
