Stratasys to Add 50 More Customers in Tier 2 Cities in India by 2020

India is a great market for the company and has a formidable market in the areas of automobile, healthcare, education and to maintain leadership position, the company has plans to invest further in the country, said Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, India and SEA of Stratasys.

Addressing the media at the 3rd edition of the Stratasys India User Forum in Bengaluru recently Mr Bajaj said that the company plans to add 50 more customers in 2020 and are also seeing an increasing demand for 3D printers and related technologies in Tier 2 cities such as Trivandrum, Trichy and Sonipat. We believe this is a great time to be in the 3D printing industry and look forward to capitalizing these opportunities.

Stratasys, a global leader in 3D printing and additive manufacturing, hosted the 3rd edition of the Stratasys India User Forum in Bengaluru recently. The forum which witnessed participation from over 620 industry leaders and end-users, served as a great platform for professionals to exchange insights on the latest 3D printing trends, applications, and best practices across key sectors in India.

Speaking at the Forum, Michael Agam, President South Asia, Stratasys said, "We, at Stratasys, have been leading the 3D printing industry for over three decades. The User Forum brought together several leading brands such as Maruti
Suzuki, Ashok Leyland and Honda in the Indian ecosystem, who have used our products to innovate, take their businesses to new heights and improve the overall customer experience. This reiterates why India is a key market for Stratasys and what are the kind of opportunities we look forward to in 2020."

Eminent customers from the automotive, healthcare and education sectors attended the event and delivered keynotes. Key excerpts from their keynotes below:

  * Padma Shri Ganpat I. Patel, President and Patron-in-Chief - Ganpat University emphasized the need to constantly innovate and announced plans to set up a new '3D Printing Centre of Excellence' at the university in partnership with Stratasys India this year.
  * Mr. Saurabh Singh, Head of Design Studio at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd highlighted how the brand has been able to leverage 3D printing to provide high quality, ergonomically suited and distinctly personalized offerings, thereby enhancing the overall customer experience.
  * Mr. Sundaresan, Vice-President, Electric Vehicles and eMobility Solutions, Ashok Leyland shared his insights on how Stratasys has helped the company save about 14,138 days of hour-utilization and nearly Rs. 74 lakh in manufacturing costs.
  * Mr. Bhushan Chandna, Manager - Business Excellence, Honda Cars spoke about how the brand has spearheaded the use of additive manufacturing in the auto sector, especially with the use of 3D printed jigs and fixtures.
  * Dr. Rahul Jain, Associate Consultant Dept. of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medanta - The Medicity shed light on the impact of 3D printing on facial reconstruction and how the quality of healthcare services offered in India can be enhanced with this technology.

Commenting on the success of the Forum, Mr. Guy Yair, EVP, EMEA & APJ, Stratasys said, "The 3D printing industry is on a growth trajectory and we expect high double-digit growth in India during the next five years, despite the economic slowdown. This will be driven by strong engagements across key industry verticals such as automotive, healthcare, education and aerospace. The Stratasys User Forum offers a great opportunity for innovators and decision makers to put their minds together and I am happy to note that we continue to witness higher participation with each passing year."

Addressing the media during roundtable on the sidelines of the event, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director Stratasys India & SEA said, "According to sources, the Indian 3D Printer Market is projected to record $79 Million by 2021. This growth is anticipated to be driven primarily by the adoption of industrial 3D Printing in Prototyping, Manufacturing (Jigs & Fixtures) and End Use Parts."

Other senior leaders including Mr. Fred Fischer, Director of Products, Applications and Technology, Stratasys and Mr. Ben Klein, Medical Models Product Manager, Stratasys also delivered keynotes at the event. During the discussions at the Forum, the Stratasys leaders shared insights on the company's strategy for 2020 and mentioned how the company sees a $12 billion opportunity in the metal 3D printing industry. It was also mentioned how the company invested about $90 million in research and development in 2018, one of the biggest budgets as per industry norms.