At the second edition of the Malta International Business Awards, Thought3D Ltd, having demonstrated that its products are innovative and led to significant increase in export revenue, won the prestigious Innovation Exporter Category Award.
Thought3D Ltd is probably not very well known in Malta, but this small-sized company is making waves internationally in the additive manufacturing industry with its high-quality products being adopted by most.
First held in 2017, Malta’s premier international business awards, created by TradeMalta with the strategic support of HSBC Bank Malta, honours businesses across a range of categories. Running for the second time, the categories were: Exporter of the Year in Small, Medium, Large and Emerging Markets, Innovation Exporter of the Year, High Potential Exporter of the Year, Online Exporter and Overall Exporter of the Year.
Thought3D was set up in 2014 by two young Maltese entrepreneurs, who, through various research and development projects, gradually changed their focus to 3D printing, which was just experiencing its shift into mainstream engineering.
As patents in the field were just expiring, the field opened up to research and development. Keith Azzopardi and Edward Borg quickly realised that this was a good opportunity and they managed to find a gap in the market.
The key to success was making the 3D printing process as reliable and effortless as possible. To this end, they developed and released their first product in 2015, an adhesive under the brand of Magigoo. This was made possible also thanks to the University of Malta and the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses-led TakeOff Seed Fund Awards, which they won. They also won the Malta Innovation Award for the invention of Magigoo that same year.
After strengthening their team with the addition of then TakeOff manager Andrei-Andy Linnas and securing much needed seed funding from local angle investors, they reiterated the product in 2016. The continuous support from Malta Enterprise, also in the form of start-up and research grants, meant that the team could focus more wholly on developing and innovating. The collaborations with leading local companies such as Firstbridge Services Ltd, BRND WGN and Ganado Advocates, also played an integral role in putting Thought3D on the map.
In 2018, the company started focusing more on the needs of industrial users and within two years Magigoo evolved from one product into a product line consisting of eight different glues that make sure that whatever material the 3D printing industry wants to print with, it can. The Magigoo versions are Original, Flex, PC, PA, PP, PPGF, HT and 316L.
Thought3D and its products are recognised internationally. Magigoo products securely hold the prints during printing ensuring a successful print, however, and this is the most interesting part. They also release their adhesion upon print completion allowing for easy removal. All Magigoo products are water-based adhesives that do not contain any hazardous chemicals. This makes the product safe for end-users and takes away any barriers for worldwide shipping.
Furthermore, there is no other company in the 3D printing industry that can provide a holistic service like Thought3D, from the development of custom products all the way to providing end client support.
Today, the Magigoo brand is established in the 3D printing industry and is the standard go-to solution for hobbyists and professionals. With an impressive partner network, Thought3D is collaborating directly with leading 3D printer manufacturers and material vendors, some of whom are among the largest chemical producers in the world.
Magigoo products are being integrated with the printing machinery and bundled directly with the raw material itself (filaments). Magigoo is also resold in over 30 countries through a network of 70 resellers worldwide. Thought3D is foreseeing further improvements to their products.
The team is now focusing on developing further products that help in making additive manufacturing even more reliable and seamless. Thought3D is putting ‘Made in Malta’ on the map of future manufacturing and is always searching for new capital to fuel the commercialisation of new products and production methods.
To learn more, get in touch with the team at andy@thought3d.com.