thyssenkrupp and Wilhelmsen form joint venture for 3D printing in the maritime industry
The two industrial companies thyssenkrupp and Wilhelmsen have founded a joint venture, "Pelagus 3D", which will in future offer spare parts for the maritime industry worldwide via a digital platform, according to the company's release. The new company will use modern additive manufacturing technology and a global partner network to produce and deliver spare parts more efficiently in terms of time and cost. Customers will therefore be able to ensure the seaworthiness of their ships and maintain their operations as planned. Pelagus 3D thus addresses the challenge of high transport and storage costs as well as the longer duration of conventional manufacturing processes in the maritime sector.
For the joint venture, thyssenkrupp contributes, on the one hand, its technological expertise in additive manufacturing as well as capabilities from its own Tech Centers in Singapore and Germany to supply 3D metal products for application in shipping and other industries. thyssenkrupp Materials Services, the company’s materials distribution and service provider, further adds deep knowledge in the development of digital supply chain solutions and platforms. The experts, for example, built the platform that is used for Pelagus 3D.
The global shipping group Wilhelmsen, in turn, brings in its in-depth maritime expertise and direct ongoing experience in understanding the needs of vessel fleet managers, supporting the delivery of a wide portfolio of maritime products and services for an array of vessels.
At the heart of Pelagus 3D will be the digital platform developed by thyssenkrupp Materials Services, which will serve as a link between customers as well as ship managers and OEMs. Through this platform, the joint venture will have access to a global partner network with various manufacturing technologies, first and foremost printing technologies. This allows the company to respond to requests to print any material. Moreover, manufacturing will take place locally where the spare part is needed, so that long transport distances can be avoided.
Pelagus 3D will be headquartered in Singapore.
Pelagus 3D will be part of thyssenkrupp Materials Services' innovation portfolio. As one of the world's leading companies in the global materials distribution and services sector, thyssenkrupp Materials Services is consistently pursuing new digital business models as part of its "Materials as a Service" strategy in order to grow.
thyssenkrupp Materials Services is one of the world's leading companies in the global materials distribution and services sector with around 380 locations – including around 260 warehouse sites – in more than 30 countries. The versatile range of services offered by the materials experts allows customers to focus even more strongly on their individual core businesses.
Founded in Norway in 1861, Wilhelmsen is now a comprehensive global maritime group providing essential products and services to the merchant fleet, along with supplying crew and technical management to the largest and most complex vessels ever to sail.
