Who Is Clean Green 3D?

I stumbled across what at first appeared to be a new 3D printer site, Clean Green 3D, but then found it was something quite different. 

The image on the front of their site looks like a 3D printer, somehow. Except it has a roll of paper on the side. 

I’ve seen something like that before.

I saw that on the MCOR Arke full color 3D printer — a device which uses layers of plain paper as its base material. MCOR Technologies, based in Ireland, was a 3D printing startup that we covered extensively. But not anymore. 

The reason for our distinct lack of coverage is that the company failed and they are no longer in operation. So what’s going on here? Why is Clean Green 3D seemingly operating the MCOR Arke machine — with a Clean Green 3D logo on it? 

The answer is found on a page linked to by Clean Green 3D’s home page, where it asks “Former Customers of MCOR Technologies” to click through. There, they say this: 

“CleanGreen3D Limited is a new company incorporated in Ireland dedicated to servicing all Arkepro Customers and Business Partners of Mcor Technologies Limited. (Mcor)

You may already be aware of this but Mcor went into receivership earlier this year and unfortunately has not survived. The company will very soon cease to exist.

As of 29/11/19 CleanGreen3D have purchased the Intellectual Property and all of the assets of Mcor. We have a goal of building a 3D printing solutions company that differentiates itself by how it services and engages with Customers and Partners to deliver environment-friendly full colour 3D printing.”

Aha! They apparently bought MCOR Technologies when it went into receivership. I recall speaking with the receiver at the time, and they were seeking a buyer for the assets, which include not only the equipment, parts and patents, but also the customer list of prior buyers. 

All of whom may require service for their MCOR Technologies equipment. 

At first I guessed they would be providing service and supplies to existing MCOR Technologies customers as their prime business model. But no, that’s not it. They say: 

“We have high confidence in our ability to deliver significant machine improvement over the coming months while also re-starting manufacturing with deliveries of machines planned from March 2020.”

They are re-starting production of the MCOR Technologies Arke 3D printer! 

Evidently they feel they can do a better job marketing and servicing the equipment than the previous management. They intend on building a new team, and “heavily investing” in technical improvements to increase performance and usability of the ArkePro Color 3D Printer.

This is good news, certainly for MCOR Technologies Arke owners. And it also will provide another option for those seeking a  full color 3D printing capability. 

However, the market has changed over the years and now there are multiple full color options, including excellent products from HP, Rize and Mimaki. If MCOR Technologies had challenges in the market before these competitors existed, it’s difficult to see how Clean Green 3D can overcome the current market challenges. 

That is, unless they do something dramatic with the technology and the price of the equipment. But at this point we don’t know their plans. 

Via Clean Green 3D