Happy 2017!

[SandervG 1,521]

Hi, and welcome to 2017!!

On top of the necessary morning coffee I usually need to start to feel somewhat alive, I needed a couple of extra doses today to battle the remains of my celebrations. But it was definitely worth it! Hopefully, you can also look back on some quality time with your loved ones and some good memorable moments. On a personal note, I want to wish everyone all the best for 2017 and I am excited for what this year will bring.

While I was sipping my 4th or 5th coffee and staring into my monitor, I caught myself reminiscing over 2016. It has been an amazing year where we, once again, have seen an incredible growth in various areas within Ultimaker. By now I can proudly say I am part of a team that consists of over 250 people, from which every single person makes his own significant and passionate contribution to this company. And the loyal ongoing collaboration with our partners who all play their part in their own territories is stronger than ever.

One of the highlights of this year, must have been the introduction of the Ultimaker 3, as a valuable addition to our product range.

For a while now we have detected an increasing demand for reliable and accessible 3D printing in the professional market and we see the Ultimaker 3 as a great fit. We can't permit ourselves to ignore these signs and deny such areas, like the professional/industrial market, the quality Ultimaker offers.

At the same time, we also stepped up our game towards the educational scene, and kicked off our pioneer program. Ultimaker is growing.

But it is important to realize these developments are an addition to our focus and range of products and I want to use this opportunity to underline that it does not influence our appreciation for you, our community. We believe we can be there for all of you. 2017 should be the proof of that

So what else have we seen in 2016?

Well, we started off with releasing the Ultimaker 2+, which resulted a few months later into the extrusion upgrade kit. Many users took this opportunity at heart and upgraded their Ultimaker 2, into a practically brand new machine again.

In June we had a leading role in the Additive Manufacturing show, where we were also host for quite a few users and community members. Following a tour through the headquarters, meeting the Ultimaker team and topping off the weekend with a hackathon, we really opened our doors to our community.

In the area of filaments, we have introduced a fair share of new materials which are supported by Ultimaker. Besides the regular PLA and ABS, the list has been complimented with Nylon, CPE(+), PVA, PC and TPU. These materials cover a wide range of heat resistance, flexibility, chemical resistance, and strenth.

Our software team made huge leaps forward and made the world a better place by introducing Cura 2. Currently we are into version 2.3.1. We even introduced 2 new apps!

Our community has grown significantly. Last year we had over 13.000 new registrations and over 5.000 new topics created on top of the ongoing conversations.

What about next year?

Well, according to true Ultimaker tradition, I can't be very specific about what kind of innovation we will bring. I can say however that the roadmap looks very interesting and diverse, and my efforts will be aimed at continuing to grow and maintain this amazing community even more! As always I welcome your input and feedback.

I am curious to know what you consider your personal highlights of last year, how did you celebrate your New Year’s Eve and what you aim to accomplish next year?

Looking forward hearing from you

All the best, Sander.