It was already expected that Marketiger would quickly grow out of its new factory spaces at Brainport Industries Campus (BIC). But that the speed of expansion has also surprised CEO Maikel de Wit of the company specializing in 3D printing. Earlier this year, Marketiger, together with AM-Flow and Additive Center, moved into a 200 square meter space at BIC. And this month already, it will relocate within BIC, with not only almost 4 times as much space, but also the conditions that are ideal for Marketiger’s additive manufacturing process.
“When we came here, I said I expected BIC to be the ideal place to facilitate our growth”, explains Maikel de Wit. “That has completely come true, only much faster than I could have imagined.” He explains the growth with a reference to a combination of the right product and the best conditions. “Even if you build the fastest printer head, it can only be of value if things like post-processing, marketing, and on-site facilities are also perfect. The way in which all factors come together at BIC has enabled this big leap forward for us.”
The right mix
Ferdinand Gremmen, director SDK Vastgoed (Volkerwessels) and responsible for BIC, watches the movements at Marketiger with satisfaction. “It’s great to see how such a young company can cope with such tumultuous growth, partly thanks to the conditions we can offer them. For us, it’s also proof that the mix we have here – with large and small companies and various educational institutions – turns out right. It is the combination that ensures that our ecosystem is in balance. Every tenant has something to offer for the whole and together we deliver the unique power that characterizes BIC. Apart from that, it’s also great for Marketiger itself that they’re doing so well.”
An important aspect of the growth that Marketiger has experienced is the collaboration model on campus. Ferdinand Gremmen: “In that respect, it’s nice to see that Marketiger has really found its place at BIC so quickly. This is the result of the strategic collaborations that have been formed at BIC, such as with Yaskawa and K3D. Also, the BIC-mentality of ‘helping each other out’ – with Anteryon helping with the precision measurement of Marketiger’s prints and Marketiger printing parts for Anteryon – plays a role. Great opportunities arise because you’re neighbors and meet each other every day.”
Logic in the processes
At the new location, Marketiger expects to be able to make more use of a production floor that suits the needs of their growing company. Maikel de Wit: “Not only do we need to expand our production capacity, but we also need to add more logic to the combined processes. In our current circumstances, we have to move machines all the time to make room for the growing stock. This costs us time and money. In addition, there are prints everywhere in our space that need to dry. All these moves affect our productivity; you can imagine how much I am looking forward to the new situation.”
Marketiger now has a production of hundreds of prints per day; the logistics process that comes with it can be facilitated much better at the new location. De Wit: “In fact, we are already taking into account further expansion at that location. The power supply, ventilation, and everything else that we need have been set up in such a way that we can easily scale up. Both BIC and ENGIE have given us all the cooperation we need to keep this on the right track.”
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