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By Sarah Goehrke
Additive manufacturing is promising not only as a technology, but as an industry. Today’s advanced 3D printing processes can make thing in better ways – and that’s what we want to do at Nexa3D. But we don’t want to just make things better. There’s a bigger picture when it comes to making better: we want to make a better world, a better industry. And that starts with us.
We’re proud to announce our deepening commitment to vital concepts including sustainability and workforce diversity as we join two leading organizations within the additive manufacturing industry.
Sustainability
Among the best-telegraphed messages in 3D printing is that these technologies can reduce waste. While traditional manufacturing processes, like CNC machining, are subtractive in that they remove material to create a desired form, 3D printing is an additive process. It adds only the material needed, layer by layer, to build up a form. (Hence additive manufacturing.)
Material, cost, and time waste can be significantly reduced.
Or at least that’s the promise.
Real sustainability goes deeper than that. And we’re foundationally focused on concepts like the circular economy. We’re deeply committed to driving a lower carbon footprint future for manufacturing. We have a free eBook available here that digs more into our strategies and thoughts on digitizing the world’s supply chain sustainably.
We talk a lot about these concepts – but we want to do more than talk. We want 3D printing to truly live up to its promises, and we see ourselves in a position to help drive that change.
As of this month, Nexa3D is among the newest Participating Members of the AMGTA.
The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) is a global trade group created to promote the green benefits of AM. It was formed in November 2019 to bring like-minded companies together on a mission of sustainability.
Joining the AMGTA isn’t “a marketing thing”. It’s not a badge we’re putting on our website to look good. It’s definitely not there to “greenwash” manufacturing. We’ve joined the AMGTA to learn from other members, to share our values, and ultimately to be part of the leading forces behind actual sustainability efforts in AM.
The AMGTA recently launched its first (metal-focused) sustainability research study, and we look forward to participating in future efforts on the polymer side.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
As important as the technologies we create is the “we” behind that creation. Nexa3D is growing as a company – and that doesn’t just mean our portfolio. Our team is expanding and as a company grows, its culture does too. We understand that company culture evolves over time, and being intentional when it comes to our own team has never been more important.
We are deepening our commitment to core concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). That starts with us.
Nexa3D has also joined Women in 3D Printing as a corporate member.
Wi3DP is an industry nonprofit with a foundational focus in closing the gender gap in additive manufacturing. (Current estimates indicate that about 13% of the AM workforce is female.) Begun as a blog in 2014, Wi3DP quickly expanded into a community, formally becoming a nonprofit in 2018. Today, Wi3DP is a global organization with more than 23,000 members (of all gender identities) across the world, with more than 75 chapters in 35+ countries.
Personally, I have felt very connected to the mission at Wi3DP for a long time, and have been deeply involved for some years now. I have been on the Wi3DP Board of Directors since it was formed in 2018, and currently serve as well on the executive committee of the TIPE 3D Printing conference and head our new and growing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming to expand resources for dimensions of diversity beyond gender.
As a corporate member of Wi3DP, Nexa3D gains close access to all this programming and publicly supports the expansion of 3D printing as an industry with a diverse and inclusive workforce.
At Formnext next month, Nexa3D will be among the sponsors of the Wi3DP happy hour.
We will also be a sponsor of the next TIPE 3D Printing conference in January through this membership. The event is the first all-female speakers’ agenda in the AM industry, and will also host a virtual career fair where Nexa3D will have representatives ready to talk about joining our team.
Nexa3D has begun to list open positions on the Wi3DP jobs board as well, as we seek to increase our own team with a commitment to diversity.
Committing
On a personal note, I joined Nexa3D just three weeks ago. Joining the AMGTA and Wi3DP were two of my first orders of business upon joining this team. Both initiatives have been met with genuine and enthusiastic support from every level of the company.
And these are just a beginning.
Joining these inspiring and impactful organizations, and investing in their missions, is a major part of the innovative mindset at Nexa3D.
Innovation comes from thinking differently. We’re looking at the world, and at manufacturing, in a new way – and from a widening variety of experiences and perspectives – to continue innovating.
We know we can’t do it alone. No one can. Prioritizing industry partnerships has always been key to our success, and we’re bringing that mindset to work with like-minded industry organizations like the AMGTA and Wi3DP.
We’ll be continuing to emphasize key areas of impact: excellent technology, sustainability, a more diverse workforce, and overall making better. We’ll also be announcing a new addition to our product portfolio as progress continues on the technology side.
My inbox is always open to continue to broaden and deepen conversations about our commitments and our technologies. Get in touch with me here or contact the team anytime.
