OREANDA-NEWS. MakerBot, a global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry, believes that providing accessibility to 3D printers in retail stores will help accelerate the adoption of 3D printing with a wide variety of customers: professionals, small business owners, entrepreneurs and educators. With that in mind, MakerBot recently started selling the MakerBot®Replicator® Mini Compact 3D Printerat more than 300 Sam’s Club®retail locations across the United States. The MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer is an educational, useful and easy-to-use compact 3D printer that is just right for the office, classroom or home.  For a complete list of Sam’s Club locations that offer the MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer, visit makerbot.com/locator.

“I truly believe that having the opportunity to learn about 3D printing first-hand is a big step towards a better understanding of the technology,” noted Frank Alfano, acting CEO of MakerBot. “By expanding our retail presence into Sam’s Club, we’re providing opportunities to reach professionals, entrepreneurs and small business owners and show them the power of 3D printing. Offering MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D printers in retail stores exposes potential users to 3D printing technology and provides them an opportunity to understand the benefits of 3D printing today. We’ve made a conscious effort this past year to expand accessibility to MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers by working with key retailers like Sam’s Club.”

Alfano noted that a big attraction for retailers is the comprehensive MakerBot 3D Ecosystem that provides ease-of-use and accessibility to the world of 3D printing through software, apps, MakerBot Learning, lectures, classes, and parts and support offered through its MakerCare program.

“We strive to provide our members with access to the latest technology, at a great value. Offering the comprehensive MakerBot 3D Ecosystem is just one example of delivering on that commitment,” said Dawn VonBechmann, senior vice president of technology, Sam’s Club. “Our members have shown interest in 3D printing, both from a professional and small business aspect. Any member with a natural interest in creating things will be excited to learn more about this amazing technology.”

MakerBot 3D printers are used for Real-Time PrototypingTMand for the 3D printing of customized models, replacement parts, architectural designs, collectibles and many other items. 3D printing transforms the design process and is also a great tool for educators that want to train and teach future engineers, designers and those interested in the tech industry so they are better prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. The continuously growing MakerBot 3D Ecosystem makes 3D printing more accessible and includes MakerBot 3D printers and scanner, its website Thingiverse.com, the world’s largest 3D printing design community for discovering, creating, and sharing of 3D printable files, as well as softwareand appslike MakerBot Mobileand MakerBot PrintShoppartnerships with leading companies, MakerBot Learningtraining programs, MakerBot MakerCare, and its own retail storesin New York, Boston and Greenwich, Connecticut, as well as partner retailers.

MakerBot is a leader in the desktop 3D printing industry and was founded in 2009 as one of the first affordable and accessible 3D printers in the industry. With more than 80,000 MakerBot 3D printers in the world, MakerBot now has one of the largest installed bases and market shares of the desktop 3D printing industry[1]. MakerBot’s products include the award-winning MakerBot Replicator line of 3D printers, with the MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer, the MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer, the MakerBot Replicator Z18 3D Printer, the MakerBot Replicator 2X Experimental 3D Printer and the MakerBot DigitizerTM Desktop 3D Scanner.



[1] Wohler’s Report on 3D Printing, 2013
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Photo: Makerbot 3D Printer - How it Works
MakerBot in Sam's Club
Photo: MakerBot in Sam's Club
MakerBot 3D Printer
Photo: MakerBot 3D Printer