Gambling on the future of 3D printing in construction, Germany’s Peri Group, a global maker of formwork and scaffolding systems, has acquired what it calls a "significant minority stake" in new Danish 3D printing company, Cobod International.
Peri said the technology "is now definitely ready for the market", and believes printing will play an important role in construction.
It will make Cobod’s 3D construction printers available to its customers around the world.
Peri did not disclose the financial details of the deal.
Cobod International was set up by its parent company, Denmark’s 3D Printhuset, which carried out a government-funded, three-year research project into advanced 3D construction printing.
That resulted in "The BOD" building, Europe’s first printed building, in Copenhagen last year.
This year, 3D Printhuset launched the BOD2 printer, capable of printing layers at a metre per second, and set up Cobod International to market the technology.
The BOD building in Copenhagen, Europe’s first 3D printed building (Architect Ana Goidea, MAA)
"We have been closely following the development of 3D printing in the construction industry. With the current generation of 3D printer of Cobod, this technology is now definitely ready for the market," said Leonhard Braig, member of the Group Management of the Peri Group.
He added: "We are convinced that 3D printing will become considerably more important in the coming years in certain segments of our industry, especially in residential construction. Together with Cobod, we now want to bring this technology to a breakthrough on a broad basis."
Henrik Lund-Nielsen, CEO of Cobod International said: "We are very proud that Peri decided to invest in us. This will really strengthen our company going forward. Peri has followed 3D construction printing intensively for several years. We are therefore extremely proud and pleased that they ended up concluding that we were the best company to invest in."
In its press release Peri said "3D construction printing is destined to be an important technology for construction activities in the future".
Top image: Shaking on the deal, from left, Leonhard Braig, member of the Group Management of the Peri Group, Christian Schwörer, Chairman of the board of the Peri Group, and Henrik Lund-Nielsen, CEO, Cobod International
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