BASF airless tyres 3D printed in a thermoplastic polyurethane.
BASF has announced the appointment of a Chief Commercial Officer to its 3D Printing Solutions GmbH (B3DPS) division.
Minec François will assume responsibilities for the commercial development of the company’s four business segments: materials, system solutions, components, and services. He has over 15 years’ experience developing businesses in the specialty plastics and chemicals spaces, notably founding Advanc3D Materials, a powder bed fusion materials company acquired by BASF last summer.
That takeover of Advanc3D was just one of a number of moves BASF has made in the less-than-two years since it founded B3DPS, which operates as a start-up and aims to assist companies using 3D printing for manufacturing purposes. At the same time, it acquired Setup Performances SAS, and in more recent months has secured partnerships with Essentium, Materialise (of whom it invested $25m in July), and Origin. The company is also having a growing presence on the show floor of the industry’s biggest trade shows, and at TCT Show 2018, emphasised the importance of regular materials development and commercialisation in the additive manufacturing space.
Integrating Minec from his position with Advanc3D into the B3DPS business, BASF hope to harness his experience and know-how to build on the progress already made.
“With François Minec, we have gained a proven industry expert for this key role. François has extensive knowledge and experience in the dynamic market of industrial 3D printing,” commented Volker Hammes, who heads business development for BASF 3D Printing Solutions. “Together with him, I am pleased to continue our consistent growth trajectory.”
