3D Printing, how did I succeed in my business?

TH Industries -> Company 3D Printing

Before I was able to launch my 3D printing company, I had to go back a long, long time ago. I’m not that old, but it’s getting old.

Ever since I was a child, I wanted to have my own company, something I didn’t know about but I wanted it!

I studied in the technical field (bac F10) and then BTS composite plastics (Lycée de Gennevilliers if any of the old ones know me, a little ”hello” would be great).

First job designing plastic injection molds in the Paris region, I started at the board (I told you I’m not that young), I then evolved in print shops (in several departments) with different CAD tools (first in 2D and then in 3D surface to finish with 3D volume that I practice for some time).

Career developments have meant that I’ve gone from injection moulds to laser tracker tools. After 10 years of experience within the same company, I decided to fly on my own wings. The decision was made to buy a machining company, in spite of the offers I couldn’t find the right shoes for me. As a result, I decided to create TH INDUSTRIES in January 2013. My new adventure starts with my 3D company!

My 3D printing company, the beginning

First activity, the measuring tool for laser tracker. After several epic projects for different actors in the aeronautics and nuclear industries… I find myself at AIRBUS to face the turning point of the company! I was presented with a large 3D printer (a fortus 900). They told me that my precision machined tools would soon (all is relative for them) be made in 3D printing.

I left in my Angevine campaign with a strange feeling. As a young entrepreneur, I already had to make an important decision. You have to look back to the context of the time in 2013, there was information on the internet but no prices or direct online shopping like now. I took my stuff and headed for Paris in a very small shop, which has become big since Multistation. They gave me good advice, and I left with my first Up plus from 3DDP.

Six months of hard work to get the most out of the beautiful machine. Quickly, I realized the possibilities offered by this machine. The materials were limited but I tried a lot of different stuff ! Thank you Makershop for helping me in the choice of the first materials !!! As a result, my geek side was seduced, and 1 machine wasn’t enough for me anymore. I bought a nice piece, an elite size from stratasys, which was quickly replaced by a fortus 250 much more adapted to my crazy needs! Soon other machines were added, with more or less success (a certain leapfrog HS for example for experts).

3D printing, the turning point

All this in barely a year! But the real turning point came after a simple reflection. What did I want to do with my machines? At first I was having fun, but I wanted more and I felt there was a deal to be made. I remember the words that the salesman who sold me my stratasys said to me: “There is a turn in 3D printing to be taken, you have to take it at the right time and I believe you will take it at the right time” I thank him because he was visionary on this point!

I had to make the part, but not the proto, the part that could be used as such, which would position itself as an alternative to injection and machining.

After having browsed through many websites, here I am in front of THE machine of my dreams. Unique in France (in the context we are in 2014) the A2 from 3NTR. One of a kind, triple extruder, capacities 620x330x500 mm, heated chamber, in short, imagine yourself in front of a Ferrari or a motorcycle!

9 months later it arrived! A real racing beast, difficult to handle, but once mastered I was producing crazy parts.

I had up to 8 of them in 3 years! Now I have only 4 left. Time goes by and the competition comes.

We now have about 40 machines. Our business has changed a lot as explained in our previous article on the 3D printing business.

We have tested, many brands (well-known and less known, who remembers IRA3D?), many materials, with each time nice successes but also many failures. We had several exclusivities! The first A2 from 3NTR, (just after airbus but shush), the first French markone, the first and only AON M1, the first 1m^3 custom made, the first X5 from tiertime (in France).

My printing 3D, 5 years later

If you do the math in less than 5 years, TH INDUSTRIES’ business has changed from a specialist in laser tracker tooling to one of the top 3D printing companies.

I had the chance to meet some great French success stories in my early days, we started together (well, almost) Antoine from 3D machines, alexandre from 3Dnatives, vincent from makershop! They finished better than me 🙂 !

3D printing is really a world apart, I love it, it fascinates me, how far are we going to go????

It’s a job of challenges and risks, I’ve taken some and I’m going to take some more before the end of the year, I plan to put 2 robot arms that will work together in my 1 m^3 (but shhh I’m just starting)

I would like to thank all my historical and new clients (big and small) who trust me! We grew up together, it’s not nice every day, we screw up, we’re late, but sometimes we achieve the impossible! I remember a challenge, to produce in 17h 450h machines! WE DID IT (little music from DORA)

Now you know all about me or almost all about me because I could talk about 3D printing for hours !