We started in 2015 developing 3D printing filaments. In the same year Raise3D released their kickstarter for the Raise3D N Series. We immediately were convinced that this machine would open great possibilities for 3D printing and when the machines were commercially available in 2016 we received our first Raise3D N2 Plus. We loved the machine straight away and started reselling them. Suddenly in the beginning of 2019 we became Benelux distributor for the brand.
In 2016 we focused on bringing – apart from the standard PLA, ABS and PETG – more and more technical materials to market. We felt like the professional market would like to have a need for these and brought materials such as ASA and HDPLA to market. Companies contacted us with questions on which materials they should use for their products and we were able to give them good advice. The Raise3D machines played a crucial role in being able to test these materials reliably. The testing of the materials on the machines helped a great deal in selling them along with the materials.
While we have always been focusing on selling machines to the professional market for prototyping and producing spare parts, we also provided the regular consumer/hobbyist with machines and materials. The past few years however we notice the market getting more and more mature and our customers starting to integrate 3d printing into their processes as well as using it for manufacturing.
We think the best aspect of being part of this industry is enabling shorter turn-around times and smart integration of 3d printing into for example medical processes. One of our customers – a hospital – is using 3d printing on Raise3D machines to more effectively treat cancer. Those use-cases make us very happy we are involved into – and can help achieve – this industry.
While many companies and entities are still “struggling” to find ways on how they should use and implement 3d printing, we do notice a shift in mind-setting. We always try to stay involved in their process to help them out getting the right mindset on what can and can’t be done right now and try to relay this to our excellent reseller network as much as possible. Of course we cannot share everything our customers do with 3d printing due to confidentiality but whenever we are allowed we will.
-Sven de Vries & Joost Hellinga, Founders of FilRight in 2016