George Brasher on HP’s new Metal Jet and the rise of 3D printing. In 2015, Hewlett-Packard split into two companies: Hewlett Packard Enterprise, focused on enterprise products and services, and HP Inc, focused on PCs, copiers, and 3D printers. Now, having been in London with HP for four years and MD here for nearly three of those, the company is building for the future, with 3D printing a big focus. “Our CEO is from Australia, he’s a surfer, and he said he thinks of it in waves, so core, growth and future. The future is really about what we call blended reality; how do you move from the physical to the digital and back again, and really how do you express it. And that’s around 3D printing.” Just last month, HP unveiled the Metal Jet 3D printer for corporations, bringing mass production of metals online. While the 3D-printing industry is still up and coming, Brasher refutes the suggestion that the industry is still at a niche stage; particularly when you take into account HP’s 3D printing clients – which include Nike, BMW, and aerospace manufacturer GKM. “We have customers that we sell PCs or printing to, the largest manufacturers in the UK, and 3D printing is at the top of their agenda,” he said. The HP MD said the purchase brought HP thousands of patents, engineers, a boost in the A3, and software as well as hardware assets – something increasingly important as the printer evolves.
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