Replique operates a digital 3D printing platform - can you describe exactly what your business model looks like?

Today's supply chain requirements are diverse: they not only need to be sustainable and efficient, but also flexible enough to deal with current challenges such as supply chain disruptions. Especially for small series, it is often difficult to have all the required parts available. Our 3D printing platform solves these problems. Our platform transforms physical stock into digital stock and enables OEMs to produce parts on demand and on-demand. Through our platform, companies gain access to a global and qualified partner network that covers all relevant technologies and materials. In addition, we also support qualification for 3D printing with in-house engineering services. What is special about our approach is that we store all production information digitally and securely and fix it for production so that it can be reliably accessed by different partners worldwide. This allows us to guarantee not only high quality, but also maximum repeatability across all produced parts.

Replique was spun off from Chemovator, BASF's business incubator, in 2023. How did the first year go?

Our review of our first year is extremely positive - despite the financial challenges in the industry. Or perhaps precisely because of this, as 3D printing naturally also enables high savings potential and greater resilience through needs-based production. We were able to acquire many new customers, make our platform even more user-friendly and expand it with additional services. One particular highlight was the launch of our Material Hub at Formnext 2023, which enables companies to quickly find the right material for their 3D printing projects using intuitive filter options. Collaboration with material manufacturers and our existing material partners helped us to collect data. While access to service bureaus is common on each platform, what sets us apart is our extensive expertise in materials - something that is critical to our customers. We are proud to be able to fill this gap.

What is Replique presenting at the Hannover Messe? (Editor's note: The interview was conducted in the run-up to the Hannover Messe)

The focus is on our digital 3D printing platform. We provide insight into how easily and quickly companies can use our platform to store and order 3D-printed components. We place a special focus on our various features, including our quality assurance tool RSure. This enables seamless tracking and quality control of 3D printed parts. We would also like to highlight our Material Hub, which we recently made available to the general public free of charge. Interested parties can see for themselves how it works on site or take a first look at it via our website www.replique.io/de/material-hub/. We also provide insights into various customer projects, for example with Alstom and MAN, both in terms of design for 3D printing, needs-based small series production and spare parts on demand.