3D printing filament develop Filkemp is to have its products distributed throughout the UK by GoPrint3D.
The deal has been agreed ahead of TCT Show where both Filkemp (#D31) and GoPrint3D (#C80) will exhibit.
Filkemp is based in Portugal and offers a portfolio of three materials designed and developed for extrusion-based 3D printing. These include PLA-N, a biopolymer that is resistant to temperatures up to 160°C and is ideal for prototypes and tooling; PET G, which allows for the printing of transparent parts and boasts strong thermal and mechanical resistance; and Nylon, which is suitable for industrial modelling applications and has been applied in the automotive and moulding sectors. Having supplied materials to Volkswagen Autoeuropa in 2017 to 3D print jigs and fixtures on Ultimaker machines – a project that won the first TCT Automotive Application Award – Filkemp has in place an agreement that VW can pre-test new materials before their launch to market.
The material company's currently-available materials will now be marketed, stocked and distributed in the UK by GoPrint3D, a company that also sells hardware from Formlabs, Ultimaker, Markforged and Zortrax. GoPrint3D agreed to resell Filkemp’s filaments after conducting in-house tests of the materials, finding the PLA-N grade offered up to 27% more torsional strength and 20% more flexural strength than ‘leading brands’ of PLA. The company was also enticed by Filkemp’s commitment to producing sustainable products, something that matches the company’s own ambitions.
“We were so impressed with Filkemp’s filaments in testing, combined with their case studies, that we felt confident that this is just the type of material our industrial customers are looking for,” commented James Blackburn, Sales Director at GoPrint3D.
“Using sustainable biopolymers means that the partnership with Filkemp fits our long-term strategy of becoming a more environmentally friendly company,” commented Jo Young, Managing Director at GoPrint3D.
“All of us at Filkemp and GoPrint3D are excited about this new venture and look forward to meeting the needs of our customers and partners and exploring new opportunities together,” added José Inglês, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Filkemp.
