Stratasys, the 3D-printing company that bought Makerbot, has purchased Interfacial Solutions, a Wisconsin-based R&D house and maker of plastic filament for FDM-style 3D printing.
The company announced the definitive asset purchase agreement in a release. No purchase price was given.
“Interfacial Solutions provides significant expertise in plastics and filament,” wrote David Reis, CEO of Stratasys. “We believe its knowledgeable team and experience will accelerate Stratasys’ materials development efforts for all of our FDM platforms, including MakerBot.”
This purchase essentially streamlines Stratasys operations by allowing them to manufacture both the hardware (Stratasys professional and Makerbot’s entry-level models) and the filament. Not unlike traditional printer manufacturers, this purchase gives the company control over the printer and the “ink.”
The transaction will close in Q2 2014.