TERNITZ, Austria--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Velo3D, Inc. (NYSE: VLD), a leading metal additive manufacturing technology company for mission-critical parts, today named Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Technology (SBOT), a manufacturer of high-tech metal components with more than 100 years in business, its sole contract manufacturing partner operating in the DACH region, which includes Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The company will also be established as Velo3D’s sole contract manufacturing partner for Europe’s oil and gas industry, which is SBOT’s primary industry it serves.
Through the agreement, SBOT will also add another Sapphire printer to its two existing printers that are currently in operation at its facility, including a Sapphire XC. As Sapphire production capacity maximum is reached, SBOT will add new printers and alloys to its network to support customers’ needs.
“Since purchasing our first Sapphire printer in 2021, we’ve been very impressed by Velo3D’s metal 3D printing solution and its ability to produce parts with few-to-no supports, even those with low and zero-degree overhangs,” said Campbell MacPherson, SBO EVP of Advanced Manufacturing. “It’s great to see Velo3D commit to our success with this agreement, which we believe will drive increased revenue for our additive manufacturing business. We look forward to reaching new customers with our solutions from Velo3D and in turn reinvesting in our joint business together.”
Velo3D’s Contract Manufacturer Network allows companies to purchase metal 3D printing services from providers, rather than purchase, set up, and operate their own printer and its accompanying software. It also gives companies access to a wider variety of metal alloys. In doing so, companies can more easily take advantage of Velo3D’s fully integrated solution without a large capital expenditure. As production ramps up for these customers, they can then purchase their own printers or scale production to other providers to achieve a distributed manufacturing network.
There are currently more than 10 companies in Velo3D’s Contract Manufacturer Network across four continents. SBOT will now be the sole company in the network focused on the DACH region and Velo3D will not pursue new contract manufacturers within the European oil and gas industry, which comprises a large number of SBOT’s customers.
In 2021, Velo3D expanded its presence in Europe, with SBOT becoming the company’s first European member of its Contract Manufacturer Network. SBOT’s sister company, Knust-Godwin, had operated a fleet of Sapphire printers at its Katy, Texas, facility, which inspired SBOT to explore using Velo3D’s fully integrated solution for its customers serviced from its Austria facility.
“There is a growing demand for advanced manufacturing technology in Europe that can help companies streamline their supply chains, develop more performant parts, and lower manufacturing costs, and SBOT is a great partner for European companies in need of high-quality metal parts,” said Benny Buller, Velo3D Founder and CEO. “Both SBOT and Knust-Godwin have been excellent partners that have continually demonstrated their ability to produce precise parts using the most advanced manufacturing technology available, and we’re honored to partner with them on this next phase of our growth in Europe.”
SBOT’s Sapphire printers are calibrated to produce parts using Inconel 718 powder, which is a nickel-based alloy that provides high strength and corrosion resistance at extreme temperatures. Its new Sapphire printer will produce parts in CP1, which is a lightweight aluminum alloy that is ideal for heat transfer applications. In addition to its Sapphire printers, SBOT operates 120 CNC machines with unique manufacturing technologies. The company is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, EN/AS 9100, API Spec 7-1, and AEO certified.
About Velo3D:
Velo3D is a metal 3D printing technology company. 3D printing—also known as additive manufacturing (AM)—has a unique ability to improve the way high-value metal parts are built. However, legacy metal AM has been greatly limited in its capabilities since its invention almost 30 years ago. This has prevented the technology from being used to create the most valuable and impactful parts, restricting its use to specific niches where the limitations were acceptable.
Velo3D has overcome these limitations so engineers can design and print the parts they want. The company’s solution unlocks a wide breadth of design freedom and enables customers in space exploration, aviation, power generation, energy, and semiconductor to innovate the future in their respective industries. Using Velo3D, these customers can now build mission-critical metal parts that were previously impossible to manufacture. The fully integrated solution includes the Flow print preparation software, the Sapphire family of printers, and the Assure quality control system—all of which are powered by Velo3D’s Intelligent Fusion manufacturing process. The company delivered its first Sapphire system in 2018 and has been a strategic partner to innovators such as SpaceX, Honeywell, Honda, Chromalloy, and Lam Research. Velo3D has been named as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023. For more information, please visit Velo3D.com, or follow the company on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1996. The Company’s actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s goals for 2023 and the Company’s other expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, or strategies for the future. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside the Company’s control and are difficult to predict. The Company cautions not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, including projections, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
VELO, VELO3D, SAPPHIRE, and INTELLIGENT FUSION, are registered trademarks of Velo3D, Inc.; and WITHOUT COMPROMISE, FLOW and ASSURE are trademarks of Velo3D, Inc. All Rights Reserved © Velo3D, Inc.
