spotlight
Reflecting on 2009, Middleton was happy to say that whilst the sales activity was segments and you will see Objet moving from generic product line provider to
a little lower than normal, it was the perfect time to invest in recruitment and segment orientated provider of RP equipment differentiating through materials,
training. Every new member of the team has spent substantial time in Israel, for instance high-temperature resistance, and machines. Medical and electronics,
soaking up the key Objet values that are clearly important to the new European for example, have very different needs and accordingly we want to provide the
operation. There is an obvious commitment to maintain the integrity and core right solution for those needs.”
values that have been established over the previous ten years by Israel.
Israel is home to 60 personnel working in labs across chemicals, electronics and
Middleton was open and honest about the 2009 sales figures. It will come as no future technology. With an R&D budget that was already one of the highest in the
surprise to anyone that on both parts printed on existing installations and industry, up by over 20% in 2010 compared with 2009, you can expect plenty
machines sold things have been hard. Interestingly enough, Q3/Q4 has seen a more launches, materials and groundbreaking kit to follow in future years.
return to 2008 levels with significant installations taking place in the UK — proof
that things are starting to regain some momentum. This all sounds great if you are about to buy a Connex or have just acquired one,
but what about the Objet Eden users? Middleton was animated on this point,
Unsurprisingly, the number of machines sold to automotive and consumer “Anything we do long-term will enable Eden users to come along with us.
electronics have declined this year, but this has been balanced by strong uptake Connex is our future direction, but Eden is what our success is built on, so we
from the education/research sector and also from the medical arena. must maintain it. We will develop it and ensure all users are looked after. One
key innovation here is the Objet trade-in plan, allowing Eden users to trade up to
Middleton explained how this has come about, “This year there is a lot of Connex. Times are tough, so we are keen to make it easier for our loyal users to
European government money that has been set free and many universities and adopt the cutting edge technologies we have developed. It also has a secondary
research institutes have been able to take advantage of that. Our desktop benefit of allowing us to control the pre-owned market and ensure machines are
machine, Alaris, has helped with this, but the key driver in these new sectors for fully serviced and properly installed second time around.”
Objet has been the fact that word is now out on the Connex, there are plenty of
success stories and people are getting to grips with it, particularly in the medical This focus on controlling pre-owned machines and therefore the quality of
sector. The penny is dropping that the Connex is the only machine in the world machine gives a good insight into the way Middleton has embraced the Objet
that can do what it does.” way, and interestingly enough he has also enticed a number of previous
colleagues to Objet. Both Chris Baker (UK Territory Manager) and John Jones
This brings us up to date with the Objet Europe story, but with the foundations in (European Marketing Manager) worked with Middleton for a number of years at
place, I wanted to know what the future holds, what can we expect from Objet in HP. I asked Middleton about this, as there is always a degree of responsibility
2010? when you ask people to come and work for you at a new organisation, and he
said, “All of the people I have encouraged to join me have huge experience and
Middleton expanded, “Connex is the future platform for Objet and is the key to this coupled with acumen, inspiration and integrity, makes them the perfect
long-term growth. We’ll work on this in two ways. Firstly, by raising awareness of people for Objet. I have a fundamental underlying belief that Objet will be
the Connex using real applications and showcasing real value for clients. The successful and my colleagues, trusted lieutenants if you like, are equipped to
second, is our R&D ability to work towards a palette of materials that open the accelerate this process.”
applications up to an even wider range of industries.”
From my own perspective, it is interesting that this business is now in the hands
Interesting choice of word, palette. I quizzed Middleton on this in terms of colour. of a team who have experience of distributing, marketing and selling volumes of
He quite rightly pointed out colour already exists on the Connex (black, white, capital goods into a sector driven by creativity — this experience might be what
range of blues), but he gave an insight that more than alludes to the future. the sector needs to finally start to become less niche and more mainstream.
“Technically RGB colours are not a huge challenge for the Connex technology, so It always helps when you have great technology to work with as Objet clearly
RGB colours are not out of the question, should the users want them. Our R&D does, but the key is what you do with it. Having seen the foundations and heard
priorities remain fixed on what materials are demanded from the market the plans, I’d venture to suggest that 2010 might well be the year of the Connex!
44 tct 17/6
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64