EFI is a Silicon Valley company with offices around the world, and sell products that “allow users to produce, communicate and share information in an easy and effective way, enabling businesses to increase their profits, productivity and efficiency.” On October 29th, EFI announced an acquisition of key intellectual property assets for digital inkjet printing of thermoformed products from Polymeric Imaging, a specialist provider of UV and LED inks for industrial and graphic arts applications.
Recently, EFI also announced that Avi Reichental, president and CEO of 3D Systems (DDD), will participate in a “fireside chat” keynote with EFI CEO Guy Gecht to close out the 15th annual EFI Connect Users Conference, being held from January 20-23, 2015 at The Wynn Las Vegas (I wonder if anyone has tried to 3D print casino chips yet?).
Reichental’s company is one of the largest 3D printing companies in the industry. For those of you who may not know, the South Carolina based business invented the first 3D printing process with its Stereolithography (SLA) printer and was the first to commercialize it in 1989. 3D Systems has more than 1,200 patents, and recently settled a lawsuit with Formlabs.
At Connect 2015, Reichental will join EFI CEO Guy Gecht for their keynote discussion at 8 a.m. on Friday, January 23, at The Wynn. The point of this is for attendees to gain insights from an industry leader on the 3D printing market and where it is heading. The fireside chat will also cover the near- and long-term opportunities 3D printing presents to the broader printing industry.
According to Gecht, “3D printing has captured the public’s imagination, and Avi Reichental is a true visionary in the fast-growing 3D printing industry. I’m excited to have this unique opportunity for Connect attendees to hear Avi’s views on where 3D is today, where it is going and what the opportunities are for the graphic arts industry.”
Interestingly, Reichental holds 25 patents himself and has been the president and CEO of 3D Systems since September 2003. Recently he was named one of Fortune magazine’s Top 50 business leaders, and 3D Systems was named one of America’s top small companies.
According to EFI, Reichental has a “passion to democratize the design-to-production process, the company has evolved and expanded its business model from a supplier of 3D printers to a provider of end-to-end solutions.”
His fireside chat will conclude an eventful and educational conference at one of the printing industry’s most “successful users group gatherings”. EFI Connect 2015 will bring hundreds of executives from many of the world’s leading graphic communications companies together and will include more than 200 education and breakout sessions, including an additional keynote session on January 21 featuring Andrew Paparozzi, chief economist of printing association AMSP/NAPL/NAQP. And, for the first time, the conference will be co-located with the 2015 AMSP/NAPL/NAQP Executive Leadership Summit.
To register, visit www.efi.com/connect.
